Architectural Cultural Heritage Research Articles

Research on the Digital Preservation of Architectural Heritage Based on Virtual Reality Technology

As a representative of the scientific and technological achievements of the new era, the overall development of virtual reality (VR) technology is becoming increasingly refined, which provides new development ideas and technical support in the field of ancient building restoration and architectural heritage preservation. In this context, digital conservation and the practice of architectural heritage have become important focuses of application in the industry. This paper starts from the core concept of VR technology, analyzes the value of the application of VR technology in the protection of ancient architecture, puts forward relevant suggestions and technical application methods, and takes Red Pagoda in Fuliang County as an example. In this sense, virtual reality technology is used to restore and protect the buildings, forming a digital heritage of ancient architecture. This study first utilizes a three-dimensional laser scanning instrument to collect point cloud data, and then the plane graph is drawn by measurement. Then, an Architectural Heritage Building Information Model is created, and comprehensive information on historical buildings is integrated. Finally, VR technology is used to show the effect of digital display and preservation. This study transforms architectural cultural heritage into a shareable and renewable digital form through restoration and reproduction, interpreting and utilizing it from a new perspective and providing new ideas and methods for architectural heritage conservation.

Analysis of the Spatial Distribution Characteristics and Influencing Factors of Traditional Mosque Architecture in the Hehuang Area (China)

Clarifying the spatiotemporal distribution and influencing factors of mosque architecture in China’s Hehuang region has significant positive implications for the overall protection and development of the region’s architectural cultural heritage. This study utilizes field surveys and acquires POI data of traditional mosques built before 1993 in the region to analyze the distribution characteristics of mosques, aiming to explore future development trends of these religious structures. It also investigates the influencing factors, with the goal of emphasizing the primary and secondary factors affecting mosque distribution. The study finds the following: (1) Mosques are generally centered around the Huangshui Valley, displaying a “central clustering, peripheral dispersal” distribution pattern, forming a spatial structure of “two cores, one belt, multiple points”, with distinct differentiation and overall uneven distribution. (2) Mosques are primarily situated at elevations between 2147 and 2764 m; on slopes less than 15°, in sunny and gentle slopes; within 20 km from rivers; within 14 km from roads; in areas receiving 400–500 mm annual rainfall; and within temperature ranges of 5.54–10.22 °C. (3) The study also finds that the spatial distribution of mosques is profoundly influenced by both natural geographical factors and human environmental factors. The better the natural location, the larger and denser the population, the richer the cultural resources, the higher the level of economic development, and the greater the concentration of Hui people, the more numerous and concentrated the mosques. (4) Population factors are the dominant factors for the clustered distribution of traditional mosques in the Hehuang area. Since the construction of mosques in the region is closely related to the number of Hui people and the proportion of Muslim adherents, areas with a high concentration of mosques also have relatively larger populations of Hui people. Temperature, precipitation, altitude, rivers, and roads are foundational factors for traditional mosques in the Hehuang area, influencing mosque distribution as external factors.

Web-based platform to collect, share and manage technical data of historical systemic architectures: the Telegraphic Towers along the Madrid-Valencia path

Considering the variety of architectural Cultural Heritage typologies, systemic architectures require specific attention in the recovery process. The dimensions of "extension" and "recurrence" at geographic and technological levels affect the complexity of their knowledge process; they require systematic ways for their categorisation and comprehension to guarantee correct diagnosis and suitable rehabilitation. Recent applications involving Internet of Things (IoT) for the built Cultural Heritage have demonstrated the potentialities of three-dimensional (3D) geographic information system (GIS) models and structured databases in supporting complex degrees of knowledge for technicians, as well as management for administrators. Starting from such experiences, the work presents the setting up of a web-based platform to support the knowledge and management of systemic architectures, considering the geographical distribution of fabrics, natural and anthropic boundary conditions, and technical and administrative details. The platform takes advantage of digital models, machine and deep learning procedures and relational databases, in a GIS-based environment, for the recognition and categorisation of prevalent physical and qualitative features of systemic architectures, the recognition and qualification of dominant and recurrent decays and the management of recovery activities in a semi-automatic way. Specifically, the main digital objects used for testing the applied techniques and setting up the platform are based on Red-Green-Blue (RGB) and mapped point clouds of the historical Telegraphic Towers located along the Madrid-Valencia path, resulting from the on-site investigations. Their choice is motivated by the high level of knowledge about the cases reached in the last years by the authors, allowing them to test rules within the decision support systems and innovative techniques for their decay mapping. As the experience has demonstrated, the systematisation of technical details and operative pipeline of methods and tools allow the normalisation and standardisation of the intervention selection process; this offers policymakers an innovative tool based on traditional procedures for conservation plans, coherent with a priority-based practice.

