Dome representation using photogrammetrically derived data and best fitting techniques

Abstract

In this paper, photogrammetrically obtained space coordinates of an elliptic paraboloidal dome are used to determine a best fitting adjustment procedure in order to calculatethe ideal design for a constructed dome. This was applied to the newly constructed dome of the House of Sports in the Italian city of Teramo. The residuals derived from such best fitting, properly plotted, can be used as a control of the structural state of the construction of the dome. Two mathematical models were used for the analysis of the results. Both produced almost the same conclusions, which confirmed the good construction of this particular dome. Some additional proposals on the possibility of strain interpretation of the results are given, as well as ideas for eventual cartographic projection, which could be used for the final surface representation.