The Contribution of Geomatic Technologies to Bim

Heritage, 2020

Heritage buildings usually have complex (non-parametric) geometries that turn their digitization through conventional methods in inaccurate and time-consuming processes. When it comes to the survey and representation of historical assets, remote sensing technologies have been playing key roles in the last few years: 3D laser scanning and photogrammetry surveys save time in the field, while proving to be extremely accurate at registering non-regular geometries of buildings. However, the efficient transformation of remote-sensing data into as-built parametric smart models is currently an unsolved challenge. A pragmatic and organized Historic Building Information Modeling (HBIM) methodology is essential in order to obtain a consistent model that can bring benefits and integrate conservation and restoration work. This article addresses the creation of an HBIM model of heritage assets using 3D laser scanning and photogrammetry. Our findings are illustrated in one case study: The Engine H...

Advances in Religious and Cultural Studies

Building Information Modeling (BIM) has attracted wide interest in the field of documentation and conservation of Architectural Heritage (AH). Existing approaches focus on converting laser scanned point clouds to BIM objects, but laser scanning is usually limited to planar elements which are not the typical state of AH where free-form and double-curvature surfaces are common. We propose a method that combines low-cost automatic photogrammetric data acquisition techniques with parametric BIM objects founded on Architectural Treatises and a syntax allowing the transition from the archetype to the type. Point clouds with metric accuracy comparable to that from laser scanning allows accurate as-built model semantically integrated with the ideal model from parametric library. The deviation between as-built model and ideal model is evaluated to determine if feature extraction from point clouds is essential to improve the accuracy of as-built BIM.

ISPRS - International Archives of the Photogrammetry, Remote Sensing and Spatial Information Sciences, 2020

Conservation and preservation of heritage buildings require the knowledge and sharing of a great deal of data and information about buildings. Such information comes from the different disciplines involved in the restoration and maintenance processes. The integration and use of all this information in a single working environment is a key factor for the success of historical building conservation and management projects. Heritage (or Historic) Building Information Modelling (HBIM) is nowadays the most appropriate tool to collect and manage all data related to Architectural Heritage. The HBIM process requires an in-depth knowledge of the historical building that can be achieved using a detailed 3D survey and adequate parametric modelling. For this reason, the Scan-to-BIM approach, which involves creating the BIM model from a laser scanner survey, is widely used. The work focuses on the application of the Scan-to-BIM process to a historical/archaeological building in Palermo (Italy), the Castle of Maredolce. The work aims to obtain an HBIM of the building but the paper deals also with the survey issues and the modelling challenges, focusing on the different modelling approach between parametric and not-parametric architectural elements. The most difficult challenge of the modelling step was to obtain parametric objects of the complex geometries of the historical building. The work has allowed achieving the HBIM of the Castle of Maredolce and has highlighted some issues and advantages of the Scan-to-BIM approach.

2014

In the current practice, changes that occurred in the construction or renovation phase are not frequently captured and updated to as-built documentations. As a semantically rich digital representation, a building information model (BIM) can be used as an information repository to store and deliver as-built information. Since a building might not be constructed exactly as its design specifies, discrepancies might exist between BIMs created based on design information and actual building conditions. It is important to keep information stored in a BIM accurate and complete so that it servers as a reliable data source throughout the service life of a facility. Point cloud data captured by laser scans is capable of providing accurate 3D depiction of building conditions. Hence, point cloud data can be used as the reference to update the information contained in an as-designed BIM. There are two main challenges associated with the update process. First, in order to recognize the difference...

Procedia Engineering, 2017

Building Information Modelling (BIM) is a collaborative way of working, supported by digital technologies, which unlock more efficient methods of designing [1]. Digital 3D model that has several 'dimensions' can be used for effective management of information throughout a project lifecycle [2]. BIM-based processes are for new buildings and infrastructure and of course have potential in refurbishment projects when complementary workflows such as building scanning [3]. Fast development and spreading standards, challenging research opportunities arise from process automation and BIM adaptation for existing buildings' requirements [1]. To aid decision-making, building simulation is widely used in the late design stages, but its application is still limited in the early stages in which design decisions have a major impact on final building performance.

The International Archives of the Photogrammetry, Remote Sensing and Spatial Information Sciences, 2020