Study on the Application in the Protection and Renewal of Ancient Architectural Cultural Heritage in the Age of Smart Media

Abstract In this paper, the candidate region network in the Fast R-CNN algorithm is used to obtain the feature values of surface damage of ancient buildings, and the regression algorithm is applied to the target bounding box after the features are successfully obtained, which can more accurately complete the task of detecting and locating the damage on the surface of buildings. The three-dimensional laser scanner and total station are used to explore the surrounding environment of the buildings on the site, and the sketch is drawn according to the research and analysis results combined with the exploration to design a digital archive of the cultural heritage of the ancient buildings. Aiming at the ambiguity of the assessment system of the integrity of ancient buildings, we constructed the assessment system of the cultural heritage of ancient buildings with the fuzzy affiliation of the data of the integrity of ancient buildings and multilevel fusion assessment and carried out an example analysis of the research on the protection of the cultural heritage of ancient buildings in the era of smart media. The results show that when the number of iterations is 15000, the mAP value is 0.9411 (where 1 represents the maximum AP value), which is higher than the training results with the number of iterations of 20000 and 25000, i.e., the Faster R-CNN training model has good applicability for the autonomous visual detection of the damage on the surface of the ancient buildings. “Q9 I will not damage the ancient buildings in Zhuge Village” has the highest mean value of 4.71 and the highest approval rate of 99.1, and the standard deviation of each question item is small, i.e., it indicates that there is a high degree of consistency in the positive attitudes of residents towards the protection of the cultural heritage of ancient buildings. This study contributes new ideas to the protection of ancient architectural, cultural heritage and tourism development, which is crucial for advancing the research field.

Microstructure and Mortar Strength Characteristic of Lime Added with Glutinous Rice Paste Used for Repairing Architectural Cultural Heritage

Historically, various additives were used to increase the functionality of lime mortar, and among the additives, the function and material properties of glutinous rice paste were identified. In this study, samples of lime paste and lime mortar were manufactured and exposed to various environmental conditions during the curing period, and then a comprehensive review was conducted on microstructural changes and strength characteristics. X-ray diffraction analysis of calcite minerals generated in an accelerated carbonation environment due to the addition of glutinous rice grass showed that it was about 2.1 times higher. The average size of calcite crystal grains was about 38.90 nm, which tended to decrease by 18%. Additionally, the average particle size of lime was confirmed to be reduced by 20% to about 17.93 µm. Under indoor curing conditions, glutinous rice paste reduced the drying shrinkage rate of lime mortar by about 6.8 times. As a result of the strength analysis, compression increased by 33% to 2.99(±0.24) MPa, tensile strength increased by 9% to 0.35(±0.03) MPa, and bending increased by 22% to 1.11(±0.06) MPa, confirming that all mechanical strengths were superior.

A REVIEW OF POINT CLOUD SEGMENTATION OF ARCHITECTURAL CULTURAL HERITAGE

Abstract. With the continuous development of laser scanning technology, the model reconstruction and information management system of architectural cultural heritage are gradually taking shape. Among them, point cloud segmentation of architectural cultural heritage is important for Historic Building Information Model (HBIM), disease extraction and analysis, heritage restoration and other research. This paper mainly focuses on the systematic analysis and summary of the point cloud segmentation of architectural cultural heritage, introduces related concepts, and summarizes the segmentation methods from three aspects: traditional methods, machine learning based on artificial features, and deep learning. In addition, this paper summarizes the evaluation metrics and public datasets of semantic segmentation commonly used today, and further elucidates the relevant applications after segmentation. Finally, this paper analyzes and prospects the main problems and future development trends. This review aims to provide a useful reference for relevant researchers in the field of architectural cultural heritage protection.

