Heritage Documentation Research Articles

Application of a combination of digital image processing and 3D visualization of graffiti in heritage conservation

In recent years, heritage documentation processes have largely benefited from the application of both 2D imagery analysis and 3D techniques for recording and visualization of assets. In this paper, a combined 2D-3D methodological workflow, especially helpful for the documentation of graffiti on closed and narrow spaces, is presented. It is proposed, firstly, the use of structure from motion software to obtain the 3D model and texture information. Then, the use of decorrelation stretching algorithms is used to obtain enhanced textures. This study found that the performance of the algorithms usually recommended for enhancement of the different colours is sometimes suboptimal. Finally, the integration of 2D and 3D information into Blender, a powerful 3D open-source tool, allows for a detailed exploration of the areas containing graffiti. Additionally, it allows high quality rendition of the resulting model that helps to better understand and record heritage resources. This methodological approach has been applied to the military defense heritage site of Puig-Carassols trench line in Spain.

Multi-temporal images and 3D dense models for archaeological site monitoring in Hierapolis of Phrygia (TK)

The archaeological areas are one of the fields in which the contribution of Geomatics techniques for Heritage documentation were employed since long time and are now getting popular. In recent times, TLS and RPAS systems become more and more interesting to be studied in excavations sites for monitoring purposes and solving large scale and comprehensive mapping matters both from terrestrial and aerial point of view. The paper will focuses on these issue and on the great challenge of monitoring sites during time, integrating and conforming multiple data coming from previous metric survey projects or image data collected in the past for different purposes. The test-sites is the complex archaeological landscape of the ancient city of Hierapolis in Phrygia on which the MAIER – Italian Archaeological Mission of Hierapolis operates from the 60s of the 20 th century and where Politecnico di Torino conducted several documentation survey campaigns. Some case studies in Hierapolis monumental areas about 3D modelling from image and range data represent nowadays an interesting attempt to answer these tasks. In particular, the presented cases involve many multi-temporal datasets that have been acquired by different university staffs in subsequent campaigns, in 1997, 2007, 2012, 2015, by employing various sensors following the evolution of the acquisition techniques offers by geomatics in the archaeological field surveys. 3D models are generated by terrestrial LiDAR and by terrestrial and aerial photogrammetric surveys; these dense models are intended to be compared and integrated with newer models generated by the UAV systems employed in last 2015 mission. In the Sacred Area of the Apollo Temple, two different datasets allow to perform investigation and comparisons before and after archaeological accommodation of the sepulchre of Apollo. The 3D model was created from images captured by a curbed balloon and further by another particular nadir point of view (a man harnessed and suspended from a crane collected photos using a Rollei semi-metric film camera); an UAV flight was performed lastly in 2015 by a EBee fix wing drone. On the other hand, in the massive complex of the Bath-Church the deeply damaged East wall was kept under observation during years until the securing intervention with a castle of tubes has been achieved: till that moment the pipes structure masks almost completely the wall, even during the last Lidar survey performed in 2012. The integration with previous images datasets collected before the securing intervention and used to generate a 3D model, want to overcome this limitation in a multi-temporal integration. In such perspective, 3D data derived from digital acquisition and modelling constantly contribute to build a knowledge on the site and help to improve their communication. Furthermore the combination of digital models and direct observations of the excavations results can improve the enhancement of the dissemination aims.

BIM, GIS and semantic models of cultural heritage buildings

<p>Even though there has been a great development of using building information models in the AEC (Architecture/Engineering/Construction) sector recently, creation of models of existing buildings is still not very usual. The cultural heritage documentation is still, in most cases, kept in the form of 2D drawings while these drawings mostly contain only geometry without semantics, attributes or definitions of relationships and hierarchies between particular building elements. All these additional information would, however, be very providential for the tasks of cultural heritage preservation, i.e. for the facility management of heritage buildings or for reconstruction planning and it would be suitable to manage all geometric and non-geometric information in a single 3D information model. This paper is based on the existing literature and focuses on the historic building information modelling to provide information about the current state of the art. First, a summary of available software tools is introduced while not only the BIM tools but also the related GIS software is considered. This is followed by a review of existing efforts worldwide and an evaluation of the facts found.</p>

