Modelling and analyzing a statue

In this study, hold in University of Udine, we desired to investigate the contribution that laser scanning techniques and 3D modeling may provide for the analysis of the structural stability of modest size elements belonging to cultural heritage such as statues. The results of the research are going to be published in the ASITA Acts 2014 and they will be presented in Florence (Italy) on October 15th. 

In order to obtain a model to analyze we surveyed the statue of the Emperor Claudio, conserved in the Archeological National Museum of Aquileia, with a Laser Scanner FARO Focus 3D and obtained about 10 millions points form 9 scan positions. The registration of the different point clouds was made partially with the software  Scene© ver. 4.8.4 (Faro, 2011) and partially with MeshLab ver. 1.3.3 (Visual Computing Lab - ISTI - CNR, 2014). We modeled the surface with the same software Meshlab and then we corrected it with Rhinoceros® ver. 5.0 (Robert McNeal & Associates, 2012) in order to obtain a useful mesh for the software Scan and Solve, using the option VERIFY MESH. Along with the analysis we were able to demonstrate that the fractures on the statue correspond to the more stressed areas on the model.