Architectural Cultural Heritage Conservation: Fire Risk Assessment of Ancient Vernacular Residences Based on FAHP and EWM

The architectural relics of ancient vernacular residences and villages with brick–timber structures are at great risk of fire; if one occurs, they cannot be recovered. To protect this cultural heritage, this study takes a southern Guangdong He Xinwu building complex as a case study. It focuses on four indicator systems: human factors, facility factors, environmental factors, and social management factors, and 20 sub-indicators to establish an assessment system for fire risk in vernacular residences. Combining triangular fuzzy hierarchical analysis and the entropy weight method to determine weight values reduces evaluation subjectivity, allowing for both qualitative and quantitative measurements to derive the safety level and determine key fire risk factors. The results showed that human misconduct and social management of fire had the greatest impact on fire risk (29% and 25.8%, respectively). The most important secondary indicators were the ability to fight fires early on, the fire resistance level of building materials, fire rescue capability, fire load, and electricity use by villagers. Moreover, comparing differences in protection between ancient houses and high-rise buildings provided targeted policy recommendations that offer a new perspective for protecting architectural heritage from fires.

The architectural design of the holy shrines

As an architectural philosophical concept, Islamic architecture cannot be considered arches, doors, domes and lighthouses, since Islamic architecture is based on a structural system of religious, mental, philosophical and logical origins and beliefs shared by the arts, technology and the requirements of the surrounding environment. Rather, the architectural designer's distance from it becomes as if it is for people not from this world, and Islamic architecture is not abbreviated on the heritage side as much as it is a renewed "modern" state, dealing with the concepts of Islam that are valid for every time and place. This can be seen through the mechanisms that produced heritage architecture and what was built on it, which is not a simulation of forms without contents. Islamic architecture is the result of Islamic thought in the areas it reached, as it was logical that the Islamic architectural characteristics were greatly influenced by the beliefs and adopters of the Islamic religion and the scientific renaissance that followed. The difference between one region and another is based, for example, on the factors of climate, weather and the previous architectural cultural heritage in the areas where Islam has reached. For example, the open courtyard is spread in Iraq, the Levant and the Arabian Peninsula, while it disappeared in Turkey and other northern regions that Islam reached as a result of the cold atmosphere in the first and the architectural heritage in the second. There is no doubt that the impact of natural manifestations and their temporal and spatial requirements for architectural structures has had a great role in the search for the truth inherent in their expressive means through knowledge of architectural manifestations in Islamic countries, because the birth of theories and their adoption in the formation of architectural forms is not due to criticism of previous theories. Rather, due to the urgent need to provide a new diversification in forms compatible with the surrounding environmental diversity, and the outcome of the above, the naturalization of constructive relations in architecture and art starts according to the techniques and methods of achievement, which use the expressive and subjective aspect in reference to the exclusion of the natural phenomenon, a feature that has represented the common denominator of architectural genres over the ages. It is the one that strengthened its internal construction in order to find a visual equivalent based on the architectural geometric form used in mosques and holy shrines

The problem of assessing the sustainability of adapted historic buildings with BREEAM certification using examples in Poland and Great Britain

ABSTRACT The aim of the article is to show the problematic issues of the BREEAM certification system, when assessing historic buildings from Poland and Great Britain. The research hypothesis is to analyse the disparities in the results of BREEAM for historic buildings, and to examine whether the criteria are adequate for a reliable assessment of the degree of sustainability in their adaptation. The first part of the article outlines the idea of sustainability and presents methods for assessing the degree of sustainability of buildings, and the main assumptions for BREEAM adaptation projects. Research methodology includes quantitative and qualitative research. The study involved statistical analysis. The scheme for adaptation projects was discussed. The second part of the study included a case study of four certified historic buildings from Poland and Great Britain. The results showed excessive generalisation and the favouring of individual categories of the BREEAM scheme. The authors pointed to disproportions and inconsistencies in the assessment of the degree of sustainability of objects, with regards to sustainability sectors. The possible exemplary solutions were presented, which include the modification of the BREEAM document, to assess in a more proper way the level of sustainable use of the architectural cultural heritage.

