The employment of terrestrial laser scanner in cultural heritage conservation: The case study of Vallinotto Chapel in Carignano-Italy

Abstract

Terrestrial laser scanner is a key methodology in cultural heritage survey, as it allows representing objects with high accuracy from the geometric point of view but allows also generating graphic representation of high visual impact for public (nontechnical) audience. The case study is a Vittone's chapel, located in Carignano (Turin Province, NW Italy) characterized by a complex internal structure due to multiple layers of arches and other structures. The role of these features is not only structural but also figurative in order to represent, in the Chapel, the different levels of celestial hierarchy. The Chapel is now involved in a documentation project and thanks to the presence of scaffolding structures different scans have been carried out with an Optech-ILRIS 3D instrument. In the same time, using a calibrated digital camera, different pictures of the building have been taken. Scans have been accomplished at three different levels, due to scaffolding height, (10 m, 6 m, and ground) in order to obtain a complete survey of the building interior. A second series of scans has then been made in order to measure the exterior of the building. In the same time a classical topographical survey has been performed, using a no prism Sokkia total station, with the purpose of measuring tie point therefore used to merge the internal and external scans and to assess the alignment phase's accuracy. The final model has then been processed in order to project calibrated images on some test areas through orthoimage generation. © The Author(s) 2010.