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3D modelling tools for architectural conservation (VIRTERF)

L. Van Gool, M. Pollefeys, J. Schouteden, M. Vergauwen

Most measurements to historical buildings are still made using traditional means and are represented in two-dimensional drawings. The possibilities to synthesize information about the building are restricted and require a lot of experience. For the conservation of build heritage, monument care and city renewal, there is a need for more appropriate technology that can generate 3D representations. The goal of this project is to develop such technology based on computer vision and reverse engineering solutions. The task of the PSI research group in this project is to further developed the 3D modelling technology to suite the needs of architectural conservation applications. Starting from images of a historical building or monument and some reference points (to allow the integration in a global reference frame) a high-accuracy model is gradually built up. Compared to alternative systems this system has a much higher level of automation and most repetitive tasks are taken over by the computer. An important feature is that the accuracy of the geometric model will also be automatically determined, so that reliable computations and predictions can be made based on the 3D models.

Some screenshots of the 3D modelling software is given in the images below.