INTEGRATION OF DIFFERENT TYPES OF SURVEY OUTPUT AND THE INFORMATION ASSET IN A 3D MODEL OF THE CASTELLO SFORZESCO IN MILAN

Abstract. In recent years, the architecture domain, driven by today's digital transition, has been actively exploring the world of digital twins, also thanks to the technological advancement that supports the progress on the issue. Within this context, the present work deals with the wide world of Architectural Cultural Heritage digitization. It aims to obtain a tool to support knowledge, investigation, and management of the built heritage. The research proposes an approach for digital twin development that comprehensively describes the architectural asset, including elements that are no longer present or visible. For this purpose, the three-dimensional model collects the available heterogeneous geometric datum, inevitably characterized by different levels of accuracy. The digitization model designed involves the coexistence of objects belonging to different Levels of Geometric Information (LOGI). All types of data then cooperate in defining the overall geometric information. Therefore, this framework allows for exploiting geometric information from both geomatics digital surveys and historical sources. This system allows obtaining a digital model that includes the different evolutionary phases of architectural assets by providing an overall view of these structures, an essential notion for operating properly on this kind of architecture. The digitization system was tested on a particular case study, the Ghirlanda of the Castello Sforzesco in Milan. The complexity of the property and the richness of the information heritage guided this choice, providing the basis for an appropriate and effective experimental activity.

EXPLAINING AI: UNDERSTANDING DEEP LEARNING MODELS FOR HERITAGE POINT CLOUDS

Abstract. Deep Learning has been pivotal in many real-world applications (e.g., autonomous driving, medicine and retail). With the wide availability of consumer-grade depth sensors, acquiring 3D data has become more affordable and effective, and many 3D datasets are currently publicly available. 3D data provides a great opportunity for a better comprehension of the surrounding environment for machines. There is a growing need for innovative methods for the treatment and analysis of point clouds and for their classification. The complex hidden layers, which are at the basis of deep neural networks (DNNs), make it difficult to interpret these models, that up to a few years ago DNNs were considered and treated as black box operators. Still, with their increasing popularity, making them explainable and interpretable has become mandatory. A lot of efforts were devoted to developing an Explainable Artificial Intelligence (XAI) framework for explaining DNNs decisions with 2D data, while only a few studies have attempted to investigate the explainability of 3D DNNs and, even more, heritage scenarios. To overcome these limitations, it was proposed the BubblEX framework: a novel multimodal fusion framework to learn the 3D point features. In our work, BubblEX has been exploited to understand the decisions taken by DNNs for heritage point clouds. The approach has been applied to a Digital Cultural Heritage Dataset, which is publicly available: the ArCH (Architectural Cultural Heritage) Dataset.

AUTOMATIC SURFACE DAMAGE CLASSIFICATION DEVELOPED BASED ON DEEP LEARNING FOR WOODEN ARCHITECTURAL HERITAGE

Abstract. In this paper, we propose a system that automatically classifies the surface damages of wooden architectural cultural heritage based on deep learning algorithms. Commonly, on-site surface damage inspections of cultural heritage are carried out manually by field experts. However, it is difficult to manage cultural heritage because experts are not always onsite to check for damage. To overcome this problem, a deep-learning-based classification method is designed to detect surface damage automatically so that cultural heritage monitoring can be done in real time. The dataset required for the development of the deep learning model utilized 4,000 images taken directly from cultural heritage sites. As a result of a comparative analysis of the performance of four deep learning models for several examples of wooden architectural heritage, the damage detection rate of the deep learning model built in this study showed excellent performance between 94.00 and 96.50%. When gradient-weighted class activation mapping is applied to visualize the damage detection results, the performance of the model with the best performance stood out. The results of this paper are significant as a basic study of the development of a real-time remote damage detection system applicable to cultural heritage sites.

Evaluating environmental factors using microclimate survey and computer fluid dynamics analysis of Korean traditional wooden architectural cultural heritage: focusing on the Kim Myeong-KwanGotaek

Preservation of traditional wooden buildings is important to extend their life and to adapt them to modern society. Wood can be subject to decay, cracking, and discoloration when exposed to various climatic environmental factors, such as moisture and temperature. These issues can be particularly problematic for wooden architecture because they can compromise the durability of the building and reduce its aesthetic appeal. Therefore, in this study, we evaluated the microclimate environment of Kim Myeong-Kwan Gotaek, a wooden building important to the cultural heritage of Korea, using climate measurement equipment and computational fluid dynamics modeling. The results showed that relative humidity changes according to wind velocity and temperature. Therefore, heritage managers should aim to allow air to circulate inside such buildings as an effective strategy for preventing the decay of wooden architecture. The study provides valuable insights into how to preserve and extend the life of traditional wooden buildings. Our findings highlight the importance of developing practical measures based on analyses of the natural environment to protect such culturally important building for posterity.

