Application of terrestrial laser scanner with an integrated thermal camera in non-destructive evaluation of concrete surface of hydrotechnical objects

The authors present possible applications of thermal data as an additional source of information on an object’s behaviour during the technical assessment of the condition of a concrete surface. For the study one of the most recent propositions introduced by Zoller + Fröhlich company was used, which is an integration of a thermal camera with a terrestrial laser scanner. This solution enables an acquisition of geometric and spectral data on the surveyed object and also provides information on the surface’s temperature in the selected points. A section of the dam’s downstream concrete wall was selected as the subject of the study for which a number of scans were carried out and a number of thermal images were taken at different times of the day. The obtained thermal data was confronted with the acquired spectral information for the specified points. This made it possible to carry out broader analysis of the surface and an inspection of the revealed fissure. The thermal analysis of said fissure indicated that the temperature changes within it are slower, which may affect the way the concrete works and may require further elaboration by the appropriate experts. Through the integration of a thermal camera with a terrestrial laser scanner one can not only analyse changes of temperature in the discretely selected points but on the whole surface as well. Moreover, it is also possible to accurately determine the range and the area of the change affecting the surface. The authors note the limitations of the presented solution like, inter alia, the resolution of the thermal camera.