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Geoinformatics for the Promotion, Management and Conservation of Cultural Heritage

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A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050). This special issue belongs to the section "Tourism, Culture, and Heritage".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 March 2022) | Viewed by 16541

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Special Issue Editors

Dr. Luis Javier Sánchez Aparicio

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Guest Editor

Department of Construction and Technology in Architecture (DCTA), Escuela Técnica Superior de Arquitectura de Madrid (ETSAM), Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
Interests: cultural heritage; geomatics; laser scanning; photogrammetry; diagnosis
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Dr. Miguel Angel Maté-González

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Guest Editor

Departamento de Ingeniería Cartográfica y del Terreno, Universidad de Salamanca, 37008 Salamanca, Spain
Interests: cartographic; geodetic and photogrammetric engineering
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Prof. Dr. Diego González-Aguilera

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Guest Editor

Cartographic and Land Engineering Department, Higher Polytechnic School of Avila, University of Salamanca, Hornos Caleros, 50, 05003 Avila, Spain
Interests: photogrammetry; laser scanning; 3D modeling; topography; cartography
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The United Nations has adopted 17 Sustainable Development Goals to transform our world by 2030. The importance of cultural heritage (CH) for sustainable development is highlighted specifically in two of these goals: Goal 8 and Goal 11.

Geoinformatics is a discipline devoted to the capture and analysis of geospatial information. Approaches such as photogrammetry or laser scanning have played a crucial role in the documentation, promotion, management, and preservation of CH places and buildings. Currently, within this field of knowledge, there is a focus on several different issues: i) the reconstruction and visualization of CH through time; ii) the development of point cloud and image-based strategies for the diagnosis of CH sites; iii) the use of HBIM and GIS approaches for the development of management and planning actions at city and building level (e.g., preventive conservation actions in CH, analysis of risks or safeguarding plans in CH) and; iv) the development of virtual and augmented reality methods for the promotion of CH, including web visualization and analysis.

In this context, original contributions where geoinformatics applications contribute to the promotion, management, and preservation of CH are welcome. In this sense, scientific contributions related to the application of photogrammetric, laser scanning, virtual, and augmented reality systems, as well as GIS and HBIM approaches will be accepted. Additionally, well-prepared review papers will be also accepted.

The following list provides some examples of topics of interest for this Special Issue:

Application of HBIM approaches for the management and conservation of CH sites.
Geoinformatics applied to preventive conservation of CH.
GIS development focused on the management and conservation of CH.
Photogrammetry and laser scanning approaches focused on the documentation and preservation of CH buildings and sites.
Multi-source and multi-sensors integration for the management and study of CH.
Virtual and Augmented Reality applied to the promotion and conservation of CH sites.
Case studies about the application of Geoinformatics in CH.

Prof. Dr. Luis Javier Sánchez-Aparicio
Dr. Miguel Angel Maté-González
Prof. Dr. Diego González-Aguilera
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Sustainability is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

The UN Sustainable Development Goals
Geoinformatics
Heritage building information modeling (HBIM)
Geographical information systems (GIS)
Photogrammetry
Laser Scanning
Drones
Protection of CH
Promotion of CH
Preventive conservation of CH
Management of CH sites
Data fusion in CH

Published Papers (6 papers)

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Research

13 pages, 7735 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Multitemporal Thermal Imagery Acquisition and Data Processing on Historical Masonry: Experimental Application on a Case Study

by Francesca Trevisiol, Ester Barbieri and Gabriele Bitelli

Sustainability 2022, 14(17), 10559; https://doi.org/10.3390/su141710559 - 24 Aug 2022

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 1273

Abstract

The recent improvement of infrared image quality has increased the use of thermography as a non-destructive diagnostic technique. Amongst other applications, thermography can be used to monitor historic buildings. The present work was carried out within the framework of the Horizon 2020 European project SHELTER, which aims to create a management plan for cultural heritage subject to environmental and anthropogenic risk. Among the chosen case studies is the Santa Croce Complex in Ravenna (Italy), which is exposed to different hazards, including flooding. The church has a peculiar architecture that develops below the street level, so the internal walls are affected by the deterioration caused by rising humidity. In such a case of advanced degradation, passive thermography cannot be used to its full potential. For this reason, an innovative methodology involving active thermography was first developed and validated with laboratory tests. Secondly, we conducted its first application to a real case study. With this purpose, an active thermography survey with forced ventilation was carried out to enhance different stages of material degradation by means of automatic classification of multitemporal data. These experiments have resulted in a method using an active thermal survey in a high moisture content environment to detect masonry degradation. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Geoinformatics for the Promotion, Management and Conservation of Cultural Heritage)

