GPS & Levelling in Deformation Monitoring
GPS & Levelling in Deformation Monitoring
ABSTRACT:
Being sure is very important that the movements of an engineering structure, which serves the human life of today’s modern world,
are exhibiting safe behaviours. So, a lot of deformation monitoring studies for determining and analysing different kinds of
engineering structures such as high-rise buildings, dams, bridges, viaducts, industrial complexes etc., are implemented. During these
studies, the used measurement techniques and systems, which could be geodetic or non-geodetic, are determined considering the
type of the structure of which deformations will be monitored, its environmental conditions and expected accuracy from the
measurements. As related the used monitoring techniques, the deformation measurement equipments are varied. Also according to
professions who use the deformation monitoring techniques, these techniques and instrumentation have traditionally been
categorized in to two groups: geodetic surveys, which include conventional (terrestrial such as precise levelling measurements, angle
and distance measurements etc.), photogrammetric (terrestrial, aerial and digital photogrammetry), satellite (such as Global
Positioning System-GPS, InSAR), and some special techniques; geotechnical/structural measurements, using lasers, tiltmeters,
strainmeters, extensometers, joint-meters, plumb lines, micrometers etc. In this paper, some of these deformation measurement
techniques which are thought as more important and mostly used by the geodesy specialists will be reviewed. The importance and
need of carrying out the deformation measurements periodically in engineering structures will be emphasised.
Besides, a case study that is about implementing the deformation analysis of a large viaduct using GPS and Precise Levelling
measurements will be discussed here. As it is well known, engineering structures (such as in this viaduct) are subject of deformation
due to factors such as changes of ground water level, tidal phenomena, tectonic phenomena etc. In this study, the design, execution
and analysis of deformations in a high-way viaduct are going to be mentioned in detailed explanations as an example of
implementing the two geodetic techniques in deformation monitoring of large engineering structures. During the study, the control
network points were positioned with GPS measurement technique and height differences were supported with precise levelling
measurements. As the result of measurement campaigns, the X, Y, Z cartesian coordinates and height differences were determined
from the GPS measurements and precise levelling measurements respectively. Later on, deformation analysis using the height
differences according to provided data from the GPS and the data from the precise levelling were carried out separately. Then, the
3D deformation analysis using the GPS measurements data was carried out too. Founded results will be given in the paper.
* Corresponding author. This is useful to know for communication with the appropriate person in cases with more than one author.
positioning technique has become to use in deformation                relative positions of any identifiable object points can be
measurements (Erol, 1999).                                            determined from the geometrical relationship between the
                                                                      intersecting optical rays which connect the image and object
GPS technique has benefits of high accuracy and simultaneous          points. Aerial photogrammetry has been extensively used in
3-D positioning; however there are handicaps about vertical           determining ground movements in ground subsidence studies in
positioning using this technique.       Because, the height           mining areas, and terrestrial photogrammetry has been used in
component is the least accurately determined GPS coordinate,          monitoring of engineering structures. The main advantages of
predominantly due to inherent geometric weakness and                  using photogrammetry are the reduced time of field work;
atmospheric errors (Featherstone et al., 1998; Çelik et al.,          simultaneous three dimensional coordinates; and in principle an
2001).                                                                unlimited number of points can be monitored (Anonym, 2002).
Therefore, using GPS measurement technique in deformation             Tilt and Inclination Measurements; The measurement of tilt is
measurements with millimeter level accuracy requires some             usually understood as the determination of a deviation from the
special precautions that increase the measurement accuracy in         horizontal plane, while inclination is interpreted as a deviation
GPS observables via eliminating or reducing some error sources        from the vertical. The same instrument that measures tilt at a
such as using forced centering equipments, applying special           point can be called either a tiltmeter or an inclinometer
measuring techniques like rapid static method for short               depending on the interpretation of the results (Anonym, 2002).
baselines or designing special equipments for precise antenna
height readings (Erol and Ayan, 2003).                                The some of new techniques for deformation monitoring can be
                                                                      listed as follows.
