ABSTRACT
In addition to drawing and mapping plants, cross sections and ortophotos, 3D models from terrestrial laser scanning technology can offer relevant information for the integral diagnosis and structural analysis of historical constructions. Both the metrics offered by the terrestrial laser scanner point cloud and the spectral backscattered reflectance data acquired by this technology, can be used to map and evaluate structural and chemical damages of historical constructions in a semiautomatic and robust way. Under this basis, the present chapter attempts to offer an overview of most suitable methodologies in this regard. Specifically, a multisensory approach is proposed and validated through which the diagnosis of the Master Gate of Saint Francisco, inside the fortress of Almeida (Portugal), has been analyzed in terms of loss of material suffered over time. The terrestrial laser scanner point cloud was also used to extract the current resistance sections of the most damaged parts of the barrel vault, allowing the evaluation of its structural stability under different postulated casuistic: (i) in case of presenting greater material losses and (ii) in case of a settlement of the construction.
