3D IMAGE BASED GEOMETRIC DOCUMENTATION OF THE TOWER OF WINDS

Abstract. This paper describes and investigates the implementation of almost entirely image based contemporary techniques for the three dimensional geometric documentation of the Tower of the Winds in Athens, which is a unique and very special monument of the Roman era. These techniques and related algorithms were implemented using a well-known piece of commercial software with extreme caution in the selection of the various parameters. Problems related to data acquisition and processing, but also to the algorithms and to the software implementation are identified and discussed. The resulting point cloud has been georeferenced, i.e. referenced to a local Cartesian coordinate system through minimum geodetic measurements, and subsequently the surface, i.e. the mesh was created and finally the three dimensional textured model was produced. In this way, the geometric documentation drawings, i.e. the horizontal section plans, the vertical section plans and the elevations, which include orthophotos of the monument, can be produced at will from that 3D model, for the complete geometric documentation. Finally, a 3D tour of the Tower of the Winds has also been created for a more integrated view of the monument. The results are presented and are evaluated for their completeness, efficiency, accuracy and ease of production.