Crack-Detection Algorithm Integrating Multi-Scale Information Gain with Global–Local Tight–Loose Coupling

In this study, an improved target-detection model based on information theory is proposed to address the difficulties of crack-detection tasks, such as slender target shapes, blurred boundaries, and complex backgrounds. By introducing a multi-scale information gain mechanism and a global-local feature coupling strategy, the model has significantly improved feature extraction and expression capabilities. Experimental results show that, on a single-crack dataset, the model's mAP@50 and mAP@50-95 are 1.6% and 0.8% higher than the baseline model RT-DETR, respectively; on a multi-crack dataset, these two indicators are improved by 1.2% and 1.0%, respectively. The proposed method shows good robustness and detection accuracy in complex scenarios, providing new ideas and technical support for in-depth research in the field of crack detection.