3D imaging technology is a crucial tool for engineers

3D imaging technology is a new field that engineers are exploring now, to have better and more detailed imaging of buildings and environments. They use a vast range of techniques as is LiDar, photogrammetry, drone imaging, and 3D laser scanning. These techniques give them the opportunity to assess the physical attributes of the structures that they are studying while they contribute to more critical applications such as health monitoring, historical preservation and energy efficiency assessments.

The most common application of 3D imaging is structural health monitoring. In contrast with traditional methods, 3D imaging provides more detailed point clouds of the structure including subtle damage, deformation and stresses, which in traditional methods are overlooked, while as a method is cost effective since it is proven to be less expensive for infrastructure maintenance.

Another aspect of the benefits of 3D imaging is that it can be used to plan maintenance and renovation. It is a significant tool for facility managers as they can plan interventions ahead of time and be more precise as they can have a digital twin of the structure that they are responsible for. This technique provides them with models that allow them to have virtual walkthroughs and simulations, decreasing the need for physical visits at the site, while they can keep digital records and simplify future renovation plans.

As a historical preservation tool, 3D imaging can provide digital archives and capture architectural details that cannot be captured with traditional methods. This technique also provides virtual exploration of historical sites that the public cannot physically access because the building could be endangered.  Another example of this application is the precise restoration of the damaged elements of Notre Dame Cathedral after the fire in 2019. The engineers used pre-existing 3D – scans that allowed them to have a precise aspect of the structure before the damage.

Lastly, as a tool for assessing energy efficiency, it helped identify the areas responsible for heat loss in buildings. 3D imaging in this application is very critical as it can provide thermal imaging and 3D data to help engineers plan optimized energy retrofit strategies, contributing to infrastructure sustainability.

In all, there are new innovations in 3D imaging, as with the most recent technological advances. Engineers have managed to improve the speed, accuracy and portability of 3D imaging systems. These enable them to inspect structures that are difficult to be reached while by using drones they can have ground and aerial images and ultimately can create detailed 3D models.