In some cases, even these special precautions might be
insufficient to reach the necessary accuracy level; at that time to   Insar; Elevations can be determined from Synthetic Aperture
support GPS measurements with another measurement                     Radar (SAR) images by interferometric methods. This involves
technique would be very useful as an improving solution.              the use of two antennas, displaced either vertically or
                                                                      horizontally, installed on the same satellite or aircraft platform.
In this study, 1D and 3D deformation analysis of a large viaduct      One of the antennas transmits the signal, but both receive it,
using GPS and Precise Levelling measurements are                      resulting in two images being created. The most accurate form
implemented. The control network points were positioned with          of interferometric measurement is differential interferometry
GPS measurement technique and height differences were                 (InSAR), which involves the determination of elevation
supported with precise levelling measurements. As the result of       differences between two epochs of terrain measurement. In this
measurement campaigns, the X, Y, Z cartesian coordinates and          case, the variations in the radar signal phases are determined
height differences were determined from the GPS                       between the two epochs, which reveal terrain surface
measurements and precise levelling measurements respectively.         deformations that may have occurred between the two
Later on, deformation analysis using the height differences           occasions when the images were recorded. It is claimed that
according to provided data from the GPS and the data from the         height differences as small as one centimeter can be detected by
precise levelling were carried out separately. Then, the 3D           this method. Such a technique therefore has the potential of
deformation analysis using the GPS measurements data was              being a cost effective, near-continuous, remote method of
carried out too. Explanation on used analysis methods and             measuring terrain subsidence due to mining, and ground
founded results will be given in addition to general review of        movement due to land subsidence, earthquake or volcanic
deformation analysis methods in the following sections.               activity,                                                       etc.
                                                                      (http://www.gmat.unsw.edu.au/snap/work/insar.htm, accessed
2. OVERVIEW OF DEFORMATION MEASUREMENT                                May 2004).
               TECHNIQUES
                                                                      Pseudolite; It is well known that for GPS-based deformation
As it is mentioned in the introduction part, measurement              monitoring systems, the accuracy, availability, reliability and
techniques were divided mainly into two different groups as           integrity of the positioning solutions is heavily dependent on
geodetic and non-geodetic techniques. These main techniques           the number, and geometric distribution, of the satellites being
can also be divided sub-techniques. In the following, it can be       tracked. However, in some situations, such as in urban
found short descriptions of the used techniques in deformation        canyons, monitoring in valleys and in deep open-cut mines, the
measurements.                                                         number of visible satellites may not be sufficient to reliably
                                                                      determine precise coordinates. Furthermore, it is impossible to
GPS; Global Positioning System offers advantages over                 use GPS for indoor applications and due to limitations of the
conventional terrestrial methods.         Intervisibility between     GPS satellite geometry; the accuracy of the height component is
stations is not strictly necessary, allowing greater flexibility in   generally 2 or 3 times worse than the horizontal components.
the selection of station locations than for terrestrial geodetic      These factors make it difficult to address GPS deformation
surveys. Measurements can be carried out during night or day,         monitoring applications in areas where the number of visible
under varying weather conditions, which makes GPS                     satellites is limited or satellite geometry is poor, especially
measurements economical, especially when multiple receivers           where real-time high accuracy height component monitoring is
can be deployed on the structure during the survey. With the          needed, as in such applications as ground subsidence or
recent developed rapid static positioning techniques, the time        deformation monitoring of man-made structures. Therefore, in
for the measurements at each station is reduced to a few              order to improve the performance of GPS-only deformation
minutes (Anonym, 2002).                                               monitoring systems, the integration of GPS with other
                                                                      technologies needs to be investigated.
Photogrammetry; If an object is photographed from two or
more survey points of known relative positions (known                 Pseudolites (pseudo-satellites), which are ground-based
coordinates) with a known relative orientation of the camera(s),      transmitters of GPS-like signals, can significantly enhance the
satellite geometry, and even replace the GPS satellite                session plan. Also, precise levelling measurement technique
constellation in some circumstances (such as deformation              was applied between network points.
monitoring indoors).
