3D documentation and preservation of historical monument using terrestrial laser scanning

Abstract

The digital preservation of historical monuments using advanced 3D measurement technologies becomes a potential and efficient tool for mapping solution. In addition to traditional methods such as simple hand measurement and tacheometry, 3D terrestrial laser scanning is rapidly becoming one of the most commonly used techniques due to its completeness, accuracy and fastness characteristics. This paper evaluates the capability of terrestrial laser scanning technology for documenting the historical monument facade data in 3D environment. Then this is followed by the generating of 3D visualization model based on registered colourized point clouds. In this project, the FARO Photon Laser Scanner 120/20 system was used to record the geometry data of the historical monument. In order to capture the colour information of the geometric object, a Nikon DSLR digital camera was integrated with the FARO System. Our technological approach provides the ability to generate 3D coloured visualization model of the historical monument with the automatic colourized process. The attachment of RGB value from the detailed high resolution digital images onto the 3D point clouds data was completed using FARO Scene software. In this way, the 3D model can be visualized in much more photorealistic way. The case study is the A’Famosa Fortress, Porta de Santiago, one of the world heritage monuments in Melaka, Malaysia declared as UNESCO World Heritage Sites in 2008. The data fusion of TLS and digital photogrammetry is presented and explained in detail in order to produce a photorealistic model in 3D environment. Then, a 3D virtual fly through animation of A’Famosa Fortress was created based on millions of colourized point clouds.