Terrestrial laser scanning point clouds as a data source for geometric analysis and inventory of hydraulic structures
More details
Hide details
1
Department of Geodesy, Faculty of Environmental Engineering and Geodesy, University of Agriculture in Krakow, Poland
2
Geodetic Students Society, Faculty of Environmental Engineering and Geodesy, University of Agriculture in Krakow, Poland
3
Department of Engineering and Geology (InGeo), ‘G. d’Annunzio’ University of Chieti-Pescara, Italy
4
Institute of Technology and Life Sciences ‒ National Research Institute, Falenty, Poland
Submission date: 2026-01-19
Final revision date: 2026-01-23
Acceptance date: 2026-01-26
Publication date: 2026-02-26
Corresponding author
Przemysław Klapa
Department of Geodesy, Faculty of Environmental Engineering and Geodesy, University of Agriculture in Krakow, Balicka 253a, 31-120 Krakow, Poland, Poland
Geomatics, Landmanagement and Landscape 2026;(1)
KEYWORDS
TOPICS
ABSTRACT
Terrestrial laser scanning (TLS) has become one of the key technologies for surveying and documenting engineering objects, including large-scale and hard-to-access hydraulic structures. Water dams are a prominent example with considerable spatial dimensions, complex geometry, and critical importance for technical and environmental safety. This calls for modern, precise, and comprehensive documentation methods. TLS enables the acquisition of dense three-dimensional spatial data in the form of point clouds, providing a robust basis for geometric inventorying, visualization, and assessment of structural condition. This study uses TLS datasets acquired for the Rożnów and Klimkówka dams to produce 2D technical documentation, 3D models, and geometric analyses of the dams and their associated components. The point clouds support surface-based evaluation of object geometry, verification of structural continuity and integrity, detection of shape changes, and analysis of spatial relationships between the dams and their surroundings. An additional advantage of point clouds is the reusability of the acquired data: cross-sections, plans, and visualizations can be generated repeatedly at later stages without the need for renewed field surveys. The results demonstrate the high utility of TLS as a support for geometric inventorying, technical condition assessment, and long-term monitoring of water dams, particularly in the case of large, geometrically complex hydraulic structures.
REFERENCES (22)
1.
Alba M., Fregonese L., Prandi F., Scaioni M., Valgoi P. 2006. Structural monitoring of a large dam by terrestrial laser scanning. Int. Arch. Photogramm. Remote Sens. Spat. Inf. Sci., 36(5).
2.
Dewedar A.K.H., Palumbo D., Pepe M. 2024. Hydraulic risk assessment on historic masonry bridges using hydraulic open-source software and geomatics techniques: a case study of the ‘Hannibal Bridge’, Italy. Remote Sens., 16, 2994.
https://doi.org/10.3390/rs1616....
3.
Dorobek K., Szostak B., Królikowski W. 2018. Metody inwentaryzacji obiektów znajdujących się w stanie ruiny. Ochrona Dziedzictwa Kulturowego, 1–12.
4.
Fiedler W.R. 2016. Managing dam safety risks related to hydraulic structures. Proceedings of the 6th International Symposium on Hydraulic Structures: Hydraulic Structures and Water System Management, Portland, OR, USA, 27–30 June 2016.
https://doi.org/10.15142/T3720....
5.
Gawronek P., Makuch M., Mitka B., Bożek P., Klapa P. 2017. 3D scanning of the historical underground of Benedictine abbey in Tyniec (Poland). 17th International Multidisciplinary Scientific GeoConference SGEM2017, Issue 22: Geodesy and Mine Surveying. International Multidisciplinary Scientific GeoConference & EXPO SGEM, Sofia.
https://doi.org/10.5593/SGEM20....
7.
International Commission on Large Dams (ICOLD). 2001. Geodetic monitoring of dams and structural deformations. Bulletin 121. ICOLD Paris.
8.
International Commission on Large Dams (ICOLD). 2016. Dam surveillance guide. Bulletin 154. ICOLD Paris.
9.
International Organization for Standardization. 2013. ISO 19157:2013. Geographic information – Data quality. ISO Geneva.
10.
International Organization for Standardization. 2018. ISO 17123-9:2018. Optics and optical instruments – Field procedures for testing geodetic and surveying instruments – Part 9: Terrestrial laser scanners. ISO Geneva.
11.
Jesionek I. 2011. Przykłady naziemnych skanerów laserowych. Acta Scientifica Academiae Ostroviensis, 35–36.
12.
Kozlov D., Yurchenko A. 2020. The role of inspection of hydraulic structures in the assessment of their technical condition. IOP Conf. Ser., Mater. Sci. Eng., 883(1), 012049.
https://doi.org/10.1088/1757-8....
13.
Li Y., Liu P., Li H., Huang F. 2021. A comparison method for 3D laser point clouds in displacement change detection for arch dams. ISPRS Int. J. Geo-Inf., 10, 184.
https://doi.org/10.3390/ijgi10....
14.
Mitka B. 2007. Możliwości zastosowania naziemnych skanerów laserowych w procesie dokumentacji i modelowania obiektów zabytkowych. Archiwum Fotogrametrii, Kartografii i Teledetekcji, 17b.
15.
Polski Komitet Normalizacyjny. 2004. PN-EN 1990:2004. Eurokod 0: Podstawy projektowania konstrukcji. PKN Warszawa.
16.
Polski Komitet Normalizacyjny. 2008. PN-EN 1992-1-1:2008. Eurokod 2: Projektowanie konstrukcji z betonu. Część 1-1: Reguły ogólne i reguły dla budynków. PKN Warszawa.
17.
Rozporządzenie Ministra Środowiska z dnia 20 kwietnia 2007 r. w sprawie warunków technicznych, jakim powinny odpowiadać budowle hydrotechniczne i ich usytuowanie (Dz.U. 2007 nr 86 poz. 579).
20.
Zaczek-Peplińska J., Adamek A., Osińska-Skotak K., Adamek A. 2014. Inwentaryzacja galerii kontrolnej i przelewu zapory ziemnej Klimkówka metodą skanowania laserowego. Archiwum Fotogrametrii, Kartografii i Teledetekcji, 5–6.
21.
Zaczek-Peplińska J., Kowalska M. 2022. Application of non-contact geodetic measurement techniques in dam monitoring. Arch. Civ. Eng., 68(3), 49–70.
https://doi.org/10.24425/ace.2....
22.
Zaczek-Peplińska J., Popielski P. 2007. Możliwości wykorzystania modelowania MES w trakcie geodezyjnych pomiarów kontrolnych budowli piętrzących – model numeryczny dla zapory Besko. Nowoczesne Budownictwo Inżynieryjne, listopad–grudzień 2007.