3D Surveying and Cultural Heritage

Researchers studying 3D surveying of cultural and geological heritage use technologies like photogrammetry, terrestrial laser scanning, and drone-based imaging to capture precise spatial records of sites ranging from ancient monuments to exposed rock formations. By processing overlapping photographs or laser returns into dense point clouds through methods such as Structure from Motion, scientists can reconstruct surfaces in three dimensions without physical contact, enabling detailed documentation and long-term monitoring of fragile or inaccessible environments. The resulting digital models serve both conservation—providing baselines against which erosion, damage, or decay can be measured over time—and geoscientific analysis, where surface geometry reveals information about stratigraphy, fault structure, or site formation. Active questions include how to automate the extraction of meaningful features from increasingly massive point cloud datasets, and how to balance geometric accuracy with the logistical and computational costs of survey campaigns at remote or complex sites.

Works

129,788

Total citations

628,254

Keywords

PhotogrammetryUAVTerrestrial Laser ScanningStructure from MotionGeospatial ApplicationsDigital Heritage