Abstract: The application of point cloud technology in civil engineering has attracted increasing attention in recent years and has become an important driver of the industry's digital transformation. Traditional surveying methods face limitations such as high labor costs, low efficiency, difficulty in handling complex scenarios, and cumbersome post-processing. In contrast, point cloud technology enables non-contact and precise capture of spatial information through high-density 3D data acquisition, demonstrating advantages in efficiency, digitization, 3D visualization, and handling complex environments. It provides innovative solutions for the lifecycle management of engineering projects. Despite extensive research and promising prospects, systematic review articles on this topic remain relatively scarce in Chinese academic journals. This paper summarizes recent literatures from multiple perspectives, including point cloud acquisition and processing, engineering surveying, reverse modeling, structural health monitoring, construction supervision, geological hazard early warning, and post-disaster assessment. It also discusses current challenges and explores future research directions, providing theoretical references and insights for future studies.