Advanced Data Environment in Current Cultural Heritage 3D Digitization Practices

A special issue of Heritage (ISSN 2571-9408).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 August 2025 | Viewed by 5155

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
Dipartimento di Architettura, Alma Mater Studiorum Università di Bologna, Viale Risorgimento, 2-40136 Bologna, Italy
Interests: cultural heritage digitization; real-time rendering; 3D modeling; architecture; archeology; reverse modeling; 3D scanning; photogrammetry; virtual reality
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Guest Editor
UPR CNRS 2002 MAP, Marseille, France
Interests: cultural heritage digitization; 3D modeling; architecture; 3D scanning; photogrammetry; image-based modeling; multi-light image collection; multimodal imaging

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Three-dimensional scanning in the mid-1990s and later digital photogrammetry appeared as techniques to digitally reproduce the shape and appearance of physical objects. With this aim, they have also been introduced in the field of cultural heritage (CH), with an increasing scope of techniques to capture geometry (IMMS and SLAM) and appearance features (MLIC and RTI). However, this purpose soon turned out to be very limited compared to the cognitive, operational, and communicative needs of the existing heritage.

CH studies are at the crossroads of many disciplines, including heritage sciences and data sciences. For the past few decades, a large number of experts, projects, and experiences have contributed to building this field of study from digitized or digitally born resources. The digital heritage scientific community is currently growing and evolving, generating at the same time a mass of data composed of images, 3D models, maps, databases, web components, metadata, and so on. The way to handle and manage the data along its lifecycle differs from experts, groups, and institutions at all scales and across any borders; those protocols are mostly intangible and not often documented. All of us know that data management is a multifaceted activity occurring all over the operating chain. It is also dependent on the data environment, understood as the collection of computer systems and associated infrastructure, to store, enrich, share, and expose raw or curated data. The need for new or strengthened data management is motivated by many factors: the sophistication and automation level of digitization devices and processes, the increasing computational power, and the miniaturization of sensors and electronic chips. All these points have augmented our capacity to collect, process, and store data by leaving an empty space on how to structure, sort, and organize the research data that is nowadays incoming in unprecedented volume. Another factor contributing to this overgrowing mass of data concerns the emphasizing of semantic aspects (i.e., the cognitive, informative, or descriptive added value of digital assets and resources). Furthermore, the rising challenge of interoperability implies expanding digitization results toward new types of outputs that are recognizable, reproducible, and capable of bringing new knowledge in order to enable more effective conservation processes and easier communication of asset consistency and value.

This Special Issue focuses on the methods to improve data management throughout the workflows leading to the creation of a digital heritage asset or corpus, exploiting 2.5D- and 3D-based digital capture techniques. The scope is widely open to obtain an overview of current practices at different scales, for example:

—  Data management dedicated to massive digitization or managing large and complex CH sites or collections of objects.

— Optimization of data management in processing pipelines.

— Low-level or top-level semantic enrichment by user-driven and/or computer-driven approaches.

— Reinforcing data provenance, traceability, and lineage from raw data acquisition toward interoperable web-semantic scenarios.

— Integration of real-based modeling CH projects in an advanced digital ecosystem (data warehouse, data lake, open-access repository, etc.).

Original research, review articles, case studies, and research or papers focusing on the key role of data management involving digitization frameworks or digitized CH assets are accepted. Papers focusing on related issues of sustainability, digital sobriety, and cost-effective technologies to reduce the data weight in the energy crisis are also welcome. 

This Special Issue will welcome manuscripts that link the following themes:

  • 3D data capture for manageable heritage data;
  • Range and image-based 3D reconstruction for digital documentation efficiency;
  • Multimodality and data integration;
  • Data science;
  • Metadata and paradata;
  • 3D-based information systems;
  • CH data organization;
  • Semantics for CH data organization.

We look forward to receiving your submissions.