                                                                      During GPS measurements, Trimble 4000 SSI and Leica
The geometry of the satellite constellation can be improved by        System 300 dual frequencies receivers were used. Leveling
the careful selection of the pseudolite location(s). In the case of   measurements were carried out using Koni 007 precise level.
GPS, the measurements with low elevation angles are usually
rejected in order to avoid serious multipath, tropospheric delay      The network has 6 reference points, set around the viaduct and
and ionospheric bias. However, this is not necessary in the case      24 deformation points, set on the building of the viaduct and
of pseudolites. The quality of the measurements with less than        they are established especially on the piers where expected to
half degree elevation angle (from the pseudolite transmitter to       be most stabile places on the structures (see Figure 1).
the GPS receivers) is still very high. Therefore, high quality
                                                                                                                                    Karasu Viaduct Network
pseudolite measurements with low elevation angles, when
                                                                                 4553750
included in data processing, can be expected to significantly
improve the ambiguity resolution performance and solution                        4553500
                                                                                                                                                                                    3
                                                                                                                                                                                          111       2      1
                                                                                                                                                                                    121   112
accuracy, especially in the height component. The availability                                                                                                                131   122
                                                                                                                                                   a   ck               141   132
                                                                                                                                                Tr                151
                                                                                                                                                                        142
                                                                                                                                           rn                     152
                                                                                                                                         he
                                                                      Northing
                                                                                                                                                            161
is also increased because a pseudolite provides an additional                    4553250          Marsh Area
                                                                                                                                  No
                                                                                                                                    rt
                                                                                                                                             171
                                                                                                                                             172
                                                                                                                                                            162
                                                                                                                                  181            k
ranging source to augment the GPS constellation (Dai et al.,                     4553000
                                                                                              5
                                                                                                                         191
                                                                                                                         192
                                                                                                                                  182
                                                                                                                                    he
                                                                                                                                       rn
                                                                                                                                            Tr
                                                                                                                                               ac
                                                                                                                                                                                          6
ut Marsh Area
2001).                                                                                                      211
                                                                                                                   201
                                                                                                                   202         So                             Büyükçekmece Lake
                                                                                                             212
                                                                                 4552750
                                                                                                     221
                                                                                                      222          Marsh Area
                                                                                              4
used to monitor large structures such as buildings, viaducts, 375250 375500 375750 376000 376250 376500 376750 377000 377250 377500 377750 378000 378250
                                                                                                                                                        Easting
dams and bridges, while very accurate, are greatly hindered by                             Figure 1: The configuration of geodetic network.
their low point density. Data acquisition time limits monitoring
to only a few samples located at strategic points on the                            4. DEFORMATION ANALYSIS USING HEIGHT
structure. Ground-based laser scanning is a new technology                                      DIFFERENCES
that allows rapid, remote measurement of millions of points,
thus providing an unprecedented amount of spatial information.        With the aim of determining the deformations in engineering
This in turn permits more accurate prediction of the forces           structures, landslide areas, crustal deformations etc., the
acting on a structure. As an emerging technology though,              geodetic networks are built. The observations are carried out in
several issues concerning instrument calibration, sensitivity         this geodetic network with certain intervals, and by this way
analysis, data processing and data filtering techniques require       stabile network points and instable network points are verified.
investigation                                                         This provides to determine the changes on the observed
(http://www.cage.curtin.edu.au/~geogrp/projlaser.html,      May       structure or area (Demirel, 1987).
2004).
