Review of built heritage modelling: Integration of HBIM and other information techniques

Abstract

Abstract Built heritage documentation involves the 3D modelling of the geometry (typically using 3D computer graphics, photogrammetry and laser scanning techniques) and information management of semantic knowledge (i.e., using Geographic Information System (GIS) and ontology tools). The recent developed Building Information Modelling (BIM) technique combines 3D modelling and information management. One of its modern application is heritage documentation and has generated a new concept of Historic/Heritage Building Information Modelling (HBIM). This paper summarises the applications of these information techniques on the built heritage documentation. We utilise Web of Science Collection to monitor the publications on built heritage documentation. We analyse the research trend in heritage modelling by comparing the attention paid by researchers before and during the 2010s. The results show that photogrammetry is always the most popular method in heritage modelling. More and more works in heritage modelling have begun to use laser scanning, computer science, GIS and especially BIM techniques. Ontologies and 3D computer graphics are traditional ways for heritage documentation. Moreover, we pay attention to the roles of BIM on heritage documentation and conduct a detailed discussion on how to extend the HBIM capabilities by integrating with other techniques. The integration provides possible enhanced functions in HBIM, including accurate parametric modelling from computer graphics, automatic semantic segmentation of 3D point cloud from reality-based modelling, spatial information management and analysis by GIS, and knowledge modelling by ontology.