From point cloud to BIM: an integrated workflow for documentation, research and modelling of architectural heritage

Heritage buildings traditionally have been tackled from several points of view: architectonic features, architectural style, archaeology, history, etc. Documents derived from those studies were classified and put together to form the documentation for consultation, taking decisions about its conservation, and restoration. Such a document organisation has some inconveniences: objects composing the building were treated as isolated objects not related to its adjacent objects. Nowadays technology may help to discover the relationship between architectural objects forming heritage buildings. The tool that makes it possible to include functionality in architectural objects is BIM (Building Information Modelling). In this paper the historical evolution of Saint Jeromés Church in Baza will be analysed and stored in a functional model which includes geometry and its current state. We propose a procedure for building the BIM through its historical roots and evolution to be included in each remarkable object modelled from the point cloud surveyed.

BIM Open Source Software (OSS) for the documentation of cultural heritage

<p class="VARAbstract">The Building Information Modelling (BIM) software enables the users to communicate and design, understand appearance, performance and cost in the spatial and urban design process. Another important use of the BIM technology is the documentation and 3D reconstruction of cultural heritage monuments. The appropriate BIM software equips the users with tools to easily capture and analyse concepts and maintain the coordination of design data through documentation and 3D modelling. Many developments come up in the BIM field and software industry for design, construction-reconstruction, restoration and management of the cultural heritage 3D models, using BIM tools; mainly commercial as well as free or open source. Nevertheless, recently the growing popularity of open source has altered the landscape in software industry, as they attract many users.</p><p class="VARAbstract">This paper presents a review of some recent research on the topic. We review the recent developments focusing on the OSS that can be used at various stages of BIM process in the digital documentation of cultural heritage. The results show that there is more preference in the commercial software due to the fact that the OSS is not yet complete and covers all stages of the BIM process. However, lately we have the Edificius in architectural BIM design and “BIM Vision” as Industry Foundation Classes (IFC) model viewer that try to attract as many users as possible. These tools are free and they could well be used for the digital reconstruction of cultural heritage.</p>

A complete 3D information system for cultural heritage documentation

Abstract Cultural heritage (CH) documentation tasks usually involve professionals from different knowledge areas, which implies not only a huge amount of information and requirements, but also a very heterogeneous set of sources, data structures, content and formats. Geographic information systems (GIS) have been used extensively by cultural heritage specialists, but this is just working around the real problem: there is no specialized software for CH professionals to document their work in 3D. In this paper, we present software named Agata that allows specialists to interact in real time with high resolution polygonal models, and to annotate different raster and vectorial information directly onto them that might be useful for current or future research. Moreover, these annotations can be exported in a standard format that allows researchers from other disciplines that might be interested in the dataset to access such information easily. The system is able to manage and annotate not only on buildings or archaeological sites, but also sculptures or paintings directly into the 3D dataset of any CH physical element.

ANALYSIS OF TERRESTRIAL LASER SCANNING AND PHOTOGRAMMETRY DATA FOR DOCUMENTATION OF HISTORICAL ARTIFACTS

Abstract. Historical artifacts living from the past until today exposed to many destructions non-naturally or naturally. For this reason, The protection and documentation studies of Cultural Heritage to inform the next generations are accelerating day by day in the whole world. The preservation of historical artifacts using advanced 3D measurement technologies becomes an efficient tool for mapping solutions. There are many methods for documentation and restoration of historic structures. In addition to traditional methods such as simple hand measurement and tachometry, terrestrial laser scanning is rapidly becoming one of the most commonly used techniques due to its completeness, accuracy and fastness characteristics. This study evaluates terrestrial laser scanning(TLS) technology and photogrammetry for documenting the historical artifacts facade data in 3D Environment. PhotoModeler software developed by Eos System was preferred for Photogrammetric method. Leica HDS 6000 laser scanner developed by Leica Geosystems and Cyclone software which is the laser data evaluation software belonging to the company is preferred for Terrestrial Laser Scanning method. Taking into account the results obtained with this software product is intended to provide a contribution to the studies for the documentation of cultural heritage.