                                                                      In general, the deformation analysis is evaluated in three steps
For any particular application of deformation measurements,           in a geodetic network. In the first step, the measurements,
the most appropriate technique (or combination of techniques),        which were carried out in t1 and t2 measurement epochs, are
which are going to be used, are determined as related to type of      adjusted separately according to free adjustment method;
the structure, required accuracy and also economical aspects.         outliers and systematic errors are detected and eliminated in this
                                                                      step. In the second step, global test procedure is carried out and
                 3. NETWORK AND DATA                                  by this test it is ensured that if the network point, which were
                                                                      assumed as stabile, stayed really stabile in the ∆t = t 2 − t1 time
In this study, the deformations of the Karasu viaduct were
investigated using GPS and precise levelling data. Karasu             interval or not. In the global test, after the free adjustment
viaduct is 2160 m in length. As the longest viaduct of the            calculations of the networks separately, the combined free
Turkey, It is located in the west of Istanbul in one part of the      adjustment is applied to both epoch measurements. (Ayan,
European Transit Motorway. The first 1000 meter of this               1982; Ayan et al., 1991).
viaduct crosses over the Büyükçekmece Lake and the piers of
the structure were constructed in to this lake (see Figure 1).        After determining a group of stabile points as the result of
                                                                      global test, following step of the analysis is the localizing of
The viaduct consists of two separate tracks as northern and           height changes. For doing this, TH test values are calculated for
southern and was constructed on 110 piers (each track has 55          the every network points, except the stabile points, and they are
piers). There is 40-meter width between two piers and also one        compared with F critical value that is given in the Fisher
deformation point is constructed with in every 5 piers sequence.      distribution table (Erol and Ayan, 2003).
                                                                                                        dh in mm
                                                                                                                    20.0
going to be mentioned below. And the results that obtained                                                           0.0
                                                                                                                   -20.0
from evaluating these three data sets are shown in the graphics                                                    -40.0
                                                                                                                   -60.0
                                                                                                                            5   4 221 211 201 191 181 171 161 151 141 131 121 111 6   3   2   1
Points
Stochastic information involves the number of instrument setup                                                                                   dh 1-2    dh 2-3   dh 3-4
while evaluating levelling derived height differences in the
deformation analysis algorithm.
                                                                                                          Figure 4: Combined derived height differences between
                                                                                                          consecutive epochs for each point in the northern track
On the other hand, in the algorithm of the second evaluation,
the ellipsoidal height differences (dhij), which were derived
                                                                                                                     5. 3D DEFORMATION ANALYSIS WITH
from the GPS baseline solutions, are used as measurements,.
                                                                                                                     S-TRANSFORMATION USING GPS DATA
Also, the stochastic information of measurements comes from
the GPS baseline solutions.                                                                         It can be accomplished the datum consistency between different
                                                                                                    epochs by employing the S-Transformation. Also, the moving
In the third evaluation, height differences, derived from both                                      points are determined by applying this transformation
measuring techniques, are used together and deformation                                             consecutively. S-transformation is an operation that is used for
analysis is applied according to results of evaluation of                                           transition from one datum to another datum without using a
combined data groups. A very important point that has to be                                         new adjustment computation.           With another word, S-
considered in the first step of this evaluation is that the both                                    transformation is a transformation computation of the unknown
measurements groups derived from both techniques do not have                                        parameters, which were determined in a datum, and their
the same accuracy naturally. And so, the stochastic information                                     cofactor matrix, from the current datum to the new datum. The
between these measurement groups (relative to each other) has                                       equations that imply the transition from the datum i to datum k
to be derived. In this study, for computing the weights of both                                     are given below (Demirel, 1987; Başkaya, 1995).
measurement groups, Helmert Variance Component Estimation
(HVCE) Technique has been used.
                                                                                                                     x k = Sk x i
In here, only the graphics, which shows the height differences                                                       Q k = Sk Qi STk
of northern-track points, are given. Because of that the                                                                   xx         xx
deformations in both tracks points have the same character, so it                                                                                     −1
has been found sufficient to give results belongs to only one                                                        S k = I − G  G T E k G            GT Ek
                                                                                                                                              
track of the viaduct.
                                                                                                    5.1 Global Test Using S-Transformation
                               Northern Track - Levelling
                                                                                                    A control network is composed by the datum points and
                                                                                                    deformation points. By the help of the datum points, the
               80.0
               60.0                                                                                 control network, which were measured in ti and tj epochs, are
   dh in mm
               40.0
               20.0                                                                                 transformed to the same datum.
