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APPLYING THE 3D GIS DILAS TO ARCHAEOLOGY AND CULTURAL 
HERITAGE PROJECTS - REQUIREMENTS AND FIRST RESULTS 
T. Wüst, S. Nebiker, R. Landolt 
Basel University of Applied Sciences (FHBB), 
CH-4132 Muttenz, Switzerland — (t.wuest, s.nebiker, r.landolt)@fhbb.ch 
Commission IV 
KEY WORDS: GIS, Three-dimensional, Archaeology, Cultural Heritage, Temporal, History, Visualization, Virtual Reality 
ABSTRACT: 
The original aim of the 3D GIS project DILAS (Digital Landscape Server) was the efficient generation, management and 
visualisation of large 3D landscape and city models. Thus, the primary focus was placed on 3D objects with often generalised 
geometry and on medium to small scale representations. The result of the first project phase was an operational prototype of a 3D 
GIS based on an object-relational DBMS. This prototype system has since been commercialised and is now used in applications such 
as regional or city planning. Among the emerging application areas for 3D GIS are archaeology and the preservation of cultural 
heritage. This paper highlights some of the domain-specific requirements and illustrates how these requirements have been addressed 
in DILAS. The requirements include a strong support for object semantics, for complex object geometries and photo-realistic 
textures, for the integration of existing databases and for temporal aspects. 
3D object support in DILAS is based on an object-oriented topological 3D data model. This model is automatically mapped between 
' an object representation in Java and an XML representation which is. stored in an object-relational DBMS (Oracle 9i). DILAS 
provides a rich semantic support at the object level and at the element level. DILAS is built on top of a spatial DBMS architecture 
(Oracle Spatial) and can make use of spatial indexing and querying functionality available in typical 2D GIS. This architecture has 
now been extended to support complex 3D objects, e.g. buildings consisting of their exterior hull and of different types of interior 
objects (rooms, hallways, caverns etc.). 
The following two projects served as case studies and test beds for the new features. In the first example DILAS was applied to the 
generation of a high-resolution, reality-based 3D model of the castle of Wildenstein, BL (Switzerland). The complex model 
incorporates the interior and exterior of the castle including its surroundings. The second project is the 3D reconstruction of the 
roman city of Augusta Raurica (Switzerland) and the modern city of Augst, which is partially built on top of the historic site. Both 
projects demonstrate the benefits of applying 3D GIS to archaeological and cultural heritage projects by integrating all required 
types of information into a single system environment. It is also shown, that a 3D GIS serves as an ideal platform for generating 
web-based 3D geoinformation services, in this case by using the high-performance viewer technology G-VISTA. 
1. INTRODUCTION of cultural heritage, a long-term project initiative of the FHBB. 
The results of this project initiative are an increasing number of 
1.1 Motivation interactive, digital 3D models of important historical buildings 
de) x bou and objects in the area. In a first project DILAS is applied to the 
Cultural monuments Tiave an inestimable value. But often this is generation of a high-resolution, reality-based 3D model of the 
only recognized once the cultural monuments are endangered or castle of Wildenstein, BL (Switzerland). The complex model 
already destroyed. The fire of the famous Kapellbruecke of ^ incorporates the interior and exterior of the castle including its 
Lucerne (Switzerland) or the deliberate destruction of the large surroundings. The second project is the 3D reconstruction o£ 
Buddha statues in the Afghan Bamiyan called this only too the roman city of Augusta ‘Raurica (Switzerland) and the 
clearly in memory. With the use of virtual 3D models it is modern city of Augst, which is partially built on top of the 
possible to renovate or — in the worst case — to reconstruct such historic site. Both projects demonstrate the benefits of applying 
cultural heritage objects. In addition to the long-term digital 3D GIS to archaeological and cultural heritage projects by 
preservation the production of virtual 3D models has further integrating, all required types of information into a single 
conerete reasons. The provided 3D models, for example, serve system environment. It is also shown, that a 3D GIS serves as 
as basis for preservations or for interactive presentations. an ideal platform for generating web-based 3D geoinformation 
services, in this case by using the high-performance viewer 
1.2 Current Status and Activities technology G-VISTA. 
DILAS (Digital Landscape Server) is one of the first 2. REQUIREMENTS 
commercial 3D GIS systems available on the market. DILAS : 
enables the efficient generation, management and visualisation 2.1 Object semantics 
of large 3D landscape and city models. DILAS also serves as a 
research and development platform at the Basel University of In archaeological and cultural heritage projects object 
Applied Sciences (FHBB) where it is being applied to different semantics are typically just as important as the actual geometry. 
application areas. One of them is the digital 3D reconstruction Thus, it is a key requirement to assign thematic information to 
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