Semi-automated creation of accurate FEM meshes of heritage masonry walls from point cloud data

The structural analysis of buildings requires accurate spatial models. Additionally, pathologies such as settlement-induced damages are paramount in the assessment of heritage assets. This spatial information is used as a basis for Finite Element Method (FEM) meshes to evaluate the stability of the structure. Traditional data acquisition approaches rely on manual measurements which are labor intensive and error prone. Therefore, major simplifications are made to document structures efficiently. The goal of this research is to provide faster and more accurate procedures to capture the spatial information required by a FEM. This paper presents a semi-automated approach to create accurate models of complex heritage buildings for the purpose of structural analysis. By employing non-destructive techniques such as terrestrial laser scanning and photogrammetry, a complex mesh of the structure is created. Also, a methodology is proposed to capture crack information. A stepwise approach is elaborated to illustrate how the spatial information is adapted towards a FEM mesh. The results show a significant difference between the geometry our model and a traditional wire- frame model. Not only does accurate modelling result in deviating loads, it also affects the behavior of the object. Through the proposed approach, experts can develop highly accurate FEM meshes to assess the stability of the structure up to as-built conditionsPostprint (published version

Using Building Information Modelling to map the composition of glass panes in a historic house

Building Information Modelling (BIM) is widely regarded to be potentially useful for the conservation and management of historic buildings. So far, research in this area has mostly concentrated in geometry: surveying, the parametric modelling of building features and the accurate modelling of complex building shapes. But in order to be fully integrated with conservation practice, Building Information Models need to include other types of data. This paper demonstrates a method to introduce and visualise spatially resolved data within a Building Information Model of a historic building. It focuses on the visualisation of the composition of historic glass and the metadata associated with this measurement. The conclusions are, however, extensible to any type of spatially-resolved material information that can inform building management, conservation and interpretation. The software Dynamo is used to add this functionality to a Revit 3D model. The modelling stage requires the creation of shape families for different types of window. This approach is compared with a similar visualisation produced with ArcGIS, a common Geographic Information System (GIS) software. The Dynamo algorithm successfully adds the visualisation capacity to the BIM model, but it is unlikely that this level of customisation is achievable by the average user. There is a need for further development of technological solutions that combine the visualisation capacity of GIS with ability of BIM to link 3D models and numerical data

HBIM application in historic timber structures: A systematic review

Despite the recent significant increase on the use of Building Information Modelling (BIM) in the cultural heritage field, its application on heritage timber structures aiming at their conservation and assessment has not yet been fully established. Comparing with other construction materials, timber presents singular features that must be addressed in order to carry out a proper condition assessment. For this reason, this review summarizes existing works on historical timber structures using Historical BIM (HBIM), focusing not only on various geometric surveying and 3D modelling methods, but also on nongeometric information included in the model which are especially related with conservation, testing, and monitoring. In addition, this work illustrates the effectiveness increase given by a structural analysis, as to assess structural heath, after being implemented within a HBIM-based framework. To that aim, a global framework is proposed where the development and implementation level of different analysis stages are described.This work has been supported by Xunta de Galicia through grant GRC-ED431C 2020/01. This work was partly financed by FCT/MCTES through national funds (PIDDAC) under the R&D Unit Institute for Sustainability and Innovation in Structural Engineering (ISISE), under reference UIDB/04029/2020. This project has received funding from the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No. 769255. The sole responsibility for the content of this publication lies with the authors. It does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the European Union. Neither the Innovation and Networks Executive Agency (INEA) nor the European Commission are responsible for any use that may be made of the information contained therein

BIM for heritage science: a review

Building Information Modelling (BIM) is a new process that is spreading in the Architecture, Engineering and Construction field. It allows the creation of virtual building models, which can be linked to numerical data, texts, images, and other types of information. Building components, such as walls, floors, etc. are modelled as “smart objects”, i.e. they are defined by numerical parameters, such as dimensions, and are embedded with other kinds of information, such as building materials and properties. Stored data are accessible and modifiable by all different professionals involved in the same project. The BIM process has been developed for new buildings, and it allows to plan and manage the whole building life-cycle. BIM for built heritage has started to be researched recently, and its use is still not widespread. Indeed, built heritage is characterised by complex morphology and non-homogeneous features, which clash with BIM’s standardised procedures. Moreover, to date, BIM does not allow fully automated procedures to model heritage buildings. This review focuses on the survey and digitisation phases, which can be seen as the initial phases of application of BIM in conservation projects. It also briefly covers the modelling stage. Here we present the main methodologies developed for BIM for built heritage. Issues about digitisation are also highlighted, principally in connection with the unavailability of automated processes. During the last 10 years, research has led to promising results; for example, videogame interfaces have been used to simulate virtual 3D tours that display in a single interface the 3D model and the database containing metadata, and new software plug-ins have been developed, to easily create “smart objects”. Nevertheless, further research is needed to establish how BIM can support the practice of building conservation. There is a gap in BIM’s information holding capacities, namely the storage of cultural and historical documentation, as well as monitored and simulated data relevant for preventive conservation. Future work should focus on the development of new tools that will be able to store and share all the relevant metadata

