What can 3D surveying of cultural heritage do? 6 use cases explained

In sites involved in the preservation and transmission of cultural properties, there is a growing number of challenges that cannot be fully understood with conventional photographic records and plans alone. Subtle tilting of structures, the complex undulations of stone walls and archaeological remains, differences before and after repairs, and damage in disasters are often not adequately captured by two-dimensional records alone. This has brought attention to 3D surveying of cultural properties, which can record shapes and positions three-dimensionally.

Three-dimensional surveying of cultural properties is not simply a technique for neatly preserving the appearance of a three-dimensional object. It is a means of preparing foundational information that supports a wide range of practical work, from preservation management, repair planning, and research to public utilization, disaster prevention, and the transmission of information to future generations. In particular, in recent years reconciling the recording accuracy required on site with operational efficiency has become important, and in the cultural property field the approach of conducting surveys and maintenance based on three-dimensional data is spreading.

On the other hand, many practitioners are likely to have questions such as "what exactly can 3D surveying of cultural properties do?", "how is it different from photogrammetry or point cloud measurement?", and "if we introduce it, will we be able to use it effectively?" Therefore, in this article, after covering the basic concepts of 3D surveying for cultural properties, we explain how it can actually be useful by dividing its applications into six use cases. We aim to provide content that enables those considering its adoption to concretely imagine how it could be applied to their work.

Table of Contents

• What is 3D surveying of cultural heritage?

• Use Case 1: Record and preserve the current conditions with high precision

• Use Case 2: Utilize as material for considering repairs and restoration

• Use Case 3 Helping to identify deterioration and abnormalities

• Use Case 4: Streamline drawing creation and ledger maintenance

• Use Case 5: Deploy for public access and exhibition-based education

• Use Case 6: Preparing for Disaster Recovery and Disaster Prevention Measures

• Practical points to keep in mind during implementation

• Summary

What is 3D surveying of cultural properties?

3D surveying of cultural heritage refers to surveying and measurement that acquires three-dimensional information about the shape and position of targets such as buildings, stone structures, archaeological remains, Buddhist statues, wall surfaces, and topography, and records it as 3D data. Acquisition methods include reading shape from the ground with lasers, reconstructing three-dimensional forms from multiple photographs, and improving positional accuracy on site by providing reference coordinates; these methods are used according to the size of the object, the environment, and the required accuracy.

The reason three-dimensional surveying is required in the field of cultural heritage is that the subjects are one-of-a-kind and cannot be recreated later. While general structures may have design or construction drawings, cultural heritage has a complex history of alterations, and the current condition itself is important information. It is necessary to preserve, as objectively as possible, the entirety of what is visible on site—surface wear, traces of repair, slight deformations, and the relationship with the surrounding terrain.

In practical work on cultural properties, not only survey personnel but also conservation staff, design staff, construction staff, administrative staff, researchers, and public engagement staff—people in multiple roles—handle the same subject. For that reason, records that only those who visited the site can understand are insufficient. Three-dimensional data that allow anyone to confirm the same shape, read dimensions as needed, extract cross-sections, and reconfirm positional relationships function as a common foundation among stakeholders.

More importantly, 3D surveying is not a task that is completed in isolation; it leads to subsequent drawing production, repair planning, comparative verification, report preparation, and the creation of materials for public release. In other words, 3D surveying of cultural heritage is not only an advancement of documentation but also the starting point for organizing information across all cultural heritage work. By proceeding with a clear view of what to capture and to what extent, in what formats to preserve it, and who will use it, the process becomes not mere measurement work but the development of data that functions as an asset.

Use Case 1: Record and Preserve the Current State with High Precision

The most basic and important use is recording the current condition of cultural properties. Cultural properties inevitably undergo changes over time, and their condition gradually changes due to repairs, environmental shifts, natural disasters, and the movement of people. For this reason, recording the appearance at a specific point in time as accurately as possible is the starting point for preservation management.

In conventional condition recording, the common approach combined photographs, sketches, plans, elevations, and dimensional measurements of necessary locations. These remain important, but for cultural properties with complex shapes, plan information alone often cannot convey everything. For example, warping of wooden elements, bulging of stone walls, subtle ground-surface microtopography, irregularities in wall-decoration relief, and sagging of roofs become fully understandable only when captured in three dimensions.

By utilizing three-dimensional surveying, the entire object can be stored as three-dimensional data, allowing it to be inspected later from any angle and cross-sections to be created at required locations. Even if some areas were overlooked on site, it becomes easier to recheck them in the data, which is a major advantage for reducing omissions in records. This can significantly improve the quality of current-condition records, especially for large-scale structures, locations with access restrictions, and elevated parts that are difficult to inspect up close without scaffolding.

