Application of the Virtual Reality Technology in Structural Safety Monitoring of Shield Tunnels

Abstract

Many structural health monitoring (SHM) systems of actual tunnels are underused, with abstract data, chaotic information and the diagnostic results beyond comprehension. It is necessary to establish the visual connection between the visualization of monitoring network and massive structural information of tunnels. To address this issue, this study proposed a structural visualization method based on the panoramic virtual reality technology, combining the panoramic spherical image and the real-time monitoring data of tunnel obtained from SHM system. First, a software system for structural safety monitoring of an actual shield tunnel was developed on the basis of the combination of the panoramic visual technology and B/S (Browser/Server) architecture system. Second, the panoramic modelling method for specific tunnel structure environment was discussed in detail, and then the mechanism of data transmission and information access in panoramic virtual reality environment was investigated deeply. Finally, in view of the demands of practical application, the function modules of the abovementioned software system were described. Some key issues of how to develop each software module using the panoramic virtual reality technique were analysed e.g., online geographic information and cloud platform management. The results show that the panoramic virtual reality technology completely meets the needs of real-time processing, information management, virtual roaming and maintenance management in tunnel structural safety monitoring.