Applying Geomatics Techniques for Documenting Heritage Buildings in Aswan Region, Egypt: A Case Study of the Temple of Abu Simbel

Abstract

It has recently become more popular to involve 3-D modeling and digital documentation in the conservation and restoration of heritage sites. The main objective of the current study is to develop a digital documentation process using laser scanning for Abu Simbel Temple, which is one of the most famous archaeological sites in Egypt. We focus on these techniques to replace traditional methods of building heritage documentation. To create the 3-D model with geographic coordinates and measure the rate of deformation, a precise geodetic network of five points was established around the temple. Then, 52 scans of the temple facade and its interior parts were taken using a Trimble TX6 laser scanner. This led to the creation of a 3-D digital model of the temple that includes geometric, structural, architectural, historical data, and non-engineering information (such as appearance, inscriptions, and material details). The 3-D point cloud model outputs exhibit a 6 mm spacing between the points with an error of 4 mm and a standard deviation of 5 mm. In addition, the temple’s virtual tour included 61 panoramic images. This virtual tour can help to increase heritage awareness, promote tourism, and aid in the future restoration of any parts vulnerable to damage.

Survey Planning for Documentation of a Monument for the Understanding, Preservation and Restoration

“…Large monuments can be viewed virtually by using panoramic photos and point cloud data obtained by Terrestrial Laser Scanning (TLS) (Elbshbeshi et al 2023). By giving tourists who would not have the chance to visit in person an immersive and realistic experience, these virtual views have the potential to transform the tourism sector.…”

Documentation and Virtualisation of Vernacular Cultural Heritage: The Case of Underground Wine Cellars in Atauta (Soria)

“…Elbshbeshi [58] applied geomatic techniques to document heritage constructions; furthermore, TLS techniques have been employed in certain cases to establish the geometry of underground constructions [59][60][61]. This research not only uses TLS techniques but also integrates point clouds, digital models, orthophotographs, and panoramic photographs to document the different spaces and buildings in the BIC.…”

A 3D Spatial Diagnostic Framework of Sustainable Historic and Cultural District Preservation: A Case Study in Henan, China

“…It has been widely used in data collection, archiving, data analysis, status investigation and monitoring, and digital display [18][19][20]. The study not only involves cultural heritage, such as ancient sites [21], ancient buildings [22], and cave temples [23], but also includes larger-scale historical and cultural cities [24] and historical and cultural districts [25]. In addition, with the development of computer technology, 3D scanning technology can be combined with GIS (Geographic Information System) and BIM (Building Information Modeling).…”