Deformation Analysis

Definition

Deformation analysis :

The estimation and testing of control network deformations as well as the a priori control network optimization.

Introduction

One of the most important tasks of geodesy is the deformation monitoring of the Earth’s surface and engineering structures. The monitored area is represented by the absolute or relative control network which is measured in two or more epochs of time and the results of these measurements (e.g., distances, directions, height differences, GNSS vectors) are then processed by statistical methods (Chen 1983; Chrzanowski and Chen 1990; Caspary 2000; Heunecke et al. 2013). Absolute control networks consist of the points placed on a deformable object and the potentially reference points (PRPs) placed on a potentially stable area (Fig. 1), whereas relative control networks consist only of the points placed on a deformable object – due to the lack of potentially stable area. Absolute networks are commonly used in the deformation...