Elsevier

Computers & Graphics

Volume 35, Issue 2, April 2011, Pages 227-241
Computers & Graphics

Semantic 3D Media and Content
A semantic-based platform for the digital analysis of architectural heritage

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cag.2010.11.009Get rights and content

Abstract

This essay focuses on the fields of architectural documentation and digital representation. We present a research paper concerning the development of an information system at the scale of architecture, taking into account the relationships that can be established between the representation of buildings (shape, dimension, state of conservation, hypothetical restitution) and heterogeneous information about various fields (such as the technical, the documentary or still the historical one). The proposed approach aims to organize multiple representations (and associated information) around a semantic description model with the goal of defining a system for the multi-field analysis of buildings.

Graphical Abstract

Four “points of view” on the building morphology composed by three parallel levels of description: semantic, structure and representation. Top-left: analysis of sculptures; top-right: analysis of profiled elements; bottom-left: analysis of the architectural order and bottom-right: analysis of materials.

  1. Download : Download high-res image (74KB)
  2. Download : Download full-size image

Research highlights

►Producing and managing multiple representations of buildings according to different analysis needs (Section 3.1). ► Establishing links between the 3D morphology of buildings and the collection of 2D iconographic sources necessary for their study (Section 3.2). ► Analyzing and representing the transformation of buildings in time (Section 3.3).

Introduction

In recent years, the field of architectural survey and representation took advantage from the use of the third dimension in the graphic documentation about cultural heritage. Various tools and emerging technologies [1], [2] have been integrated into approaches for the 3D reconstruction of buildings in order to reproduce the morphological complexity of heritage buildings and to support different analysis requirements [3].

These reconstruction strategies permit both to collect and organize information issue from architectural survey and to produce multiple representations of buildings. To date various reconstruction methods have been developed. Firstly, some approaches are inclined to represent the geometric accuracy of 3D models [4]: they mainly base on the standard methods of automatic meshing starting from 3D laser scanning. Secondly, other approaches are based on descriptions that are specific to particular kinds of analysis [5]: they are characterized by data acquisition and data processing strategies consistent with specific representation goals. Thirdly, other techniques focus on reproducing the visual appearance of the surfaces forming the object [6], by taking into account photometric information. Finally, other approaches concentrate on the simultaneous representation of multiple factors at multiple scales: for this goal, they use different technical procedures in a complementary way [7], [8].

However, beyond three-dimensional data, a large amount of heterogeneous data is collected during the analysis of buildings. Moreover all this data often comes from different branches and relies on different media. Various studies are carried out on heritage buildings for a variety of purposes including analysis of documentary sources, building maintenance and monitoring, formulation of assumptions and cultural diffusion. In addition to architectural survey, the development of qualitative descriptions of buildings is a larger research area. For this reason, today it seems essential to examine how quantitative information (extracted from survey) and qualitative information (produced by interpretation of data acquired during the analysis of documentary sources), can be analyzed and displayed within a unique integrated platform.

Section snippets

Related works

In recent years, the scientific analysis of documentary resources has benefited informatics solutions about how to organize and manage data. Many solutions have been developed in order to improve the management of digital contents [9], other works tend to define a formal structure for describing implicit and explicit concepts and relationships used in cultural heritage documentation [10]. A research consortium [11] also worked on the definition of metadata and paradata related to procedures for

General approach

Organizing the graphical documentation according to the building morphology requires integrating a purely geometric level to a semantic representation one. Actually, the concept of shape encompasses all instances of the object. Instances can be represented in a digital environment, independently from their format, use or size, considering that their geometrical nature is characterized by their spatial extension [19]. Architectural objects have a shape (spatial extension), they can be described

Semantics, temporal dimension and spatial referencing as complementary features

In the previous paragraph we presented the main principles of our platform: the semantic description of the building morphology, the spatio-temporal analysis of its transformations and the spatial referencing of iconographic sources. These three aspects are logically related and can be joined in a complementary way in order to develop new approaches for documenting and studying architectural heritage. We have explored two possible intersections:

  • Intersection between morphological description of

Informatics implementation

Our platform, called Nubes [28], consists currently of four tools:

  • Archivium, a database for storing 3D representations.

  • Tempus, for structuring and displaying temporal changes.

  • Imago, for the spatial referencing and semantic annotation of iconographic sources.

  • Visum, for the construction of “viewpoints” joining 3D representations, iconographic sources and sets of attributes configured by the user.

These tools are intended primarily for specialists in the field of architectural heritage conservation

Conclusions and future works

In this paper, we presented an integrated platform to manage digital representations of buildings for architectural applications related to the analysis and the documentation of cultural heritage. Various fundamental problems have been explained and various informatics developments have been presented. We are actually working with some specialists in conservation that use our platform in order to organize the 3D representation of artifacts and heterogeneous data coming from analysis of

References (33)

  • M. Attene et al.

    Characterization of 3D shape parts for semantic annotation

    Computer-Aided Design

    (2009)
  • Boehler W, Marbs A. 3D Scanning instruments. In: Proceedings of the CIPA WG 6—scanning for cultural heritage recording,...
  • Debevec P, Taylor C, Malik J. Modeling and rendering architecture from photographs: a hybrid geometry and image-based...
  • Marbs A, Heinz G, Boehler W. The potential of non-contact close range laser scanners for cultural heritage recording....
  • Fangi G, Fiori F, Gagliardini G, Malinverni E-S.Fast and accurate close range 3D modelling by laser scanning system....
  • Lingua A, Piumati P, Rinaudo F. Digital Photogrammetry: a standard approach to cultural heritage survey. In:...
  • Salemi G., Achilli V, Cervato C Data acquisition for cultural heritage navigation: integration of panoramic imaging,...
  • El Hakim SF, Beraldin A, Picard M, Vettore A Effective 3D modeling of heritage sites. In: Proceedings of the 4th...
  • G. Guidi et al.

    A multi-resolution methodology for the 3D modeling of large and complex archaeological areas

    International Journal of Architectural Computing

    (2009)
  • Fedora Commons Repository Software. Open source technology to manage, preserve and link digital content:...
  • Doerr Martin. The CIDOC CRM—an ontological approach to semantic interoperability of metadata. AI Magazine, Special...
  • A.I.M.A.T.S.H.A.P.E.—Advanced and Innovative Models And Tools for the development of Semantic-based systems for...
  • Manferdini AM, Remondino F, Baldissini S, Gaiani M, Benedetti B 3D modeling and semantic classification of...
  • U. Herbig et al.

    APIS—Architectural Photogrammetry Information System

    International Archives of Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing

    (1997)
  • Salonia P, Negri A. ARKIS: an information system as a tool for analysis and representation of heterogeneous data on an...
  • K Knuyts et al.

    Vision on conservation: Virterf

    Proceedings of the international symposium on virtual and augmented arhitecture

    (2001)
  • Cited by (0)

    View full text