A feasibility study of building structural deformation monitoring using Global Positioning System (GPS), terrestrial surveying technique (TST) and crack gauge measurement (CGM)

Deformation of engineering structures is often monitored in order to ensure that the structure is exhibiting safe deformation behaviour. The deformation of high-rise building can be monitored using geodetic surveys and geotechnical/structural measurements. Geodetic surveys include conventional (terrestrial) and satellite (Global Positioning System); wherelse geotechnical/structural measurements detect either by using leasers, tiltmeters, joint-meters and micrometers. This research will discuss the capability of monitoring high and low-rise building structure using geodetic surveys (conventional and satellite) and geotechnical measurement (crack width measurement). Two buildings namely the Twin Tower of Science and Technology Complex and Innovation Centre Building of University Technology MARA (UiTM), Selangor, Malaysia are chosen for the research study. UiTM Twin Tower represents high-rise building, five control points were been established around the building in the monitoring work. Innovation Centre was monitored using nine monitored points. The monitoring exercises are carried out at four (4) different epochs. The Terrestrial and Global Positioning System (GPS) dataset in the monitoring exercise are process and analysed using the intersection technique and Trimble Geomantic Survey (TGO) software. Generally the monitored points for the Twin Tower Building experience movements within 1 mm to 10 mm. For Innovation Centre Building monitored points seem to shift between 1 mm to 9 mm. Detection of movement for both building´s structure seems to be within the allowable tolerance. It is shown that monitoring building structure using the techniques adopted in this study has significant advantages and disadvantages.