                0.0
              -20.0
              -40.0
              -60.0
                      4   221 211   201 191 181   171 161 151 141   131 121 111     3       2   1   While inspecting the significant movements of the points,
              -80.0
                                                                                                    continuous datum transformation is needed. Because of this,
                                                      Points
                                                                                                    first of all, the networks, which are going to be compared each
                                            dh 1-2    dh 2-3    dh 3-4                              other, are adjusted in any datum such as using free adjustment.
      Figure 2: Levelling derived height differences between                                        In the result of free adjustment, the coordinates of the control
      consecutive epochs for each point in the northern track                                       network points, which were measured in any epoch, are divided
                                                                                                    into two groups as f (datum points) and n (deformation points).
                                    Northern Track - GPS                                            Then, datum i and datum j were able to be transformed into the
                                                                                                    same datum k by the help of the datum points. As the result,
               80.0
               60.0
                                                                                                    the vectors of coordinate unknowns and also their cofactor
               40.0
                                                                                                    matrix are founded for the datum points in the same k datum.
   dh in mm
               20.0
                0.0
              -20.0
              -40.0   5   4   221 211 201 191 181 171 161 151 141 131 121 111   6       3   2   1   By the global test, it is determined if there is any significant
              -60.0
              -80.0                                                                                 movements in the datum points or not. In the result of global
                                                      Points                                        test, if it is decided that there is deformation significantly in one
                                             dh 1-2    dh 2-3    dh 3-4                             part of the datum points, determining the significant point
                                                                                                    movements using S-transformation (localization of the
 Figure 3: GPS derived height differences between consecutive                                       deformations) step is started. In this step, as is assumed that
           epochs for each point in the northern track                                              each of the datum points might change its position, for each
datum point, the group of datum points is divided in to two                                                                                                                   deformations, it has to be supported by precise levelling
parts: the first part includes the datum points, which are                                                                                                                    measurements in vertical positioning.
assumed as stable and the second part includes the datum point,
which is assumed as instable. And all the computation steps are                                                                                                               In the first step of the process, the data, which were handled
repeated for each datum points. By this way, for all of the                                                                                                                   from both measurement methods, were processed for each
datum points, the probability of to be stabile or not has been                                                                                                                epoch separately. By this way, the results, which had been
tested. At the end, the exact datum points are derived.                                                                                                                       derived from the independent solutions for each epoch, were
                                                                                                                                                                              compared. This was done to obtain an impression of the quality
5.2 Determining the Deformation Values                                                                                                                                        of the data, of possible inherent problems and to get first hints
                                                                                                                                                                              on instable points, thus, allow applying a suitable deformation
After determining the significant point movements, the block of                                                                                                               analysis strategy. This operation covers the only height
datum points, which don’t have any deformations, are to be                                                                                                                    component. In the result of this comparison, the benefits of the
determined. By the help of these datum points, both epochs are                                                                                                                precise levelling measurements have been seen. The precise
shifted the same datum and deformation values are computed as                                                                                                                 levelling measurements have an effective role for checking the
explained below.                                                                                                                                                              heights derived from GPS measurements and also for clarifying
                                                                                                                                                                              the antenna height problems, which could be occurred during
The deformation vector for point P:                                                                                                                                           the GPS measurements and effect the height component
                    x j − x i                                                                                                                                               directly.
                     k        k                                                                           d              
                     j                                                                                     x                                                              After these processes, deformation analyses were carried out by
                              i
               d = y − y k  =                                                                             d                                                                                                                           (21)
                       k                                                                                   y                                                              using height differences from levelling measurements, from
                    z j − z i                                                                             d                                                               GPS measurements and also by using combination of height
                     k      k                                                                            z                                                              differences from both GPS and levelling measurements
                                                                                                                                                                              respectively. In general meaning, the results were confirmed
and the magnitude of the vector:
                                                                                                                                                                              each other. In the results, it was surprisingly found that the
                                                d = dT d                                                                                                                      maximum height changes were in point 2 and point 4 (as it is
                                                                                                                                                                              seen in the graphics), which were assumed as stabile at the
To determine the significance of these deformation vectors,
                                                                                                                                                                              beginning of the project and even though that their
which are computed according to above equations, the H0 null
                                                                                                                                                                              constructions are pillar. According to analysis of precise
hypothesis is carried out as given below.
