LiDAR and SfM-MVS Integrated Approach to Build a Highly Detailed 3D Virtual Model of Urban Areas

Abstract

The three-dimensional reconstruction of buildings, road infrastructures, service networks, and cultural heritage in urban environments is relevant for many market segments and numerous functions in the management and coordination of public authorities. These stakeholders are showing increasing interest in modern acquisition and reconstruction technologies for digital models typical of the geomatic and computer vision disciplines. In this context, it is essential to methodically exploit the potential of active and passive instruments and apply multi-sensor integration techniques, to obtain metrically accurate and high-resolution products. This study proposes a multi-sensor and multi-scale approach for high-resolution 3D model reconstruction focused on a city portion of Turin (Italy). We performed an integrated survey based on LiDAR and photogrammetric techniques, both aerial and terrestrial. Then we produced a set of 3D digital products for (i) promoting the historical and artistic heritage through Virtual Reality (VR) applications, (ii) supporting the restoration of Baroque buildings, and (iii) providing advanced analysis concerning the alteration of the urban road system. The final output describes in detail the architectural elements investigated (e.g., 9,480,000 tringles to define the mesh of a statue). It emphasizes the need for deepening sensor integration and data fusion.