Terrestrial Laser Scanning (TLS) In Heritage Documentation: Developing A Best Practice Guide For Optimal Data Acquisition
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Liu, Junshan
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Abstract
Heritage documentation is essential for preserving cultural, historical, and architectural knowledge. The records serve as a repository for invaluable data that support heritage preservation, restoration, and education. While traditional methods, like measured drawings, photography, and historical narratives, are technically reliable, they often fall short in accuracy, efficiency, and accessibility. In an era of rapid technological advancement, preserving and documenting built heritage must adapt to remain relevant and practical. Terrestrial Laser Scanning (TLS), an emerging technology in the built environment, has shown promise for improving the practice of documenting built heritage. The technology offers a superior level of detail and precision and enables the creation of highly accurate digital replicas of complex heritage structures. This technological advancement also enhances the accessibility and interpretability of heritage sites for researchers, educators, and the general public.
The prime goal of this dissertation is to integrate best practices and methodologies that leverage TLS’s technical strengths and enhance the process and outcomes of heritage documentation. More specifically, the research aims to explore how TLS can be optimally utilized in documenting built heritage for various preservation outcomes. It seeks to: 1) assess opportunities and challenges presented by TLS, 2) understand how documentation purposes influence TLS usage, and 3) develop holistic and practical TLS guidance to help heritage documentation practitioners grasp the technology to improve their projects.
The research adopted a mixed-methods approach to achieve its goals and objectives. The methodology combined case studies, expert interviews, literature reviews, and quantitative data analysis to investigate TLS applications in heritage documentation. This approach enabled a comprehensive understanding of TLS’s advantages, challenges, and practical applications across different heritage sites, capturing a broad range of experiences and insights. It also laid the foundation for identifying best practices, evaluating TLS applicability, and developing the best practice guide.
The main findings of this dissertation highlight the importance of detailed planning before project scanning, the advantages of combining TLS with other technologies for complete data collection, and TLS’s flexibility in addressing specific project requirements. Crucially, the dissertation presents the development of the “TLS for Heritage Documentation Best Practice Guide” (the Guide). The Guide represents a holistic and practical approach to using standardizing TLS workflows. It covers all phases of a TLS project, from pre-scanning planning to fieldwork execution, data processing, and final data utilization. Designed for practitioners with a basic understanding of TLS, the Guide emphasizes the importance of adaptability and offers recommendations that can be tailored to the specific needs and challenges of each heritage site. This approach enhances the Guide’s broad applicability and utility.
This research contributes to heritage preservation by demonstrating how TLS technology can transform heritage conservation practices through detailed, precise, and non-intrusive documentation methods. The findings, when paired with the developed Guide, enhance the quality, accuracy, efficiency, and accessibility of heritage documentation projects. By standardizing TLS workflows and emphasizing the adaptability of TLS to various project needs, the research and the developed Guide equip practitioners with tools to improve heritage documentation efforts and ensure cultural heritage is preserved and accessible.
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2024-04-27
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Dissertation