Graphic surveying methodologies for urban underground environments: the bétera cave dwellings, valencia

Abstract

Among the different types of popular house styles found in Spain, we encounter the unusual case of cave dwellings. In the Valencian Community; we find them in the villages of Paterna, Godella, Rocafort, Moncada, Bétera, Ribarroja and Villamarchante. In the mid 19th century, the population living in cave dwellings reached significant numbers, thus constituting an important typology of today's local architectural heritage. This case study can be framed in the broader field of the Underground Built Heritage (UBH), so including some of the aspects, factors and issues which may have influenced the strategies and tools used in the acquisition data phase. In this article, we present the methodologies and workflows used for the terrestrial laser scanning digital survey -through comparison with commonly used methodologies for this specific kind of heritage- and the subsequent graphic design surrounding the necessary architectural plans, carried out on a case study: Betera's cave dwellings. Making use of the Visual Inertial System (VIS) technology integrated into the tool, it was possible to achieve comprehensive coverage of the case of study while ensuring high efficiency in the heritage surveying process. The digital documentation obtained is, beyond doubt, the fundamental tool for the knowledge and conservation of semi-abandoned heritage assets; only a few caves are occupied today, and most of them show a state of significant damage. Starting from the survey process, the methodological issues peculiar to the typology of the case study, i.e. underground architecture in an urban setting, which are involved in the survey project drafting are analysed, also taking into account those aspects related to the definition of surveying standards. Computational methodologies are also proposed, through the implementation of an algorithmic definition -reusable for similar case studies- that can help us to deepen our knowledge of the artefact, also in a broader perspective of process automation and informative enrichment of the obtained models. The results obtained serve as significant documentation of a relevant typology of the local architectural heritage and provide a starting point for further analysis on optimising survey planning for this peculiar type of scenario. © UPV, SEAV, 2015.