Methodology of 3D digital Survey operations and data processing to architectonic investigations in archaeological area

Purpose: This is a presentation of same case studies conducted by our survey lab on some archaeological monuments. The main objective is to underline the general rules that guide 3D digital survey operations and data processing in order to obtain a point cloud model according to our investigations (metrological investigations, lectures of masonry structure, architectonical typology, ecc). Methodology/Approach: The main subject of the presentation will be the digital surveys of some areas from Villa Adriana in Tivoli (Grandi Terme, Grande Vestibolo, Cento Camerelle). Starting from important general rules to lead the digital survey operations based on 3d Laser scanning of those monuments (conducted using Leica HDS systems) we will show our procedure to manage and archive the data of those survey together with some evolved solutions of data processing in order to obtain not only two-dimensional drawings for metrological investigations, but also three-dimensional stratigraphy solutions. Finally: some considerations about methodology to relate the digital survey data to the other information acquired during the direct survey of the monument. Results: The digital survey cannot be considered just a simple massive data acquisition; the survey operations should be planned in order to produce optimized data for the following data processing operations. Point cloud model is just a digital measurable model of the real object (absolutely not sufficient to describe the features of an architectonic building, especially in archeological area), so is necessary to develop a methodology to relate all information acquired using the computer science applications.