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18 pages, 12289 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Contemporary Architecture in Genoa since 1945—Knowledge and Use through Geoservices for the Citizen

by Marta Casanova, Simonetta Acacia, Stefano Francesco Musso, Stefania Traverso, Federico Rottura and Cristina Olivieri

Sustainability 2022, 14(11), 6471; https://doi.org/10.3390/su14116471 - 25 May 2022

Viewed by 1624

Abstract

The paper illustrates the enhancement of knowledge of architecture from 1945 onwards in Genoa by means of the publication on the Geoportal of the Municipality, which was developed with open-source systems, of a proper dataset and tools for digital storytelling for citizens. The implementation on the municipal Geoportal of a section called “Contemporary Architecture from 1945 onwards in Genoa” was made possible through collaboration between the University of Genoa Architecture and Design Department (DAD) and the Municipality of Genoa Office for Geographical Information Systems. The data related to the buildings in the Municipality of Genoa were extracted from a previous study about contemporary architecture in Liguria carried out by DAD. The case study introduced two tools for the promotion and enhancement of knowledge of such architecture, a map on which the buildings are located and associated with an information form and geostories with in-depth information on selected buildings, the latter of which can be sorted based on thematic itineraries or by author. The use of integrated services contributes to the competitiveness and sustainability of the city, raising citizens’ awareness of the value of the architecture of the second half of the 20th century and thus activating conservation processes as advocated in the Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations General Assembly. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Geoinformatics for the Promotion, Management and Conservation of Cultural Heritage)

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15 pages, 16347 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

On the Use of Radar and Optical Satellite Imagery for the Monitoring of Flood Hazards on Heritage Sites in Southern Sinai, Egypt

by Wael Attia, Dina Ragab, Atef M. Abdel-Hamid, Aly M. Marghani, Abdelaziz Elfadaly and Rosa Lasaponara

Sustainability 2022, 14(9), 5500; https://doi.org/10.3390/su14095500 - 03 May 2022

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 3232

Abstract

This study focuses on the use of radar and optical satellite imagery for flood hazard mapping and monitoring around the archaeological sites of the Wadi Baba area, situated at Sinai (Egypt) and well known for its heritage treasures belonging to diverse historical periods and civilizations from the Pharaonic, Nabateans, Christian, and Islamic eras. Although this area is located in an arid to semi-arid climatic region, it is intermittently flooded due to torrential rainstorms. To assess the amount of rainfall expected and its impacts on heritage sites, satellite Sentinel-1 (C-Band) and Tropical Rainfall Monitoring Mission (TRMM) data were jointly used with measurements from meteorological stations and the Digital Elevation Model (DEM) from Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM). Envi5.1, ArcGIS 10.4.1, Snap 6.0, and the GEE platform were used to process optical and radar data, which were further analysed using the ArcHydro model. In this study, the TRMM accumulated rainfall data acquired on 17 January 2010, Sentinel-1 radar images between 2017 and 2019, and Sentinel-1 data captured from 1 to 30 March 2020 processed by GEE platform were chosen to assess the effects of flood events on the archaeological sites in the study area. The results indicated that the study area is exposed to flood risk that significantly threatens these heritage sites. Based on that, mitigation strategies were devised and recommended to mitigate the flood hazard impact around the archaeological areas. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Geoinformatics for the Promotion, Management and Conservation of Cultural Heritage)

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24 pages, 153721 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Spatially Enabled Web Application for Urban Cultural Heritage Monitoring and Metrics Reporting for the SDGs

by Sevasti Chalkidou, Apostolos Arvanitis, Petros Patias and Charalampos Georgiadis

Sustainability 2021, 13(21), 12289; https://doi.org/10.3390/su132112289 - 07 Nov 2021

