MFF-YOLO: An Accurate Model for Detecting Tunnel Defects Based on Multi-Scale Feature Fusion

Tunnel linings require routine inspection as they have a big impact on a tunnel's safety and longevity. In this study, the convolutional neural network was utilized to develop the MFF-YOLO model. To improve feature learning efficiency, a multi-scale feature fusion network was constructed within the neck network. Additionally, a reweighted screening method was devised at the prediction stage to address the problem of duplicate detection frames. Moreover, the loss function was adjusted to maximize the effectiveness of model training and improve its overall performance. The results show that the model has a recall and accuracy that are 7.1% and 6.0% greater than those of the YOLOv5 model, reaching 89.5% and 89.4%, respectively, as well as the ability to reliably identify targets that the previous model error detection and miss detection. The MFF-YOLO model improves tunnel lining detection performance generally.