Application of 360 Degree Imaging and Construction Progress Documentation Platforms in Large-scale Experiments: a CFS10 Case Study

Large-scale experiments require documentation of construction processes and damage throughout test protocols. Traditional photographic records, while useful, face challenges of organization and accessibility, and ease of use. To address these issues, the landmark testing of a 10-story cold-formed steel building, coined CFS10, conducted at the NHERI@UC San Diego shake table explored an integrated solution using 360° imaging and a construction progress documentation platform. Low-cost 360° cameras were used to scan the building at key construction and testing stages. Captured images were automatically mapped to building floor plans and made accessible through a web-based platform. This approach enabled comprehensive visual coverage with minimal time investment: ~10,000 ft2 (930 m2) scanned in 3 hours. A Google Street View-like interface provided intuitive navigation and retrieval of time-stamped, spatially mapped photographs. The method supported coordination with remote partners, and accurate visual damage documentation. However, issues such as photo resolution and stitching quality as well as barrier to entry stemming from a lack of open-source tools pose challenges for long-term dissemination through public repositories and for enabling broad data reusability. Lessons from this study highlight the benefits of such solutions to preserve perishable information. Broader adoption could significantly improve documentation standards for large-scale test programs.

Proceedings of the 13th National Conference on Earthquake Engineering, Earthquake Engineering Research Institute, Portland, OR.