A HISTORICAL TIMBER FRAME MODEL FOR DIAGNOSIS AND DOCUMENTATION BEFORE BUILDING RESTORATION

The aim of the project that is described in this paper was to define a four-level timber frame survey mode of a historical building: the so-called "Andlau's Seigniory", Alsace, France. This historical building (domain) was built in the late XVIth century and is now in a stage of renovation in order to become a heritage interpretation centre. The used measurement methods combine Total Station measurements, Photogrammetry and 3D Terrestrial Laser scanner. Different modelling workflows were tested and compared according to the data acquisition method, but also according to the characteristics of the reconstructed model in terms of accuracy and level of detail. 3D geometric modelling of the entire structure was performed including modelling the degree of detail adapted to the needs. The described 3D timber framework exists now in different versions, from a theoretical and geometrical one up to a very detailed one, in which measurements and evaluation of deformation by time are potentially allowed. The virtually generated models involving archaeologists, architects, historians and specialists in historical crafts, are intended to be used during the four stages of the project: (i) knowledge of the current state of needs for diagnosis and understanding of former construction techniques; (ii) preparation and evaluation of restoration steps; (iii) knowledge and documentation concerning the archaeological object; (iv) transmission and dissemination of knowledge through the implementation of museum animations. Among the generated models we can also find a documentation of the site in the form of virtual tours created from panoramic photographs before and during the restoration works. Finally, the timber framework model was structured and integrated into a 3D GIS, where the association of descriptive and complementary digital documents was possible. Both offer tools leading to the diagnosis, the understanding of the structure, knowledge dissemination, documentation and the creation of educational activities. The integration of these measurements in a historical information system will lead to the creation of an interactive model and the creation of a digital visual display unit for consultation. It will be offered to any public to understand interactively the art of constructing a Renaissance structure, with detailed photos, descriptive texts and graphics. The 3D digital model of the framework will be used directly in the interpretation path, within the space dedicated to "Seigniory" of Andlau. An interactive touch-screen will be installed. It will incorporate several levels of playgrounds (playful, evocative and teaching). In a virtual way, it will deal with the different stages of building a wooden framework and clarify the art of construction

Heritage Building Information Model (BIM) for scientific data

This research aims at enabling usage of Building Information Modelling (BIM) within heritage science, and, specifically, it intends to provide a tool that depicts continuous surface quantities, such as weathering. BIM is a new technology that has been specifically developed for new buildings. BIM consists of several platforms, which enable the digital control and buildings’ design in all their life-cycle phases. It is possible to enrich BIM model’s elements with any data type. Data embedding is crucial in heritage; indeed, heritage buildings are often characterised by large amounts of data, either historical, or performance, i.e., environmental monitoring. Using BIM in heritage buildings could lead to a new way of working, given the critical data management issues in building conservation projects. However, using BIM technology in heritage presents challenges, and research is active on solving heritage-specific issues, such as modelling automation, surveying, data embedding, etc. A literature review enabled research gaps identification in some fields, including weathering depiction, as well as challenges and future steps that the BIM industry could take for the heritage sector. After identifying the need for heritage-specific technical solutions, a dedicated algorithm, which is able to read and depict data that will be useful for heritage, was created. This algorithm was tested in two case studies using Autodesk Revit and related technologies. The BIM models are enriched with data through Revit spreadsheets. A combination of Autodesk Dynamo and Python is used to produce an algorithm that can read, interpolate, and depict moisture in the Jewel Tower case study. In the second case study, Hellens Manor, we use a streamlined version of the Dynamo algorithm to depict the chemical components variation of historic glass panes. These 2 experiments demonstrate that our algorithm is flexible and can be successfully used to depict any surface quantity of interest to heritage