Numerical Simulation Analysis of Chinese Timber Frame Ancient Buildings - An Example of the Hall of Supreme Harmony in the Forbidden City

Chinese ancient architecture is renowned for its unique large wooden structures and standards. However, the safety of the wooden structures in the Forbidden City has gradually deteriorated over long-term use. At present, most building safety evaluation methods rely on qualitative assessments rather than quantitative identifications. In the process of conducting safety evaluations, it is necessary to conduct sufficient analysis and judgment of building damage to determine the safety status of ancient buildings. To ensure the safety of the buildings, this study takes the Hall of Supreme Harmony in the Forbidden City as an example, using numerical simulation methods to analyze the components of Chinese wooden ancient architecture through finite element analysis, with the aim of quantitatively protecting China's traditional architectural cultural heritage. This study provides a scientific basis for the protection of China's traditional architectural cultural heritage and has high practical significance. The results showed that the deformation peak and internal force were within the allowable range according to relevant specifications.

Maracay espacio y memoria: Itinerario Cultural para el reconocimiento arquitectónico de la ciudad jardín en Venezuela

Itineraries constitute an interesting tool to promote the cultural wealth of Latin American peoples. In this research, field work is carried out with documentary support to carry out an essay on architectural recognition, as one of the dimensions within the cultural knowledge of the city of Maracay, located in the central north coastal region of Venezuela and cataloged as the garden city of this country, for its natural resources and pleasant climate. The work serves as a reference point to be applied in other spaces, standing out for the diversity of heritage and social interactions of the city as a cultural heritage. Constituting a way of carrying out historical tours to the extent that the description of the urban architectural cultural heritage is carried out.

The need to implement Cultural Heritage Master Plans through the Building Information Modelling methodology

The Master Plans (MP) used for Architectural Cultural Heritage conservation require specific standards for the documentation process. They must facilitate the achievement of the intended objectives about the knowledge acquisition and conservation of the building assets throughout the entire building lifecycle. Over time, the documentation of an MP, once the heritage building is under use, tends to become dispersed and the documentation generated during the building use is rarely introduced in the MP. Therefore, this contribution has the following objectives: 1) study of the requirements of MP deliverables; 2) study of the maturation requirements of the documentation processes and deliverables that are generated when applying the Building Information Modelling (BIM) methodology to an MP; 3) investigate if the application of the BIM strategies are suitable to respond to the needs of an MP in such a way that knowledge and conservation of heritage buildings are achieved; 4) verify that the exchange of information and the collaborative work among the different disciplines that generate documentation and deliverables guarantee a single, comprehensive, open, three-dimensional, and clear repository.

СТАНОВЛЕННЯ ТА СУЧАСНИЙ РОЗВИТОК АРХІТЕКТУРНОЇ КУЛЬТУРНОЇ СПАДЩИНИ В УКРАЇНІ

The article is devoted to the formation and modern development of architectural cultural heritage in Ukraine. Architectural cultural heritage, as a special part of complex protection, is the most important and strategic for the state. The protection of the national architectural and cultural heritage is recognized as one of the priorities of the National Security Strategy of Ukraine. This is a spiritual, humanistic and scientific and practical state task. The purpose of the work is to conduct an analysis of terminological concepts and principles of architectural cultural heritage protection; highlight the main historical aspects and directions of modern conservation methods in Ukraine. List the types of objects of architectural cultural heritage. Conclusions: in the course of work on the analysis of the current state and basic principles of preservation and use of the architectural cultural heritage of Ukraine, it was established that Ukraine and its regions have a huge historical and cultural potential, some of which are unique. and of global importance, which require special attention to protection. Despite the existing regulatory and legal framework, the management of architectural and cultural monuments of Ukraine requires careful control and refinement. In practice, hundreds of cultural heritage sites are subject to construction and demolition. The conceptual and terminological apparatus of heritage territories should be expanded, according to which a historical inhabited place is a city, village or village that has completely or partially preserved its historical area with objects of cultural heritage and the related planning and form of buildings, typical for of certain cultures or periods of development, and included in the list of historical settlements. The modern development of architectural cultural heritage should be based on the European concept of simple protection of buildings and structures - a complex set of measures for study, interpretation and use, which is perceived as the basis in Ukraine.

