Aug 2026· Preservation, Digital Technology & Culture· 0 citations· 33 references
Abstract
Abstract In the 21st century, the cost of personal computers and digital cameras has reduced significantly. This technological advancement means that collecting large amounts of data has become inexpensive. The reduced cost of data collection corresponds with a decline in the awareness of meticulous planning in photogrammetric projects and an increase in the volume of unstructured data. CyArk, a non-profit organization based in California, has documented heritage sites globally using a combination of LiDAR and photogrammetry and published their datasets through the OpenHeritage3D portal, an open-access platform. These datasets often lack proper documentation, standardization, and modularization. Although these data can create photorealistic models, they do not contain survey data and meticulous project planning, resulting in unstructured data. While existing literature explores the reusability of CyArk data through 3D modelling, mapping, and architectural drawing, the current literature lacks a systematic review of CyArk’s capture process, OpenHeritage3D’s archival method, and the accuracy of the 3D data. This study reviews the datasets from OpenHeriage3D using RealityCapture and 3Dsurvey software. The two case studies aim to deliver traditional 2D façade documentation from LiDAR and photogrammetric data. Ultimately, this article provides suggestions for CyArk and OpenHeritage3D to improve the process of data creation and storage.
Abstract. The 3D documentation of complex scenes—characterized by restricted spaces, irregular geometries, and poor lighting—remains a significant challenge in cultural heritage. This study proposes a rapid data acquisition methodology based on the multi-sensor fusion of Terrestrial Laser Scanning (TLS) and Spherical Photogrammetry (SP). The approach was validated in two distinct complex environments: an ancient Egyptian rock-cut tomb (QH36, Aswan, Egypt) and a natural Iberian sanctuary cave (Cueva de la Lobera, Jaén, Spain). The methodology uses TLS to establish a high-precision geometric backbone, achieving registration errors below 0.5 cm. By extracting Ground Control Points (GCPs) directly from the TLS point cloud, the reliance on traditional total station surveying was significantly reduced, enhancing fieldwork efficiency. SP was implemented to obtain realistic textures and to support geometry by using a 360-degree multi-camera with integrated LED lighting, providing full spherical coverage and high-resolution textures. Results indicate that SP is at least six times faster than conventional photogrammetry. Furthermore, the use of TLS-derived meshes enabled advanced digital masking to remove non-interest objects (e.g., archaeological equipment) from the final models. While conventional photogrammetry remains the benchmark for fine architectural details, this research demonstrates that the TLS-SP fusion is the most viable solution for the rapid, high-accuracy documentation of constrained heritage sites. This hybrid workflow ensures geometric integrity while drastically reducing acquisition times, providing a robust framework for future archaeological and conservation projects.
A. Mozas-Calvache, José Luis Pérez-García, J. M. Gómez-López et al.· The International Archives o...· 0 citations
The 3D geometric documentation of cultural heritage monuments requires spatial datasets that are accurate, complete and suitable for conservation, monitoring, visualization and heritage management. However, complex geometries, occlusions, limited accessibility, vegetation and other field-acquisition constraints often prevent a single surveying technique from providing a complete and metrically reliable representation. In this context, photogrammetry and simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM)-based mapping provide complementary capabilities, with each method offering advantages and limitations regarding metric accuracy, spatial coverage, detail representation, acquisition flexibility and operational efficiency. This work develops, applies and evaluates a reproducible end-to-end workflow for the metric 3D documentation of complex cultural heritage monuments through multi-sensor integration. The proposed approach combines the metric robustness and visual richness of photogrammetric reconstruction with the rapid acquisition and spatial coverage enabled by SLAM-based mapping, while producing reusable datasets for conservation planning, comparative studies, education and broader heritage applications. The workflow integrates unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) and close-range photogrammetry, SLAM-based mapping and geodetic control within a common reference system and is demonstrated through the documentation of a historic monastery. Both datasets showed centimetre-level agreement with geodetic observations, while photogrammetry yielded fuller exterior coverage and higher-quality texture, and SLAM enabled rapid interior coverage. The CH-PhotoSLAM3D dataset is released to support reproducibility and further research.
S. Verykokou, K. Nikolitsas, G. Piniotis et al.· ISPRS International Journal...· 0 citations
The integration of advanced digital technologies is reshaping cultural heritage (CH) documentation, enabling new approaches to conservation, analysis, and dissemination. This article presents an integrated and open digital workflow for the survey, management, and reuse of complex architectural heritage, using Villa Aldrovandi-Mazzacorati as a case study. The approach combines fixed-station laser scanning, terrestrial and aerial photogrammetry, and mobile SLAM-based mapping to generate high-resolution, reality-based 3D datasets. The proposed multi-sensor acquisition framework is critically assessed in terms of completeness, geometric accuracy, efficiency, interoperability, and long-term reuse. Results demonstrate that the integrated approach delivers reliable and comprehensive metric documentation while significantly reducing acquisition time compared with single-sensor strategies. The resulting HBIM model and associated web-based platform support structured information management, conservation planning, multidisciplinary collaboration, and online dissemination. In parallel, reality-based 3D meshes are successfully repurposed for immersive virtual reality (VR) experiences, enhancing accessibility and public engagement. By adopting open and standardized data formats, the workflow promotes long-term sustainability and FAIR-compliant reuse of digital heritage assets, offering a scalable and transferable framework for future 3D heritage initiatives across architectural and territorial contexts. Overall, the approach supports both specialist conservation workflows and public-facing dissemination, bridging the gap between technical heritage documentation and cultural interpretation.
