Approach for Identification of Geometry Change on Cultural Heritage Surface

Abstract

Application of optical metrology techniques in the collection of surface data and its 3D representation can improve the digital documentation of the conservation and restoration process of artworks. The tracking of induced change after the restoration process on cultural heritage (CH) surfaces involves a computational analysis of surface geometry. In the analysis, the conservation scientists were interested to see what impact the fillings of some holes have on its nearby surrounding during the reconstruction. In theory, the loss compensation method for stone should allow conservators to make a filling that only exists in the place of the void, but it is highly unlikely to make a filling that will only adhere to the substrate at the void site and not protrude elsewhere. According to the conservator scientists, we proposed an approach of local geometry changes to identify and visualize changes and presented the outcome through a local neighborhood distance histogram. This analysis will give us overall surface change considering each surface point and its respective neighborhood points and what impact it faced due to the reconstruction process. The work is also focused on developing the representation of each type of loss compensation method to make it more objective according to a restorer’s point of view and simplify their work visibility.