                                                                                                                                                                              levelling data, on the contrary of the situation in point 2 and
                H0 : d = 0                                                                                                                                                    point 4, there weren’t seen any changes in heights in the
And the test value:                                                                                                                                                           deformation points on the viaduct. On the other hand,
                                                       d T Q −1 d                                                                                                             according to the second evaluation (using GPS derived height
                                                T=           dd                                                                                                               differences) in some points on the viaduct, height changes were
                                                            2
                                                          3s0                                                                                                                 reported.
While this test value is compared with critical value,
                                                                                                                                                                              In the third evaluation, as a result of the Helmert Variance
F3, f;1 − α , and if T 〉 F3, f;1 − α , it is said that there is a                                                                                                             Component Estimation it was computed that the weight of
significant 3D deformation in point P (Denli, 1998).                                                                                                                          height differences from levelling equals to 30 times of the
                                                                                                                                                                              weight of GPS derived height differences. This result was
After GPS Data evaluation, 3D deformation analysis was                                                                                                                        reached in the third iteration step.
carried out as it is mentioned. After the analyses, the founded
horizontal displacements can be seen in Figure 5.                                                                                                                             In the graphics, height changes according to consecutive
                                                                                                                                                                              measurement campaigns are seen. As the graphics of the first,
                                 2_3                                                                  4552632.345
                                                                                                                                                           4_1
                                                                                                                                                                              the second and the third evaluations are compared, it is not
             4553464.390
                                                                                                                                                                              reliable enough to use GPS measurements without special
                                                                                                                                                                              precautions for the GPS error sources, such as multipath,
                                                                                                      4552632.340
                                                                                                                      4_2
             4553464.385
                                                                                                      4552632.335
                                                                                                                                                                              atmospheric effects, antenna height problems etc., in vertical
                                                                                                                                                                              deformation analysis of engineering structures. According to
                                                                      2_1
                                                                                           Northing
  Northing
                                                                                                      4552632.330
                                                                                                                                                                      4_4
                                                                                                                                                                              investigation of the result of the second evaluation, it was seen
                                                                                                                                                                              changes in heights of some points on the viaduct. However,
             4553464.380
                                                                                                      4552632.325
2_4
                                                                                                      4552632.315
                                                                                                                                                                              understood that these changes, seemed to be deformations on
                                                               2_2
                                                                                                                                                                              the object point of the viaduct according to results of the second
                                                                                                                                                                              evaluation, were not significant and caused by the error sources
                                                                                                                                                          4_3
             4553464.370                                                                              4552632.310
                    377775.445     377775.450     377775.455     377775.460   377775.465                     375443.495   375443.500   375443.505   375443.510   375443.515
References
Anonym, 2002. Structural Deformation Surveying (EM 1110-
2-1009), US Army Corps of Engineers, Washington, DC
Ayan, T., Tekin, E., Deniz, R., Külür, S., Toz, G., Çelik, R. N.,
Özşamlı, C., 1991. Determining Landslides Deformations in
the Region of Büyükçekmece Gürpınar Village Using Geodetic
Methods, Technical Report, February 1991, Istanbul Technical
University, Istanbul, Turkey (in Turkish)
Çelik, R. N., Ayan, T., Denli, H., Özlüdemir, T., Erol, S.,
Özöner, B., Apaydın, N., Erincer, M., Leinen, S., Groten, E.,
2001. Monitoring Deformation on Karasu Viaduct Using GPS
and Precise Levelling Techniques, Kluwer Academic Publisher,
Netherlands
Dai L., Wang, J., Rizos, C., Han, S., 2001. Pseudo-satellite
applications in deformation monitoring, GPS Solutions, 5(3),
80-87