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3.4 Spaces

Introduction

3D metric survey for spaces, benefits for archaeology, industry and engineering. Ancient roots and current developments.

Image: 3D coloured laser scan of the Flaxman Gallery, UCL Art Museum. Laser scanner: Faro Photon 120. Dietmar Backes. 2009.

Mona Hess

Mona Hess

Reseach Assistant for 3D imaging in cultural heritage, UCL Museums and Public Engagement, UCL CEGE

Flinders Petrie surveying at Tell Fara in 1929

Image: Flinders Petrie surveying in Tell Fara in 1929.

The measurement of the space around us has been practiced for a long time. 3D metric survey for spaces are used in engineering, industry, architecture and archaeology.

The surveyor had an important role in Ancient Egyptians to surveyed the fields for a fair distribution of arable land around the Nile after flooding, for building construction. Tools like levelling and orientation have been used, and are still practiced today.

For accurately measuring and excavating in Ancient Egypt, Sir Flinders Petrie, also used known mathematics and surveying kit of the time. He had been taught surveying since his earliest youth by his father William, a civil engineer and professional surveyor.

Photogrammetry as a means of metrically surveying and monitoring buildings has been around since the 19th century stemming from developments in photography and improved technology of glass plates and gelatine layers. A good shot had to be planned as equipment was expensive and produced excellent photographs that are still valuable today for building preservation.

The recording of the space around us today is now done with high-tech kit, capturing millions of points and using laser technology. Totalstations are programmed to monitor constructions in a set routine without operator. Building Information Management integrates high-accuracy 3D recording with management of buildings for a better and sustainable use of our built environment.

Digital documentation today allows to document the status of a historic building, an archaeological site, or even a forensic site to be documented in the state of a moment in time. Monitoring and comparison of damages or movement is now possible with great traceability and accuracy.

3D measurement of our surrounding is increasingly available to everyone through affordable low-cost infrared metric sensors and free-ware software to recostruct interiours from photography. Digital documentation is now going also beyond our earth surface, with 3Dmapping of Mars.

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GreenBIM at UCL Civil, Environmental and Geomatic Engineering

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Research