Feasibility of using 3D point cloud technologies in Sri Lankan Civil Engineering Industry

Abstract

With the rapid advancement of technologies such as Laser Scanning and Point Cloud Data processing, the influence of these technologies in Civil Engineering Projects are inevitable. These technologies are used in various industries, including Civil Engineering, in tasks namely, 3D model preparation, Construction progress monitoring, Quality control, Virtual walk-throughs, etc. Many countries have already made the most out of these technologies whereas Sri Lanka as a developing country, seems to have lagged in implementing such tools, especially in the construction sector. Further applications of these digital technologies extend to preserve ancient monuments from disasters, create digital copies of structures, update timely variations of structures and predict the life-cycle of buildings. For instance, during renovations, the availability of any BIM models or any related drawings may be limited and renovations with destructions must be avoided; these limitations pave the way to the adaptation of non-destructive laser scanning and other related technologies. Moreover, there are significant advancements in efficient 3D point cloud data acquisition and accurate processing techniques around the globe, making it a reliable and effective solution for various civil engineering challenges. This study reviews the available technologies and their applications in the civil engineering domain and the feasibility of implementing these technologies in the Sri Lankan civil engineering industry.