**Use of Terrestrial 3D Laser Scanner in Cartographing and Monitoring Relief Dynamics and Habitation Space from Various Historical Periods**

Gheorghe Romanescu, Vasile Cotiugă and Andrei Asăndulesei

Additional information is available at the end of the chapter

http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/47776

### **1. Introduction**

24 Will-be-set-by-IN-TECH

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Nowadays, modern cartography employs various techniques and methods, which were deemed inconceivable just two decades ago. The GIS technology is particularly important among these, a technology that advanced cartography to the highest standards of graphical (visual) representation. 3D laser scanning is one of the most notable new cartography techniques that is part of this "new wave". This instrument, specifically a Leica LIDAR scanner, capable of monitoring land dynamics with an accuracy of 1 mm/1 mm from a distance of 300 m, as well as its use, are the subject of the present paper. In the field of physical geography and geo-archaeology, the 3D laser scanner can be used to map and monitor soil degradation processes (ravine-creation, surface erosion, landslides, etc.), the erosion and aggradation of a river's channel and valley, shore and slope processes, beaches and escarpments, dunes, caves and man-made excavations (including salt mines), iceberg dynamics, archaeological sites and the spatial position of the archaeological finds, heritage buildings and structures, works of art (sculptures, reliefs, etc.) etc.

Even though the 3D laser scanning technique is relatively old, i.e. from the '90s, it has enjoyed increased use in physical geography and in geo-archaeology only during the last few years. Most of the cartography projects employing the 3D laser scanner focus on the morphology and dynamics of the slope geomorphological processes, as well as on river bed and shoreline dynamics. Up until the advances in technology allowed the 3D scanners to become widely available and practical enough for cartographic use, countless attempts to use "modern" cartographic methods were made, but, in most cases, they proved to be inexact and cumbersome. Therefore, most of the studies employed the

© 2012 Romanescu et al., licensee InTech. This is an open access chapter distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. © 2012 Romanescu et al., licensee InTech. This is a paper distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

classical, rudimentary, methods which rely on wooden or metal markers and analog data collecting.

Use of Terrestrial 3D Laser Scanner in Cartographing and

Monitoring Relief Dynamics and Habitation Space from Various Historical Periods 51

geomorphologic risk phenomena are prevented and combated, and how the historical conditions of the evolution of human habitation can be better interpreted (Figure 2). Concurrently, the aim is to make the technique versatile enough as to be employed in various domains: geomorphology (land degradation), agronomy (landscaping, irrigations),

environmental protection, land management, architecture, civil engineering, etc.

**Figure 2.** The point-cloud obtained from the measurements conducted in the gully impacting a

Since 2000, the international literature in the field of laser-based 3D technologies grew continuously. At the present, certain fields of research, such are geo-archaeology, geomorphology, photogrammetry etc. created their own methodologies and the papers published in these fields are greatly sought after. From this point of view, it is important to mention the use of the 3D scanner in geomorphology [1-25], hydrology [26-29], architecture [30-32], archaeology [33-35], cartography and topography [36-37], methodology [38-54], etc.

The relief dynamic from Eastern Romania is extremely active and most of the major archaeological sites are affected by gullying or landslide processes [55-67] (Figure 3). The ultimate objective of the present undertaking is to elaborate cartographic material (approximately 25 colour and B&W illustrations) representative and suggestive enough to demonstrate the dynamic nature of the environment and its impact on relevant and significative locations. To this purpose, a series of cartographical representations will be produced, depicting the dynamics of a gully and the effects of several landslides which affected some Chalcolithic sites belonging to the Cucuteni culture (specifically, Cucuteni-Baiceni and Habasesti-Holm, Iasi County, Romania), and a river (the Danube) which affected the morphology of a Chalcolithic tell (an archaeological mound created by successive human occupation and abandonment of a location over several centuries),

belonging to the Gumelnita culture, from Harsova (Constanta County).

Chalcolithic archaeological site from Cucuteni culture

This study will present several examples from eastern Romania: the Moldavian Plateau, the Bend Subcarpathians, the Danube floodplain, etc. (Figure 1). The geomorphological processes that are active throughout the Moldavian Plateau are carefully watched by specialised institutions but, unfortunately, the necessary equipment is lacking or is unsuitable, and the results are therefore unsatisfactory. By using a 3D scanner, many of the results expected from dynamic geomorphology and geo-archaeology will be accurate and the database much enriched.

**Figure 1.** The location of the main sites on Romanian territory scanned with a 3D scanner

The eastern part of Romania is extremely rich in Neolithic, Chalcolithic, Ancient and Medieval remains, and it is strongly affected by surface geomorphological processes and, wich is critical, by powerful floods. Elaborating a study on the dynamics of the relief from Eastern Romania implies the development of a specific methodology for the 3D scanner, as well as the acquisition of correct data, on a millimetre or centimetre scale, on the changes that can occur in very short time intervals.

