Flexible videogrammetric technique for three-dimensional structural vibration measurement

A videogrammetric technique is proposed for measuring three-dimensional structural vibration response in the laboratory. The technique is based on the principles of close-range digital photogrammetry and computer vision. Two commercial-grade digital video cameras are used for image acquisition. To calibrate these cameras and to overcome potential lens distortion problems, an innovative two-step calibration process including individual and stereo calibration is proposed. These calibrations are efficiently done using a planar pattern arbitrarily shown at a few different orientations. This special characteristic makes it possible to perform an on-site calibration that provides flexibility in terms of using different camera settings to suit various application conditions. To validate the proposed technique, three tests, including sinusoidal motion of a point, wind tunnel test of a cross-section bridge model, and a three-story building model under earthquake excitation, are performed. Results indicate that the proposed videogrammetric technique can provide fairly accurate displacement measurement for all three tests. The proposed technique is shown to be a good complement to the traditional sensors for measuring two- or three-dimensional vibration response in the low-frequency range.