Special Survey Instrumentation for Deformation Measurements

Deformation measurements on man‐made structures are important because they provide an independent check on whether or not the structure is exhibiting a safe deformation behavior. These measurements are especially critical for large structures of unusual design. The Olympic Speedskating Oval in Calgary, which is one of the largest concrete frame structures in the world, is such a structure. To measure deformations of the Olympic Oval, special types of survey instrumentation were designed. The instrumentation included a tiltmeter which measured tilt using the automatic vertical circle compensator of a 1 arc second theodolite, precise levelling equipment which measured vertical movement, a dedicated corner cube prism which was used to measure lateral movement, and permanently installed reflector targets which were used to measure movements of the roof. The instrumentation is described, along with results obtained with the instrumentation, and the use of the results in an analysis in which the measured deformations are combined with a structural finite element analysis.