Deformation modelling of structures enriched by inter-element continuity condition based on multi-sensor data fusion

Abstract

A new adaptive method for deformation modelling of structures based on finite elements is developed under specified conditions in this paper. The continuity condition of deformation between overlaid surface elements on the structure is proposed to overcome the discontinuity of the surface deformation model. In the other words, this newly developed finite element method (DFEM) is designed by implementation of inter-element continuity conditions for a numerical solution of differential equations of the deformation model. Another capability of the proposed model is use of asynchronous and repetitious monitoring data of the structure (given by different geotechnical and geodetic sensors) as boundary values which enables fusion of multi-sensor measurements at data level in an inertial reference frame.Practical applicability of the method was assessed by successful determination of an earth-dam surface settlement variations based on the adaptive fusion of geodetic levelling and geotechnical settlement observations with inter-element continuity constraints. Regarding the observable continuity in the final surface deformation model contour maps also the estimated RMS (0.8mm) of difference between the deformation observations and their prediction on the check points, the presented method was more successful related to the deformation modelling method based on the single sensor data as well as the multi-sensor data fusion without inter-element continuity constraints.