Geomatics is trying to redefine its role in the Italian higher-level educational system according to the new technological developments. The recent thematic thread of Building Information Modelling (BIM) systems contributes to the new role of Geomatics inside universities and, more generally, in the training process. BIM systems propose new ways of managing the construction process throughout building life cycle, from design to construction and management. They allow managing large flows of information, organized and shared among the different operators in the construction chain, through databases linked to threedimensional objects. The BIM approach is based on two principles: interoperability and digitization. BIM was born as an application dedicated to new buildings, to promote the optimization of the entire life cycle of the building, from design to management. Many countries have been active in this sector for years, while others are now joining the digitization approach. In this complex scenario, the proposal to adopt the BIM process not only for the management of new constructions but also for the intervention on the existing one, is relevant in a country, like Italy, with a very rich history and a high presence of built historical heritage. Maurice Murphy coined the term HBIM (Historic Building Information Modelling), referring to BIM systems applied to historical buildings that need intervention and subsequent management. Geomatics plays a crucial role in HBIM as it is the primary tool for the digitization of built heritage and to obtain a model of the existing, an "as-built" model. In order to achieve this result, laser scanner and photogrammetry are the main tools, and they are involved in the so-called Scan2Bim process. The other important role is connected with the modeling stage to arrive at a threedimensional representation suitable for common BIM authoring software while maintaining the rigor and accuracy that characterize the geomatic approach. The fundamental role of Geomatics in this context requires the training of personnel specialized in surveying and managing the acquired data through HBIM systems. There are new training courses and masters in the field of BIM systems, hosted by Politecnico di Milano at the Mantua Campus, aimed at training new figures with a specific curriculum, including Geomatics. The elements that characterize the training course are the knowledge of the principles and methods of data and the evaluation of achievable accuracy and admissible errors. It is also important to address issues that are still not completely solved in HBIM community, such as the type of modeling the best levels of detail of geometric and information content and the most practical aspects of commercial BIM authoring software. The article describes the experience carried out by Politecnico di Milano and tries to define, afterward, the training curriculum for HBIM experts, in which Geomatics plays an essential role, not only in the data acquisition phase but also in geometric and informative modeling.

Advances in Informatics and Computing in Civil and Construction Engineering, 2018

Information about historic buildings is extensive and fundamental for maintenance, preservation, and restoration purposes. However, a common problem is lack of standardization and documentation updating. This work aims to gather 3D BIM model of historic buildings with their knowledge-base through a formal ontology. A terrestrial laser scanner was used to collect geometrical data. The resulted point cloud was delimited by Regions of Interest (ROI) then downsized and segmented. The selected case study is the Ballroom, part of the Pampulha Architectural Ensemble designed by the renowned architect Oscar Niemeyer. This building, located in Belo Horizonte, Brazil, has a unique, sinuous and irregular shape, recently listed as World Heritage site by UNESCO, rising its documentation importance both locally and worldwide. The CIDOC-CRM (International Committee for Documentation-Conceptual Reference Model) and FRBRoo (Functional Requirements for Bibliographic Records-object oriented) is the source for create the building ontology, later connected to the model. The proposed methodology shows that linking geometric and semantic database into a BIM environment can improve heritage documentation.

Sustainability, 2021

The methodology and technology associated with building information modeling (BIM) provide architects, engineers, and historians with concepts and tools that support the development of heritage projects. However, this specific form of BIM orientated towards buildings of patrimonial value—known as historic building information modeling (HBIM)—requires a distinct and additional view, accounting for aspects which are normally not attended to on projects involving new buildings. In an HBIM context, the parametric modeling process, the basis of any BIM procedure, involves the study of shapes, patterns, or standards for the establishment of particular collections of parametric objects, as well as the record of the available technology used to capture digital geometric data. In addition, all the information collected and generated through an HBIM process must be adequately managed, maintained, and archived. In the present study, we intend to list the most recent features of HBIM, based on ...

Building Information Modelling was born for the design of new buildings. Then it has grown as an interesting technology for the studying of architectural heritage. Several researches aim to realize BIMs from surveying data – in particular point clouds – collected using laser scanning, photogrammetry or other traditional survey instruments (HBIM). Other works focus on BIM in order to support the information management during the investigation and the restoration phases (BHIM - Built Heritage Information Modeling). According to this line, this research deals with the opportunity of collecting and managing not only the geometric-dimensional data, but also the huge quantity of historical and recent documents related to built heritage. Indeed, documentation includes many heterogeneous and critical aspects and information, such as drawings, images, or digital models, or analysis on construction materials and technologies, surface degradation, historical building phases, building conservation state, etc. The paper proposes an approach for architectural heritage documentation and safeguard, with the aim to improve BIM potentiality for information computing. BIM model – according to its semantization – is related to an information system and, in this way, 3-D modeling and database modeling are the two sides of a Complex Model for the knowledge of historical buildings. Keywords: BIM; Architectural Heritage; Database; Documentation.

Proceedings of the ICA, 2018

BIM-files (Building Information Models) are in modern architecture and building management a basic prerequisite for successful creation of construction engineering projects. At the facilities department of the Smithsonian Institution more than six hundred buildings were maintained. All facilities were digital available in an ESRI ArcGISenvironment with connection to the database information about single rooms with the usage and further maintenance information. These data are organization wide available by an intranet viewer, but only in a two-dimensional representation. Goal of the carried out project was the development of a workflow from available BIM-models to the given GIS-structure. The test-environment were the BIM-models of the buildings of the Smithsonian museums along the Washington Mall. Based on new software editions of Autodesk Revit, FME and ArcGIS Pro the workflow from BIM to the GIS-data structure of the Smithsonian was successfully developed and may be applied for the setup of the future 3D intranet viewer.