Prof. Dr. Marco Gaiani
Dr. Anthony Pamart
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. Heritage is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly 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 1600 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

  • cultural heritage
  • data management
  • digital heritage
  • 3D scanning for CH data management
  • photogrammetry for CH data management
  • CH 3D-based information systems
  • web-based information systems
  • semantics

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Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

25 pages, 17314 KiB  
Article
Documenting Romania’s Wooden Churches: Integrating Modern Digital Platforms with Vernacular Conservation
by Laurențiu-Marian Angheluță, Amalia Ignuța Acimov, Celina Gora, Ana Irina Chiricuță, Alexandru Ioan Popovici and Vladimir Obradovici
Heritage 2025, 8(3), 103; https://doi.org/10.3390/heritage8030103 - 11 Mar 2025
Viewed by 272
Abstract
Romania’s wooden churches, numbering over 1400, represent a unique and valuable cultural heritage. However, their preservation faces challenges due to degradation and insufficient documentation regarding their condition and significance. This paper presents innovative approaches to documenting these monuments using two representative online platforms. [...] Read more.
Romania’s wooden churches, numbering over 1400, represent a unique and valuable cultural heritage. However, their preservation faces challenges due to degradation and insufficient documentation regarding their condition and significance. This paper presents innovative approaches to documenting these monuments using two representative online platforms. The “Biserici Înlemnite” platform focuses on inventorying wooden churches through a systematic methodology, while the 3D-VIMM platform provides a multimodal imaging and 3D data visualization solution aimed at creating digital twins for heritage assets. Advanced technologies, such as 3D digitization and Historical Building Information Modeling (H-BIM), enhance accessibility and precision in conservation planning. While H-BIM traditionally requires complex workflows, the 3D-VIMM platform simplifies the process by integrating diverse imaging techniques—visible, thermal, multispectral—and metadata within an intuitive interface. This enables interdisciplinary collaboration among historians, architects, conservators, and engineers. A case study from Arad County illustrates a possible path to the integration of these platforms, highlighting their potential to optimize data collection, prioritize interventions, and support long-term preservation strategies. The article underscores the importance of transdisciplinary methodologies in addressing the critical state of Romania’s wooden churches and provides insights into scalable solutions for heritage documentation and conservation. Full article
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23 pages, 8858 KiB  
Article
Virtual 3D Reconstruction Hypothesis of the Mural Decorations in the Sala de los Amores, Castulo Archeological Site (Linares, Jaén, Spain)
by Ana Carrasco-Huertas, Ana I. Calero-Castillo, David Domínguez Rubio and Teresa López-Martínez
Heritage 2025, 8(2), 73; https://doi.org/10.3390/heritage8020073 - 14 Feb 2025
Viewed by 522
Abstract
The advancement of digital techniques and reduced costs have greatly facilitated their integration into cultural heritage preservation. These technologies are especially valuable in archaeology, where detailed documentation is crucial. However, minimal intervention in restorations often limits public understanding of archaeological spaces, making digital [...] Read more.
The advancement of digital techniques and reduced costs have greatly facilitated their integration into cultural heritage preservation. These technologies are especially valuable in archaeology, where detailed documentation is crucial. However, minimal intervention in restorations often limits public understanding of archaeological spaces, making digital tools essential for enhancing engagement. An example is the study and the virtual hypothesis of the mural decorations in the Sala del Mosaico de los Amores, located in the Castulo Archaeological Site (Linares, Jaén, Spain), dated to the late first and early second centuries AD. The hall originally featured an elaborate wall decoration, now largely lost due to the collapse of its walls, leaving only a few fragments in situ. Using SfM photogrammetry, the hall and the original paintings and cornices—restored in a laboratory—were documented and virtually reassembled. This process employed precise color calibration and dimensional scaling to ensure the faithful recreation of the original appearance. In addition to the anastylosis of the surviving fragments, a virtual reconstruction hypothesis was developed, offering the public an immersive visualization of how the space would have looked in its original state. Full article
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23 pages, 19071 KiB  
Article
Interactive Visualization Tools for Managing the Monitoring System of the Piazza del Duomo UNESCO Site in Pisa
by Laura Vignali, Giada Bartolini, Anna De Falco, Lorenzo Gianfranceschi, Massimiliano Martino, Federica Pucci and Carlo Resta
Heritage 2025, 8(1), 5; https://doi.org/10.3390/heritage8010005 - 25 Dec 2024
Viewed by 743
Abstract
Protecting cultural heritage buildings poses significant research challenges. Effective damage prevention hinges on a thorough understanding of structural behavior and the continuous monitoring of its changes over time. Advanced visualization tools are essential to provide adequate awareness of the monitoring systems installed over [...] Read more.