This application is not limited to historic buildings. 3D surveying also proves effective as a preservation record of shape for stone monuments, stone Buddhas, burial mounds, gardens, castle remains, and the exposed surfaces of features at archaeological excavation sites. Whether the subject is large or small, there is value in leaving behind reference data that can be compared in later years. Records of cultural properties may seem to have limited uses at the time, but it is not uncommon for them to become highly valuable several years or a decade or more later.

Also, it should not be overlooked that increasing the precision of current-condition records makes it easier to compensate for differences in staff experience. The subtle cues that veteran staff can detect on site cannot be fully conveyed to the next person if the records are coarse. With three-dimensional data, the objectivity of records increases, making it easier to transfer information even when staff change or organizations are reorganized. Because the preservation of cultural heritage proceeds over a long time scale, the significance of shifting from person-dependent records to shareable records is great.

Application Example 2: Use as reference material when considering repair or restoration

In the repair and restoration of cultural heritage, it is necessary to carefully judge how accurately the current condition is understood and how and to what extent different areas should be treated. Here, 3D surveying plays a major role as material for decision-making.

At the repair planning stage, it is necessary to determine which areas are deformed, where damage is concentrated, and how the positional relationships between structural members are configured. Even in situations where plan drawings or photographs alone lead to differing assessments, three-dimensional data allows examination while verifying the shape in three dimensions. Especially for intricate structures or irregular objects, generating cross-sections and projection views from measurement data can clarify the information required for repair design.

Also, in restoration work, it is important how one defines the boundary between existing parts and missing parts. Even when estimating the original form from the remaining traces, if three-dimensional surveying can capture fine details of the shape, the basis for the estimate can be organized more carefully. Of course, restoration is not determined by three-dimensional data alone, but combining it with photographs, literature, and past drawings makes it easier to improve the accuracy of the assessment.

Three-dimensional surveying is also effective for comparing conditions before and after repairs. If the pre-repair and post-repair conditions are recorded using the same approach, it can clearly show which parts received what treatments and how the shapes changed. This makes it easier to keep records demonstrating the validity of the repairs and to trace previous decisions during future repairs. Cultural properties are not finished once they have been worked on; records that lead to the next phase of conservation are necessary. In that sense, the ability to preserve the before-and-after of repairs as continuous information has great value.

Furthermore, three-dimensional surveying is also useful during the construction phase. It can be used for on-site cross-checking tasks such as verification before and after temporary works, managing the positions of removed components, and alignment checks during restoration. Repairs of cultural properties often cannot proceed relying solely on simple dimensional control like ordinary new construction, and on-site judgments adapted to the situation are required. In such cases, having three-dimensional information of the current condition is extremely effective as supporting evidence for on-site decision-making.

Use Case 3: Useful for Identifying Deterioration and Deformation

In the conservation management of cultural properties, detecting changes early is extremely important. Cracks, settlement, tilting, surface delamination, abrasion, and deformation caused by water are among the various forms of deterioration that occur in cultural properties, and by the time they are noticed they have often already progressed. Three-dimensional surveying is also effective for monitoring and assessing such deterioration and changes.

One strength is that it preserves the detailed shape at a given point in time and allows comparison with data from another time. If you periodically conduct 3D surveys of the same object, you can more easily detect subtle changes that are difficult to see visually. For example, checks such as whether a stone wall is bulging, whether the ground surface is subsiding, or whether a section of a wall is deforming slightly are made more accurate by comparison with past data.

Of course, to ensure the accuracy of comparisons, it is important to standardize surveying conditions and coordinate management. However, if the approach to establishing reference points is organized and can be operated continuously, it becomes easier to discuss whether changes have occurred quantitatively rather than intuitively. This is useful both when considering the need for repairs and when making budget requests or explaining to stakeholders. In cultural heritage conservation work, decisions are often difficult if based only on a vague sense that something is unsafe, so the ability to demonstrate shape changes objectively is a major advantage.

Visualization of deterioration is also well suited for explaining conditions to people other than on-site personnel. When sharing current issues with managers, owners, local stakeholders, or administrative officials, plan drawings or photographs alone can sometimes fail to convey the situation. If cross-sections and comparison diagrams can be created from three-dimensional data, it becomes easier to explain where the problems are and why countermeasures are necessary.

Furthermore, condition assessment is effective not only for buildings but also for ruins, including stone cultural properties and the ground. For remains near slopes, locations affected by rainwater flow, and cultural properties close to visitor circulation routes, it is useful to capture them in three dimensions including the surrounding environment. By recording not only the object but also the surrounding topography and its relationship with nearby structures, it becomes easier to consider the background factors of the deterioration.

