Image-based delineation of built heritage masonry for automatic classification

Abstract

The development of new built heritage assessment protocols that objectivise and standardise the protection process has made it possible to start the work on the algorithms necessary to implement a built heritage analysis and classification ICT tool. The built heritage that will be assessed using these protocols consists of stone masonry constructions. Much of the assessment is carried out through visual inspection. Thus, this process will be automated by applying image processing on digital images of the elements under inspection. Many of the features analysed can be characterised geometrically and are often related to the arrangement of the construction blocks. This paper presents the ground work carried out to make this tool possible: the semi-automatic delineation of the masonry. The validity of this delineation will be shown using the classification results for the analysis of one of the elements assessed in the protocol for masonry bridges. © 2013 Springer-Verlag.