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2228

Abstract

UNESCO and the United Nations have recently identified cultural heritage (CH) as a key enabler of sustainability by incorporating it into several Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Accurate and efficient reporting on CH is considered fundamental despite known limitations due to the lack of sufficient and harmonized data. This paper presents a spatially enabled web application for urban CH monitoring for the city of Thessaloniki in Northern Greece. The objective was to integrate the information provided by several independent public registries on CH into a common 2D mapping and reporting platform and to enrich it with additional data provided by other built environment agencies. An estimation of the expected cost for the structural evaluation by experts of the city’s CH assets was also implemented for SDG’s Indicator 11.4.1. The methodology involved stakeholder identification, data collection and pre-processing, field verification and documentation, calculation of Indicator 11.4.1, and the actual coding process. The application can be found online, providing useful insights and statistical information on the city’s heritage in a dashboard format. The key challenges included the lack of updated data, the existence of several individual registries, and the need for regular field inspection due to the rapidly changing urban fabric. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Geoinformatics for the Promotion, Management and Conservation of Cultural Heritage)

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22 pages, 10460 KiB

Open AccessArticle

A Parametric Scan-to-FEM Framework for the Digital Twin Generation of Historic Masonry Structures

by Marco Francesco Funari, Ameer Emad Hajjat, Maria Giovanna Masciotta, Daniel V. Oliveira and Paulo B. Lourenço

Sustainability 2021, 13(19), 11088; https://doi.org/10.3390/su131911088 - 07 Oct 2021

Cited by 60 | Viewed by 3777

Abstract

Historic masonry buildings are characterised by uniqueness, which is intrinsically present in their building techniques, morphological features, architectural decorations, artworks, etc. From the modelling point of view, the degree of detail reached on transforming discrete digital representations of historic buildings, e.g., point clouds, into 3D objects and elements strongly depends on the final purpose of the project. For instance, structural engineers involved in the conservation process of built heritage aim to represent the structural system rigorously, neglecting architectural decorations and other details. Following this principle, the software industry is focusing on the definition of a parametric modelling approach, which allows performing the transition from half-raw survey data (point clouds) to geometrical entities in nearly no time. In this paper, a novel parametric Scan-to-FEM approach suitable for architectural heritage is presented. The proposed strategy uses the Generative Programming paradigm implementing a modelling framework into a visual programming environment. Such an approach starts from the 3D survey of the case-study structure and culminates with the definition of a detailed finite element model that can be exploited to predict future scenarios. This approach is appropriate for architectural heritage characterised by symmetries, repetition of modules and architectural orders, making the Scan-to-FEM transition fast and efficient. A Portuguese monument is adopted as a pilot case to validate the proposed procedure. In order to obtain a proper digital twin of this structure, the generated parametric model is imported into an FE environment and then calibrated via an inverse dynamic problem, using as reference metrics the modal properties identified from field acceleration data recorded before and after a retrofitting intervention. After assessing the effectiveness of the strengthening measures, the digital twin ability of reproducing past and future damage scenarios of the church is validated through nonlinear static analyses. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Geoinformatics for the Promotion, Management and Conservation of Cultural Heritage)

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37 pages, 31385 KiB

Open AccessArticle

When GIS Joins the Conservation Management Plan of a 20th-Century Architectural Heritage

by Andrea Garzulino, Maria Paola Borgarino and Davide Del Curto

Sustainability 2021, 13(7), 3881; https://doi.org/10.3390/su13073881 - 01 Apr 2021

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2997

Abstract

The paper discusses how a Geographic Information System (GIS) contributes to set up a Conservation Management Plan (CMP) for the sustainable preservation of a 20th-century architectural masterpiece. The National Art Schools of Cuba are presented as a case study. The complex consists of five iconic buildings built in the early 1960s within a 56-hectare city-park. Since they are today underused and in a poor state of conservation, a research project among Italy, Cuba, and the US addressed a CMP’s preparation between 2018 and 2020. A GIS was prepared to collect and manage the whole data, based on graphic support consistent with both the site’s features and the research’s goal, to set up a comprehensive Conservation Management Plan. By illustrating this experience’s pros and cons, the paper discusses how GIS may contribute to the conservation and sustainable management of such extensive 20th-century architectural complexes. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Geoinformatics for the Promotion, Management and Conservation of Cultural Heritage)

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