The Celebration of Cultural Diversity and the Politics of Difference in Safeguarding Intangible Cultural Heritage

The global turn of cultural production gave new significance to objects and ideas that convey senses of localization and/or cultural singularity, raising public interest and institutional concern with inventorying and protecting cultural diversity. The implications of this shift not only concern the so-called creative industries, as this issue was the object of the Convention for the Protection of the Diversity of Cultural Contents and Artistic Expressions approved by UNESCO in its 33rd General Conference (Paris, November 2005). Traditional know-how and forms of expression, as well as exotic landscapes, are used as effective cornerstones for the implementation and promotion of humanitarian as well as social and economic development programs in the poorer regions of the globe. From an intellectual perspective, this renewed awareness of all things local stimulates critical reflection about some epistemological and legal issues related to identification, documentation and promotion of cultural heritage. Among these, intellectual authority associated with the production of inventories, the social consequences of introducing new ingredients in local level politics and cultural production, as well as juridical matters concerning rights of collective intellectual property are some of the concerns of the current debate among scholars and heritage experts on those issues. The present paper aims at contributing to the debate on the questions outlined above, by focusing on the emergent policies of safeguarding intangible cultural heritage. Since cultural heritage is not mechanical and neutral transmission of information from one generation to another, but a social construction, the understanding of its meanings and consequences depends on taking into account its historical context. This being the case, in order to provide concrete background to this discussion, the author refers to the Brazilian case suggesting, however, that it has wider implications.

Documentación del patrimonio cultural. Método basado en la fusión de técnicas fotogramétricas y de escaneado óptico de triangulación

<p>Los continuos avances en los últimos años de equipos de levantamiento tridimensional han aumentado el abanico de posibilidades para el registro, documentación y difusión del patrimonio. Pero, y desde esta hipótesis partimos, aún existen obstáculos para la creación de modelos 3D fotorrealísticos y fidedignos en algunos ámbitos geométricos y radiométricos. Estos aparecen cuando las características de las piezas son adversas para su digitalización, es decir, la geometría del objeto carece de aristas definidas y/o su acabado no permite su registro, bien por su color, uniformidad, reflectancia, etc. Este estudio plantea y presenta resultados de un modelo fotorrealístico aplicado al levantamiento de una escultura de Jorge Oteiza. Obra caracterizada por una geometría y textura desfavorables a las ideales para su digitalización. La solución planteada pasa por una metodología fundamentada en la combinación de técnicas: modelos capturados mediante escáner óptico de triangulación Artec con el apoyo del software fotogramétrico PhotoScan en la fase de texturización.</p>

Creation of cultural heritage inventories: case of the historic city of Ahmadabad

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to illustrate the relevance of cultural heritage inventories and documentation as critical tools for heritage conservation and management in historic cities, through the case study of the historic city of Ahmadabad, India. Design/methodology/approach – The paper discusses the creation of inventories as part of the comprehensive documentation undertaken for preparation of the World Heritage nomination dossier. In this context, the goal of preserving the outstanding universal value of the historic city formed the basis for selection and assessment of the assets to be included in the inventory. Standard processes and methodology employed for creation of the database involved archival research and planning; field surveys for mapping, photo documentation and data collection; data registration and processing using CAD, Ms Office and geographic information system (GIS)-based digital platform. Optimal data acquisition while maintaining cost and time efficiency was an important consideration for the fieldwork. Findings – While an inventory remains a critical conservation tool, the heritage assets are integrally linked to and influenced by their surroundings in an urban context. A comprehensive documentation approach that provides a broader understanding of the city’s natural features, built environment, heritage resources, cultural practices and socio-economic networks is therefore necessary for creation of a suitable management plan for historic cities. Traditional field surveys based on external visual observation are time and cost effective, and can generate adequate information on identification and assessment of built heritage assets for creation of inventory along with documentation of their context. However, the scale of investigation and the intended role of an inventory as an urban management tool calls for creation of integrated, accessible and updatable data management systems. Research limitations/implications – At the moment, the database created is only used for the limited purpose of monitoring and managing the conservation of listed properties. The importance of the inventory as a critical conservation and urban management tool can be further validated once the GIS database of the historic city is integrated within the urban management and planning system for the city. Originality/value – The inventory created for the historic city of Ahmadabad offers one of the few examples of heritage documentation at such a large scale. It covers an area of 543 ha with a detailed inventory of more than 6,000 properties. The description of, and the reflections on the process employed provide an overview of usual challenges encountered in creation, presentation and management of heritage inventories for historic cities which may offer useful guidelines to practitioners planning similar exercises and help them establish efficient work processes.

