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Mobile Phone Imaging Point Cloud Modelling for 3D Recording and Measurement of Small Scenes of Suspected Fossil Outcrops Found in the Field

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Abstract

The recording and measurement of information on research objects has always been one of the most important concerns of archaeologists, both in terms of preserving complete information on the objects and in terms of not stopping further excavation work. With the rapid development of photogrammetry and 3D modelling techniques, 3D reconstruction techniques have now become an important tool for recording and measuring information in archaeology today. In this study, the SFM-MVS computer vision technique was used to take continuous photographs of a small scene with overlapping images under normal lighting conditions and to attempt to record rapid 3D modelling of the small scene and to measure parameters related to rock features. Firstly, based on the application of SFM-MVS technology, small-scene 3D models are rapidly created to recover accurate surface model records of the suspected fossil outcrop rock masses. Secondly, the 3D model of the fossil outcrop was separated into rock monoliths, and the suspected fossil contour lines were outlined and measured to extract an orthographic projection vector map of the rock monoliths. Finally, the shape of the rock monoliths was measured and statistically analysed in conjunction with geometric morphological analysis, and multi-view visual observations of the suspected fossil monoliths were recorded and their surface features accurately measured. The research work process and results show that the use of mobile phone imaging point cloud modelling method can not only quickly obtain 3D records of small scenes of rock masses, but also extract orthographic projection planes of suspected fossil monoliths and surface fine feature parameter measurements to realise digital mapping of archaeological objects, and this technical method is a realistic reference guide for similar archaeological research on small scenes and the conservation of cultural heritage.

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Data Availability

The datasets generate during and/or analyzed during the current study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Land and Resources Engineering, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, 650093, China

    Gao Sha, Gan Shu, Hu Lin, Bi Rui & Li Raobo

  2. Plication Engineering Research Center of Spatial Information Surveying and Mapping Technology in Plateau and Mountainous Areas Set By Universities in Yunnan Province, Kunming, 650093, China

    Gan Shu & Yuan Xiping

  3. Key Laboratory of Mountain Real Scene Point Cloud Data Processing and Application for Universities in Yunnan Province, West Yunnan University of Applied Sciences, Dali, 671006, China

    Yuan Xiping & Yang Ming

Authors
  1. Gao Sha
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  2. Gan Shu
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  3. Yuan Xiping
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  4. Hu Lin
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  5. Bi Rui
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  6. Li Raobo
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  7. Yang Ming
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Correspondence to Gan Shu.

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Sha, G., Shu, G., Xiping, Y. et al. Mobile Phone Imaging Point Cloud Modelling for 3D Recording and Measurement of Small Scenes of Suspected Fossil Outcrops Found in the Field. Geoheritage 15, 33 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12371-022-00780-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12371-022-00780-y

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