SDSS 2025

Quantifying Steel Deck Imperfections Using LiDAR and Photogrammetry

  • Rakhee, Richa Dutta (University of Wisconsin-Madison)
  • Naw, Jacknetson (University of Wisconsin-Madison)
  • Blum, Hannah (University of Wisconsin-Madison)

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Geometric imperfections affect the buckling capacity of thin-walled structural steel members. Conventional methods to measure geometric imperfections include using hand tools and laser scanning at specific locations around the cross-section. This paper presents a study to quantify geometric imperfections of three different profiled steel decks using a handheld LiDAR scanner and photogrammetry. Four measurement methods were assessed: (1) traditional hand measurements, (2) high-density point cloud scanning (using the Artec Leo, up to 0.1 mm precision), (3) low-density point cloud data (up to 1 cm precision), and (4) photogrammetry using an Apple iPad Pro with the Scaniverse app. The three decks included a 9/16-inch (1.4 cm) floor form deck, a 1.5-inch-(3.8 cm) wide rib roof deck, and a 3-inch (7.6 cm) composite floor deck. Key parameters included top and bottom flange widths, the angle and radius be-tween flanges, and thickness. Geometric imperfections were quantified using high-density point cloud scans in Artec Studio software, which were accurate but required significant post-processing and could not capture thickness. The Scaniverse app produced detailed deck visualizations through photogrammetry and matched manual measurements; however, its low-density point cloud lacked sufficient detail to measure key geometric characteristics. The comparison of results aims to improve imperfection scanning and analysis.