The correlation between the data acquired via 3D scanning and that obtained through classical methods will certainly lead to improvements in the manner in which geomorphologic risk phenomena are prevented and combated, and how the historical conditions of the evolution of human habitation can be better interpreted (Figure 2). Concurrently, the aim is to make the technique versatile enough as to be employed in various domains: geomorphology (land degradation), agronomy (landscaping, irrigations), environmental protection, land management, architecture, civil engineering, etc.

50 Cartography – A Tool for Spatial Analysis

the database much enriched.

collecting.

classical, rudimentary, methods which rely on wooden or metal markers and analog data

This study will present several examples from eastern Romania: the Moldavian Plateau, the Bend Subcarpathians, the Danube floodplain, etc. (Figure 1). The geomorphological processes that are active throughout the Moldavian Plateau are carefully watched by specialised institutions but, unfortunately, the necessary equipment is lacking or is unsuitable, and the results are therefore unsatisfactory. By using a 3D scanner, many of the results expected from dynamic geomorphology and geo-archaeology will be accurate and

**Figure 1.** The location of the main sites on Romanian territory scanned with a 3D scanner

that can occur in very short time intervals.

The eastern part of Romania is extremely rich in Neolithic, Chalcolithic, Ancient and Medieval remains, and it is strongly affected by surface geomorphological processes and, wich is critical, by powerful floods. Elaborating a study on the dynamics of the relief from Eastern Romania implies the development of a specific methodology for the 3D scanner, as well as the acquisition of correct data, on a millimetre or centimetre scale, on the changes

The correlation between the data acquired via 3D scanning and that obtained through classical methods will certainly lead to improvements in the manner in which

**Figure 2.** The point-cloud obtained from the measurements conducted in the gully impacting a Chalcolithic archaeological site from Cucuteni culture

Since 2000, the international literature in the field of laser-based 3D technologies grew continuously. At the present, certain fields of research, such are geo-archaeology, geomorphology, photogrammetry etc. created their own methodologies and the papers published in these fields are greatly sought after. From this point of view, it is important to mention the use of the 3D scanner in geomorphology [1-25], hydrology [26-29], architecture [30-32], archaeology [33-35], cartography and topography [36-37], methodology [38-54], etc.

The relief dynamic from Eastern Romania is extremely active and most of the major archaeological sites are affected by gullying or landslide processes [55-67] (Figure 3). The ultimate objective of the present undertaking is to elaborate cartographic material (approximately 25 colour and B&W illustrations) representative and suggestive enough to demonstrate the dynamic nature of the environment and its impact on relevant and significative locations. To this purpose, a series of cartographical representations will be produced, depicting the dynamics of a gully and the effects of several landslides which affected some Chalcolithic sites belonging to the Cucuteni culture (specifically, Cucuteni-Baiceni and Habasesti-Holm, Iasi County, Romania), and a river (the Danube) which affected the morphology of a Chalcolithic tell (an archaeological mound created by successive human occupation and abandonment of a location over several centuries), belonging to the Gumelnita culture, from Harsova (Constanta County).

Use of Terrestrial 3D Laser Scanner in Cartographing and

Monitoring Relief Dynamics and Habitation Space from Various Historical Periods 53

**Figure 4.** The detailed cartographic representation of the upper sector or the gully

**Figure 5.** The final cartographic representation of the gully (100 m grid)

In terms of definition, the 3D laser scanning is one of the new technologies, by which the geometry of an object or surface can be automatically measured, without the aid of a reflector, with speed and precision well above the ones of the classic solutions. The ground-

**Figure 3.** The final cartographic product for the investigated gully

For a better monitoring of relief dynamics, the use of the GPS is imperiously necessary. This tool can delimit with accuracy the spatial limits of the phenomenon. These coordinates constitute the backbone of the morphological analysis of a dynamic land form. Unfortunately, the 3D scanner cannot precisely identify by itself the border between one area and another. By using the 3D scanner we are able to move to the next step of the analysis of the dynamics of the relief and man-made forms. The accuracy of the obtained data and the exceptional cartographical representation means that the 3D has a long use-life and a greatly-diverse usability (Figure 4, 5).

For the study of the geomorphological processes we selected an area in the Moldavain Plateau that is affected by intense gullying. The complex analysis of the Cucuteni Ravine aims also at the impact it has on the Chalcolithic site. For all the other examples we presented only the fields of research they pertain to, while the results will be included in several future papers.