Use of freehand sketching: Documenting heritage buildings, Gamal Abdel Nasser Street (1830–1930), Alexandria, Egypt

Freehand sketching – as one of the methods to discover cities – plays main role to understand the image of the heritage city. It is considered as an important tool to analyze and document heritage buildings. The image produced by freehand sketching heightens awareness of these buildings. Previous studies conducted on the methods of architectural heritage documentation revealed that very little researches have been undertaken to use freehand sketching in the process of data survey and documentation. These researches break the deadlock in the textual documents and express the human experience clearly unlike other methods of documentation. Therefore, this article intends to document ten heritage buildings in the study area, Gamal Abdel Nasser street, Alexandria city, Egypt. – One of the most ancient streets in Alexandria that still maintain its old character and identity – using analytical freehand sketches, the sketches and analysis was created by the researcher. The results showed that these buildings seem homogeneous and have a common character despite their different architectural styles which means it respects each other within building regulations. Briefly, the results help to find out how freehand sketching successfully analyzes these buildings that assist the architects and planners to understand the design principles used in ancient times.

USE OF IMAGE BASED MODELLING FOR DOCUMENTATION OF INTRICATELY SHAPED OBJECTS

Abstract. In the documentation of cultural heritage, we can encounter three dimensional shapes and structures which are complicated to measure. Such objects are for example spiral staircases, timber roof trusses, historical furniture or folk costume where it is nearly impossible to effectively use the traditional surveying or the terrestrial laser scanning due to the shape of the object, its dimensions and the crowded environment. The actual methods of digital photogrammetry can be very helpful in such cases with the emphasis on the automated processing of the extensive image data. The created high resolution 3D models and 2D orthophotos are very important for the documentation of architectural elements and they can serve as an ideal base for the vectorization and 2D drawing documentation. This contribution wants to describe the various usage of image based modelling in specific interior spaces and specific objects. The advantages and disadvantages of the photogrammetric measurement of such objects in comparison to other surveying methods are reviewed.

USE OF IMAGE BASED MODELLING FOR DOCUMENTATION OF INTRICATELY SHAPED OBJECTS

In the documentation of cultural heritage, we can encounter three dimensional shapes and structures which are complicated to measure. Such objects are for example spiral staircases, timber roof trusses, historical furniture or folk costume where it is nearly impossible to effectively use the traditional surveying or the terrestrial laser scanning due to the shape of the object, its dimensions and the crowded environment. The actual methods of digital photogrammetry can be very helpful in such cases with the emphasis on the automated processing of the extensive image data. The created high resolution 3D models and 2D orthophotos are very important for the documentation of architectural elements and they can serve as an ideal base for the vectorization and 2D drawing documentation. This contribution wants to describe the various usage of image based modelling in specific interior spaces and specific objects. The advantages and disadvantages of the photogrammetric measurement of such objects in comparison to other surveying methods are reviewed.

TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE FOR THE CONSERVATION OF BUILT HERITAGE AT BAGAN, MYANMAR

Presenting the outcomes of a capacity building activity, this contribution illustrates a replicable recording methodology to obtain timely, relevant and accurate information about conditions, materials and transformations of heritage structures. The purpose of the presented training activity consisted in developing local capabilities for the documentation of the built heritage at Bagan, Myanmar, employing different IT-supported techniques. Under the Director of UNESCO, the direct supervision of the chief of the culture unit, and in close consultation and cooperation with the Association of Myanmar Architects, the Department of Archaeology National Museum and Library (DoA) a documentation strategy has been developed in order to set up a recording methodology for the over three thousand Bagan monuments. The site, located in central Myanmar, in South East Asia, was developed between the IX and the XIII century as capital of the Myanmar kingdom. In the last years, this outstanding site has been exposed to an increasing number of natural hazards including earthquakes and flooding that strongly affected its built structures. Therefore, a documentation strategy to quickly capture shape, color, geometry and conditions of the monuments, in order to develop proper conservation projects, was needed. The scope of the training activity consisted in setting up a recording strategy updating the existing Bagan inventory, using three Buddhist temples as pilot cases study. The three documented temples were different in size, construction period, conditions and shape. The documentation included several IT-supported techniques including: Electronic Distance Measurements (EDM), SFM Photogrammetry, Laser Scanning, Record Photography as well as hand measurement and field notes. The monuments’ surveying has been developed in accordance with the guidelines and standards established by the ICOMOS International Committee for Documentation of Cultural Heritage (CIPA). Recommendations on how to extend the adopted methodology to the other Bagan monuments have been also elaborated.

TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE FOR THE CONSERVATION OF BUILT HERITAGE AT BAGAN, MYANMAR

Abstract. Presenting the outcomes of a capacity building activity, this contribution illustrates a replicable recording methodology to obtain timely, relevant and accurate information about conditions, materials and transformations of heritage structures. The purpose of the presented training activity consisted in developing local capabilities for the documentation of the built heritage at Bagan, Myanmar, employing different IT-supported techniques. Under the Director of UNESCO, the direct supervision of the chief of the culture unit, and in close consultation and cooperation with the Association of Myanmar Architects, the Department of Archaeology National Museum and Library (DoA) a documentation strategy has been developed in order to set up a recording methodology for the over three thousand Bagan monuments. The site, located in central Myanmar, in South East Asia, was developed between the IX and the XIII century as capital of the Myanmar kingdom. In the last years, this outstanding site has been exposed to an increasing number of natural hazards including earthquakes and flooding that strongly affected its built structures. Therefore, a documentation strategy to quickly capture shape, color, geometry and conditions of the monuments, in order to develop proper conservation projects, was needed. The scope of the training activity consisted in setting up a recording strategy updating the existing Bagan inventory, using three Buddhist temples as pilot cases study. The three documented temples were different in size, construction period, conditions and shape. The documentation included several IT-supported techniques including: Electronic Distance Measurements (EDM), SFM Photogrammetry, Laser Scanning, Record Photography as well as hand measurement and field notes. The monuments’ surveying has been developed in accordance with the guidelines and standards established by the ICOMOS International Committee for Documentation of Cultural Heritage (CIPA). Recommendations on how to extend the adopted methodology to the other Bagan monuments have been also elaborated.

A SEMI-AUTOMATED POINT CLOUD PROCESSING METHODOLOGY FOR 3D CULTURAL HERITAGE DOCUMENTATION

Abstract. The preliminary phase in any architectural heritage project is to obtain metric measurements and documentation of the building and its individual elements. On the other hand, conventional measurement techniques require tremendous resources and lengthy project completion times for architectural surveys and 3D model production. Over the past two decades, the widespread use of laser scanning and digital photogrammetry have significantly altered the heritage documentation process. Furthermore, advances in these technologies have enabled robust data collection and reduced user workload for generating various levels of products, from single buildings to expansive cityscapes. More recently, the use of procedural modelling methods and BIM relevant applications for historic building documentation purposes has become an active area of research, however fully automated systems in cultural heritage documentation still remains open. In this paper, we present a semi-automated methodology, for 3D façade modelling of cultural heritage assets based on parametric and procedural modelling techniques and using airborne and terrestrial laser scanning data. We present the contribution of our methodology, which we implemented in an open source software environment using the example project of a 16th century early classical era Ottoman structure, Sinan the Architect’s Şehzade Mosque in Istanbul, Turkey.

