The use of point clouds for non-destructive testing in structural health monitoring: a review

In recent years, research in Structural Health Monitoring (SHM) has intensified due to the growing demand for efficient inspection, monitoring, and maintenance of civil engineering structures. To meet this demand, studies have focused on developing non-destructive techniques (NDT) capable of providing accurate and continuous assessments. Among these, point clouds have emerged as a robust approach to capture comprehensive environmental data and provide detailed information for further analysis. This paper presents a state-of-the-art review summarizing advancements over the last ten years in the use of point clouds obtained by laser scanning and photogrammetry in SHM. Initially, an overview of the data acquisition techniques and their operational principles is presented. Subsequently, relevant studies selected through a systematic literature review are analyzed, emphasizing their methodologies, advantages, and limitations. Finally, the paper discusses the current challenges in integrating point cloud technologies into SHM frameworks and outlines potential future research directions aimed at enhancing their precision and automation capabilities.