Use Case 4: Streamline Drawing Creation and Ledger Maintenance

In the practical work of cultural heritage, converting recorded information into final drawings, ledgers, and reports is indispensable. The process of later organizing measurements taken on-site and compiling them into plan views, elevations, sections, site plans, and management drawings is time-consuming and labor-intensive. Three-dimensional surveying directly contributes to streamlining this drafting and ledger-maintenance work.

If three-dimensional data is available, it becomes easier to extract cross-sections at required positions and to create drawing bases in a form close to orthographic projection. In particular, for complex terrain or irregular objects, you can later supplement dimensions that could not be fully captured on site, making it easier to avoid the effort of re-surveying. Because work schedules and access conditions at cultural heritage sites are often strict, the ease of reusing necessary information from data acquired once is a significant practical advantage.

Also, from the perspective of registry maintenance, 3D surveying does not remain merely as source material for drawings. Because it can organize the position, shape, extent, and relationships with the surroundings of each object in three dimensions, it can be used as a foundation for cultural property management information. For example, when multiple objects are scattered across a site, it becomes easier to organize their positional relationships and preservation extents, which also helps prevent omissions in management targets.

Improving the efficiency of report preparation should not be overlooked. If you rely solely on photos taken by on-site personnel and handwritten notes, the amount of verification work tends to increase later when compiling the report. When three-dimensional data is properly organized, you can arrange records while extracting diagrams of the necessary locations, making it easier to maintain consistency in explanations. In particular, when multiple people share tasks, treating the data as a common foundation helps reduce discrepancies in interpretation.

Furthermore, it will be easier to accommodate additional work in the future. Even if the initial objective was only to produce as-built drawings, it is not uncommon for repair planning, comparative verification, or the preparation of explanatory materials to become necessary later. Repeatedly conducting on-site re-measurements is a significant burden, so organizing three-dimensional data at an early stage ultimately leads to long-term operational efficiency.

Use Case 5: Expanding into Public Use, Exhibitions, and Educational Outreach

Three-dimensional surveying of cultural heritage is often thought to be only for preservation and research, but it also holds great potential for public use and engagement. To convey the value of cultural properties to society, materials that only experts can understand are not enough; expressions that reach general visitors, local residents, and learners are needed. Three-dimensional data can serve as a bridge for that purpose.

For example, even places that people normally cannot approach, or objects that cannot be touched to prevent damage, can be presented three-dimensionally if three-dimensional data are available. This makes it easier to convey the appeal and characteristics of cultural properties in an understandable way while compensating for restrictions on on-site access. For visitors, it becomes easier to understand surface patterns and structural features, the sense of scale, and the relationship to the site, making it easier to turn mere observation into an experience accompanied by understanding.

Three-dimensional data are also effective for educational purposes. When dealing with cultural properties in classes or lectures, it can be difficult to grasp their shapes from flat photographs alone. If three-dimensional data are available, they can present structures, tool marks, and spatial relationships from multiple perspectives, thereby aiding understanding. The value of digitized records increases particularly when on-site visits are difficult or when learning involves comparing cultural properties from multiple locations.

Also, 3D surveying is useful as a point of contact for regional revitalization and tourism. To introduce cultural properties without diminishing their value, it is more important to communicate based on accurate shapes and background information than to rely on excessive staging. With 3D data, it becomes easier to present the subject objectively while explaining repair histories, structural characteristics, and even the difficulties of preservation. It serves not merely as a way to improve presentation but as material for conveying the very significance of protecting cultural properties.

Furthermore, an important issue in public use is balancing preservation and utilization. While it is important for cultural properties to be known by many people, increased public access can also create burdens. By preparing three-dimensional data, it becomes easier to balance preservation concerns with efforts to promote use, since such data can broaden the range of information provided while minimizing physical contact with or entry to the actual objects or sites. This is particularly important for cultural properties where the scope of public access must be handled with caution.

Use Case 6 Preparing for Disaster Recovery and Disaster Prevention Measures

In the preservation of cultural heritage, the perspective of disaster prevention is becoming increasingly important. Earthquakes, heavy rainfall, landslides, fires, and wind damage mean the risks surrounding cultural properties are diverse, and it is not uncommon for the importance of documentation to be realized only after damage has occurred. Three-dimensional surveying is effective both as a preparedness measure before disasters and as a means of supporting recovery and restoration after them.

By conducting 3D surveying in normal times, you can preserve a detailed record of the pre-disaster condition. This is extremely important when considering recovery policies. If you do not know where things originally were, how much they were deformed, or where each component was located, appropriate restoration becomes difficult. Because cultural properties cannot simply be rebuilt like ordinary structures, the presence or absence of pre-disaster records determines the quality of restoration.

Even at disaster sites, 3D surveying is useful for situational awareness. When access to hazardous areas is restricted or where there is a risk of collapse, it is necessary to grasp a wide area in a short time. If the damage is recorded as three-dimensional data, stakeholders can check the details later without staying on-site for long. This makes it easier to ensure the accuracy of initial records.