A SEMI-AUTOMATED POINT CLOUD PROCESSING METHODOLOGY FOR 3D CULTURAL HERITAGE DOCUMENTATION

The preliminary phase in any architectural heritage project is to obtain metric measurements and documentation of the building and its individual elements. On the other hand, conventional measurement techniques require tremendous resources and lengthy project completion times for architectural surveys and 3D model production. Over the past two decades, the widespread use of laser scanning and digital photogrammetry have significantly altered the heritage documentation process. Furthermore, advances in these technologies have enabled robust data collection and reduced user workload for generating various levels of products, from single buildings to expansive cityscapes. More recently, the use of procedural modelling methods and BIM relevant applications for historic building documentation purposes has become an active area of research, however fully automated systems in cultural heritage documentation still remains open. In this paper, we present a semi-automated methodology, for 3D façade modelling of cultural heritage assets based on parametric and procedural modelling techniques and using airborne and terrestrial laser scanning data. We present the contribution of our methodology, which we implemented in an open source software environment using the example project of a 16th century early classical era Ottoman structure, Sinan the Architect’s Şehzade Mosque in Istanbul, Turkey.

Documentation of vernacular heritage in architectural education: “Measured Drawing of Devala Buildings” with Level 1 students of architecture, University of Moratuwa, Sri Lanka

Measuring and documenting vernacular buildings is a means to understand important elements of their construction and environment. This paper reports an effort in 2013 by the Department of Architecture, University of Moratuwa to expose architecture students to the reality of vernacular architecture by means of a Measured Drawing project. The subject is a Devala – a Buddhist–Hindu shrine from the Kandyan period (fifteenth to eighteenth centuries) of Sri Lanka’s history. The question is whether the project has affected positively learning communication, spatial, technological, environmental and social aspects of the first year architecture students’ course work. The student cohort was 96 first year students. Thirteen examples of Devala, constructed with clay or rammed earth walls, stone or timber pillars and clay tiled roofs, adopting a generic plan form, were measured and recorded by thirteen groups of students. The adopted methodology was an evaluation based on the responses given by the students through a questionnaire (2 years later in their architectural education). Some findings show that 85% of the students were satisfied with the communication skills that they have obtained, but only 52% with what they have learnt in spatial and structural aspects.

Reconstrucción digital 3D del patrimonio histórico de Agustín de Betancourt: la máquina para cortar hierba en canales navegables

Agustín de Betancourt y Molina was one of the most distinguished engineers of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries with numerous contributions to various fields of engineering, including civil engineering. This research shows the process followed in the documentation of the cultural heritage of that Canary engineer, especially in the geometric documentation of a machine for cutting grass in waterways presented in England in 1795 after three years researching on theory of machines. The baseline information has been recovered from the Canary Orotava Foundation of History of Science who has spent years collecting information about the Project Betancourt, in particular, planimetric information as well as a small report on its operation and description of parts of machine. From this information, we have constructed a three dimensional (3D) model using CAD techniques with the use of Solid Edge ST7 parametric software, which has enabled the team to create the 3D model as well as different detail plans and exploded views.

Reconstrucción digital 3D del patrimonio histórico de Agustín de Betancourt: la máquina para cortar hierba en canales navegables

Agustín de Betancourt y Molina was one of the most distinguished engineers of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries with numerous contributions to various fields of engineering, including civil engineering. This research shows the process followed in the documentation of the cultural heritage of that Canary engineer, especially in the geometric documentation of a machine for cutting grass in waterways presented in England in 1795 after three years researching on theory of machines. The baseline information has been recovered from the Canary Orotava Foundation of History of Science who has spent years collecting information about the Project Betancourt, in particular, planimetric information as well as a small report on its operation and description of parts of machine. From this information, we have constructed a three dimensional (3D) model using CAD techniques with the use of Solid Edge ST7 parametric software, which has enabled the team to create the 3D model as well as different detail plans and exploded views.