Mobile LiDAR System is an emerging technology that combines multiple sensors. Active sensors, together with Inertial and Global Navigation System, are synchronized on a mobile platform to produce an accurate and precise geospatial 3D point cloud. They allow obtaining a large amount of georeferenced 3D information in a fast and efficient way, which can be used in several applications such as the 3D recording and reconstruction of complex urban areas and/or landscapes. In this study the Mobile LiDAR System is applied in the field of Cultural Heritage aiming to evaluate its performance with the purpose to document, divulgate, or to develop an architectural analysis. This study was focused on the Medieval Wall of Avila (Spain) and, specifically, the performed accuracy tests were applied in the “Alcazar” gate (National Monument from 1884). The Mobile LiDAR System is then compared to the most commonly employed active sensors (Terrestrial Laser Scanner) for large Cultural Heritage sites in regard to time, accuracy and resolution of the point cloud. The discrepancies between both technologies are established comparing directly the 3D point clouds generated, highlighting the errors affecting the architectural structures. Consequently, and based on a detailed geometrical analysis, an optimization methodology is proposed, establishing a segmented and classified cluster for the structures. Furthermore, three main clusters are settled, according to the curvature: (i) planar or low curvature; (ii) cylindrical, mild transitions and medium curvature; and (iii) the abrupt transitions of high curvature. The obtained 3D point clouds in each cluster are analyzed and optimized, considering the reference spatial sampling, according to a confidence interval and the feature curvature. The presented results suggest that Mobile LiDAR System is an optimal approach, allowing a high-speed data acquisition and providing an adequate accuracy for large Cultural Heritage sites.

The intention of this interdisciplinary work is the integration of different 3D recording techniques and instruments to survey the archaeological area of Paestum (Italy) and obtain digital models of the main structures and temples of the site. The ancient city of Paestum, included in the UNESCO World Heritage list since 1998, is one of the most important archaeological sites in Italy, preserving the vestiges and ruins of Greek and Roman times, including three Doric temples. Photogrammetry and terrestrial laser scanning (TLS) acquisitions were integrated in order to exploit the intrinsic advantages of the actual 3D surveying techniques and produces digital models, orthoimages, maps and other geometric representations useful for archaeological, architectural and communication needs.

The 3D digitization of sites or objects, normally referred to “reality-based 3D surveying and modelling”, is based on 3D optical instruments able to deliver accurate, detailed and realistic 3D results. Nowadays many non-experts are facing the 3D world and its technologies (hardware and software) due to their easiness of use but a not correct use leads to wrong results and conclusions. The goal of the article is to critically report the 3D digitization pipeline with some Cultural Heritage examples. Based on our experiences, some guidelines are drawn as best practices for non-experts and to clearly point out the right approach for every goal and project.

The main objective of this paper is to analyse the potential as well as the limitations of an action camera (GoPro Hero 3 Black) in photogrammetric application for architectural cultural heritage reconstruction. The investigations were carried out in a site of notable historical interest, “Villa Giulia Felice” in Pompeii, Italy. In order to estimate the work pipeline, the time-consuming processing and the output product accuracy using fisheye camera images, three commercial image processing software packages were tested: Agisoft PhotoScan, Pix4Dmapper and 3DF Zephyr Aerial. Several comparisons among the final 3D models produced have been developed and the results achieved. Despite the problems found related to lens distortion and the small distance from the camera to the object (average distance ~80 cm), the test has provided good results in terms of accuracy (average error 2 - 3.5 cm) and reliability.

The techniques and methods to capture and represent in a three-dimensional digital space the shape of objects belonging to Cultural Heritage have become more widespread, regarding both the economic and practical accessibility of technologies and equipment. At the same time, systems and tools have developed to integrate different 3D survey techniques that allow to achievement a complete acquisition of the tangible assets, considering the purposes of the survey, the required accuracy and the representation scale. The product of an integrated (image-based and range-base acquisition) and multi-scale (architectural and landscape scale) digital survey is a metric 3D reconstruction, potentially suitable for a broader ‘use’ and ‘user’ and not only for visualisation and documentation. According to this vision, the 3D model becomes a container of information, which include different type of data depending on the users and the aim of the work. The final result of this process can be the valorisation of the Cultural Heritage and its environment, through the access from experts and non-experts users. The aim of the article is showing the entire pipeline for 3D measurement, survey data acquisition, modelling, and representation of tangible assets and the related layers of information, as “best practice” to improve the Cultural Heritage knowledge, fruition, and sharing.