It can also be used in the development of disaster prevention plans. By grasping not only the cultural property itself but also the surrounding topography, drainage conditions, the spatial relationship with slopes, and the relationship with movement routes in three dimensions, it becomes easier to see which directions pose risks and where to prioritize countermeasures. This is effective for supplementing aspects that are difficult to capture through on-site inspections alone.

Furthermore, during disasters, sharing information with relevant agencies is important. Owners, managers, investigators, and construction personnel need to quickly share the situation, and having three-dimensional data at that time can reduce differences in understanding. Because it can show collapse patterns, tilting, and positional relationships with the surroundings in three dimensions—things that are difficult to convey with photographs alone—it makes it easier to advance recovery planning. Disaster prevention for cultural properties should not be about panicking after damage occurs; it is important to establish an information infrastructure during peacetime, and three-dimensional surveying can serve as its core.

Practical Points to Keep in Mind During Implementation

Three-dimensional surveying of cultural properties offers many possibilities; however, if the purpose is left unclear at the time of introduction, it can end up not being fully utilized. Therefore, in practice it is important to first clarify what the measurements are for. Whether the objective is preserving the current condition, obtaining baseline data for repair design, using it for periodic comparisons, or aiming for public use and dissemination, the required accuracy, the scope of the target, acquisition methods, and the concept of deliverables will differ.

Next, what is important is not only the object itself but also how to handle coordinates and positional information. The 3D data of cultural heritage, even if it preserves only the shape neatly, will have limited usefulness unless it can be linked with other materials or future re-measurements. Considering spatial relationships within the site, the relationship to reference points, alignment with drawings, and comparisons with data from different time points, how to manage positional information should be considered from the initial stage.

Furthermore, you must plan for the operation of the deliverables. Even if point clouds and 3D models are captured, they will be difficult to use in the field without an appropriate viewing environment. Organizing who will view them, in which situations they will be converted into drawings, and which documents they will be repurposed for makes it easier to prevent the data from lying dormant. Because cultural heritage work is long-term, an operational design that includes naming conventions, storage locations, data formats, and update rules is important so the data can be handled even if personnel change.

Consideration of site conditions is also indispensable. Cultural property sites have many constraints, such as scaffold restrictions, access restrictions, lighting conditions, trees and obstacles, surrounding traffic, and weather. For that reason, it is necessary to consider acquisition methods not with the same mindset as a typical surveying site but while prioritizing protection of the subject. By organizing priorities—whether you want to shorten on-site time, prioritize detailed shape, or include the surrounding terrain—it becomes easier to establish a realistic and feasible measurement plan.

One often overlooked point is the perspective of not treating 3D surveying as a one-off task. If you consider how to deploy the data once acquired—to preservation and management, restoration, comparison, education, public dissemination, and disaster prevention—the return on investment can change significantly. 3D surveying of cultural heritage is not merely about adopting advanced recording techniques; its significance lies in establishing an information infrastructure to preserve cultural heritage over the long term, convey it accurately, and pass it on to future generations.

Summary

The capabilities of 3D surveying for cultural properties go beyond mere three-dimensional documentation. It is useful in a variety of practical contexts: accurately preserving current conditions, serving as material for planning repairs and restorations, assessing deterioration and deformation, streamlining the creation of drawings and the maintenance of registers, facilitating public use and educational applications, and even preparing for disaster recovery and disaster prevention.

Because cultural properties cannot be recovered once lost, the value of 3D surveying—which can objectively preserve shape and position—is likely to increase going forward.

On the other hand, to maximize outcomes it is essential to first clarify why you are measuring, what level of accuracy is required, and how location information will be managed. In the 3D surveying of cultural heritage, it is more important to preserve the data in a form that can be used afterward than to focus solely on the measurement itself. Taking site constraints and conservation objectives into account and organizing the work as a long-term usable data infrastructure is the key to successful implementation.

Especially in cultural property surveys, there are many situations where not only shape data but also the precise positioning of each recording point is required. Confirming the location of remains, reproducing survey points, organizing relationships with surrounding terrain, and matching recorded photographs and drawings — the accuracy of positional information can determine the quality of practical work. In such situations, having a system that can quickly handle high-precision positional information on-site makes it easier to leverage the results of 3D surveying. LRTK, as a GNSS high-precision positioning device that can be attached to an iPhone, helps streamline location checks and coordinate acquisition in cultural property surveys and related field recording tasks. If you want to link 3D survey data with on-site coordinate information and improve the reproducibility and usability of records, considering a combination of such simple, high-precision positioning methods will make the practical work of preserving and utilizing cultural properties easier to advance.