Marco Medici, Andrea Sterpin, Stefano Settimo et al.· Journal on Computing and Cul...· 0 citations
By capturing excavated features with high precision and detail, photogrammetric 3D models provide an invaluable path toward reconstructing the inherently deconstructive process of archaeology, especially in a single-context methodology where each stratigraphic unit is documented with both topographic and photogrammetric techniques. Despite this potential, the practical use of photogrammetric models remains limited by the labor required to prepare them for deployment. Models must often be trimmed, decimated, organized, and exported before they can run in interpretive 3D visual environments, an enormous hurdle for underfunded projects hoping to integrate photogrammetry during site survey. This thesis attempts to bridge that gap by developing an open-source toolkit for trimming and decimating archaeological photogrammetry models, the two key processing steps required for single-context use. Relying on sample data from the Gabii Project, a Roman-era site outside of Rome and an early adopter of single-context photogrammetric recording, this project demonstrates how existing workflows might be adapted into an automated pipeline. While not wholly automatic, the tools lay the foundation for future edge-detection approaches using hand-corrected archaeological polygons as training data. The pipeline application and associated scripts will be made available in a GitHub repository for anyone attempting to integrate photogrammetric documentation into everyday field recording and interpretation.
Abstract. The measurement of Ground Control Points is a crucial but time-consuming step in photogrammetric surveys, especially in the Built Heritage domain. This study investigates the use of a new generation Global Navigation Satellite System receiver equipped with an integrated camera to measure inaccessible points (to be used as GCPs, e.g. on building façades), combining satellite positioning and photogrammetry in a single device. The approach was tested on a historical building using both the tested GNSS-camera system and traditional Total Station topographic measurements as reference. Results show that the proposed method can achieve centimetric accuracy, with horizontal and vertical errors of about 3-5 cm (in line with the adopted NRTK service). While a small systematic shift was observed, the overall geometric consistency of the measured points remained within acceptable limits for many heritage documentation applications. Additionally, the georeferenced images acquired by the system were successfully used in a Structure from Motion (SfM) direct georeferencing workflow, producing 3D models and orthophotos with good metric reliability when compared to other data, such as TLS scans. The study demonstrates that GNSS-camera systems can significantly reduce fieldwork time while providing reliable spatial data, representing a promising solution to be integrated into heritage documentation pipelines in an efficient and flexible way.
Lorenzo Teppati Losè, F. Chiabrando, Fabio Giulio Tonolo· The International Archives o...· 0 citations
This paper presents a pilot educational workflow that couples 3D remote sensing with heritage-driven pedagogy by engaging architecture master’s students in the documentation and digital archiving of Transylvanian cultural sites. Using terrestrial and mobile 3D scanning, students documented multiple typologies—wooden churches (Târgușor, Tioltiur), historical ensembles (Mociu, Coplean), industrial sites (1 Mai–Luduș, Vânătorilor–Luduș), and an urban street segment (Potaissa)—to generate dense point clouds that served as the basis for geometric reconstruction, semantic interpretation, and condition assessment. The study describes how the characteristics of different construction systems (timber, brick, stone, mixed structures) relate to point-cloud quality, survey coverage, and subsequent CAD/BIM drafting, with attention to the qualitative reading of minor deformations in wooden churches and of degradation patterns in masonry and industrial buildings. We also consider how artefacts in the data (noise, occlusions, registration errors) affect scene understanding and the interpretation of derived observations relevant to condition assessment and, prospectively, to monitoring. For the Tioltiur dual-sensor case, the TLS and SLAM datasets were compared through an internal CloudCompare registration check (final RMS 0.1121 on 50,000 points, fixed scale 1.0 and theoretical overlap 100%), surface-density displays (r = 0.005 for the Z+F dataset and for the GeoSLAM dataset), fitted-wall-plane readings (dip values around 89 deg. and 85 deg.) and a longitudinal section documenting roof/vault deformation. Beyond technical performance, the paper examines the self-reported formative impact on students’ digital skills and their understanding of cultural values, arguing that participation in 3D data acquisition, processing, and interpretation positions them as co-creators of a living digital archive. Pre- and post-workshop questionnaires (n = 13 each) are analysed descriptively—counts, percentages and medians with interquartile ranges—because the two instruments are unmatched and carry no shared identifier, so no paired test is applied; post-workshop self-ratings of technical competence, heritage understanding, archival awareness and collaboration were consistently high (medians 4–5), with uneven access to VR the main gap. By connecting point-cloud-based documentation workflows with heritage education, the project outlines a transferable, monitoring-ready baseline model in which 3D remote sensing supports both careful documentation and the transmission of regional identity and cultural meaning in architectural training. As an exploratory pilot with a small, self-reported sample, the study reports descriptive and qualitative findings rather than validated metric or statistical results.
A. Voinea, C. Neamțu, Virgil Pop· Remote Sensing· 0 citations
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