Evaluation of the Seismic Vulnerability of Giotto’s Bell Tower: Comparison of Different Methodologies

ABSTRACT Italy is one of the countries in the world with the largest concentration of architectural cultural heritage, most of which are churches, bell towers, and religious buildings in general. This paper deals with the issues of the analysis and evaluation of the seismic behaviour of slender masonry structures, taking as the subject of analysis Giotto’s Bell Tower in Florence (Italy). The seismic vulnerability has been analysed according to the current Italian legislation and the guidelines for the evaluation and reduction of seismic risk of cultural heritage. For this purpose, the bell tower was analysed using three evaluation levels: simplified methods (EL1), a kinematic analysis (EL2), and, finally, a finite element analysis (EL3). For each methodology, the level of seismic safety obtained by comparison with the local seismic demand has been evaluated.

Floods and Their Impact on Cultural Heritage—A Case Study of Southern and Eastern Serbia

This paper analyzes flood impact on the historical objects and cultural heritage in Southern and Eastern Serbia. The basic research problem is the lack of systematized databases regarding the flood impact on the cultural heritage, in addition to the lack of official manuals or other types of educational material dealing with the management of the assets with monumental properties in flood situations. The goal of the paper is to indicate this problem to the professional and wider public through systematization and classification of the observed damages on the buildings. The paper first provides a brief overview of the development of flood protection throughout history with particular reference to the research area. In addition, the history of floods in Serbia is also analyzed in order to point to the frequency and scale of this problem in the researched area. Through the research of archival materials in the appropriate institutions as well as direct recording of assets in the field, the degree of flood impact on historical objects in the territories of Southern and Eastern Serbia is determined. It refers to both declared cultural monuments and those that are still undeclared but possess certain monumental properties. Only the material damages on the immovable cultural assets have been analyzed. The protection of the movable cultural assets has not been taken into consideration, although it represents a very important aspect of every flood damage. A classification of the damages observed on these types of buildings, which occur as a direct or indirect consequence of floods, has been carried out. Examples of structural damage are presented in the paper (such as fissures, cracks, bucklings and collapse of parts or overall objects). Examples of the damages that do not threaten the stability of buildings are also presented. Here, they are divided into two groups—moisture-induced damages and biodegradation. The paper also gives examples of the damages induced by direct or indirect impacts of floods. It is from these examples that general lessons can be drawn, namely those that would be applicable to the endangered categories of cultural heritage. The classification is conducted for the purpose of better planning of preventive or rehabilitation strategies and measures for the preservation of architectural cultural heritage. Recommendations for dealing with heritage assets in the case of floods are also given.

The Evolution of Cold Adaptation Technology within Ancient Buildings in Amur River Basin Viewed from Archaeology.

The Amur River Basin is located in China's high-latitude and cold border areas. While inheriting the characteristics of Chinese traditional building, combined with its unique geographical and climatic environmental conditions, the local residential buildings have unique architectural features of cold climate adaptability. Outstanding insulation technology has become the main feature of the area, and has greatly affected the development of modern vernacular architecture. According to the archaeological reports and documents, this article selects ancient architectural sites from different historical periods as the research objects. Based on building restoration, AIRPAK software is used to simulate and analyze the indoor temperature of the building site, and to explore the effects of active heating measures, such as different forms of fire hypocaust system, and passive cold protection measures, such as different types of wall structures. According to archaeological information and simulation data, this paper summarizes the characteristics of the cold climate adaptability technology of ancient buildings in China's cold border areas over different historical periods. Because of the relatively lagging development background of the Amur River Basin in modern times, the construction of its vernacular buildings continued to use the traditional low-tech insulation technology of ancient buildings to adapt to the cold environment. Therefore, attention and research on insulation technology of ancient buildings can provide a new perspective of architectural heritage protection in cold regions. Establishing a development model that combines archaeology and cultural heritage protection is an effective way to achieve the goals of architectural cultural heritage research and protection.