Protecting cultural heritage buildings poses significant research challenges. Effective damage prevention hinges on a thorough understanding of structural behavior and the continuous monitoring of its changes over time. Advanced visualization tools are essential to provide adequate awareness of the monitoring systems installed over the years while guaranteeing a quick, basic analysis of their data. This paper addresses a crucial gap in structural health monitoring (SHM), particularly in managing complex structures and systems, by responding to the growing need for tools that not only represent 3D models enriched with heterogeneous data and metadata but also facilitate detailed analysis of sensor recordings. In response to this challenge, it proposes the integration of a 3D informational model and an interactive web-based platform for monitoring data, creating a comprehensive management tool. Piazza del Duomo UNESCO Site in Pisa serves as an ideal test case due to its historical significance, structural complexity, and the wealth of monitoring data collected over time. With their interactive architecture, the two developed integrated visualization tools that could offer an effective solution for data management and visualization in other heritage contexts, particularly in cases where the monitoring system consists of numerous sensors and has evolved substantially over the years. Full article
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26 pages, 14206 KiB  
Article
The Heritage Building Information Modeling Methodology for Structural Diagnosis: An Integrated System of Digital Models for the Baptistery of San Giovanni in Pisa
by Giada Bartolini, Anna De Falco, Lorenzo Gianfranceschi, Massimiliano Martino and Laura Vignali
Heritage 2024, 7(11), 6366-6391; https://doi.org/10.3390/heritage7110298 - 15 Nov 2024
Viewed by 765
Abstract
The structural diagnosis of monumental buildings necessitates organizing diverse cross-disciplinary data. The H-BIM procedure employs 3D digital models to create a comprehensive virtual repository, offering advantages in documentation access, interoperability, intervention design, cost evaluation, and maintenance management. This work proposes an approach to [...] Read more.
The structural diagnosis of monumental buildings necessitates organizing diverse cross-disciplinary data. The H-BIM procedure employs 3D digital models to create a comprehensive virtual repository, offering advantages in documentation access, interoperability, intervention design, cost evaluation, and maintenance management. This work proposes an approach to combining different models while addressing interoperability challenges by best exploiting their positive characteristics. After evaluating the advantages and limitations of textured-mesh and NURBS-based models, and virtual reality environments based on specific comparison criteria, an integrated system of these models within the H-BIM framework is proposed. The latter is applied to study the relevant case of the Baptistery of San Giovanni in Pisa, Italy. The integrated H-BIM model is designed primarily to facilitate the structural diagnosis of the monument, and illustrates how combining different 3D representations, each providing multiple information with different levels of detail, enhances its capabilities. This integration results in a more effective tool for the multidisciplinary conservation of cultural heritage, accommodating a wide range of data beyond structural aspects, thus fostering collaboration among professionals from various fields of expertise. Full article
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28 pages, 16840 KiB  
Article
Working in Tandem to Uncover 3D Artefact Distribution in Archaeological Excavations: Mathematical Interpretation through Positional and Relational Methods
by Miguel Ángel Dilena
Heritage 2024, 7(8), 4472-4499; https://doi.org/10.3390/heritage7080211 - 18 Aug 2024
Viewed by 1362
Abstract
In recent years, the most advanced pioneering techniques in the computing field have found application in assorted areas. Deep learning approaches, including artificial neural networks (ANNs), have become popular thanks to their ability to draw inferences from intricate and seemingly unconnected datasets. Additionally, [...] Read more.
In recent years, the most advanced pioneering techniques in the computing field have found application in assorted areas. Deep learning approaches, including artificial neural networks (ANNs), have become popular thanks to their ability to draw inferences from intricate and seemingly unconnected datasets. Additionally, 3D clustering techniques manage to associate groups of elements by identifying the specific inherent structures exhibited by such objects based on similarity measures. Generally, the characteristics of archaeological information gathered after extraction operations align with the previously mentioned challenges. Hence, an excavation could be an opportunity to use these prior innovative computing approaches. Our objective is to integrate software techniques to organise recovered artefacts and derive logical conclusions from their spatial location and the correlation between tangible attributes. These results can statistically improve our approach to investigations and provide a mathematical interpretation of archaeological excavations. Full article
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