VERBUM – virtual enhanced reality for building modelling (virtual technical tour in digital twins for building conservation)

Abstract

The digital transformation of the construction sector is also involving cultural and architectural heritage conservation management to solve criticalities of information exchange in refurbishment/restoration, from the preliminary steps until the execution and monitoring of interventions. Nevertheless, time and resources required to complete digital models (point clouds, 3D meshes and HBIM model) are extensive and this can cause interruption of knowledge communication among professionals. The VERBuM project (Virtual Enhanced Reality For Building Modelling) aims at investigating how a central Virtual Technical Tour (VTT), would guarantee a continuous stream of information when other disruptive technologies are integrated in the process and their related products are linked to the VTT. The use of a VTT, based on 360° photos, may fill time and resources gaps as it is a rapid up-to-date and high-fidelityto-reality tool. The fostering of the paradigmatic change in refurbishment/restoration process requires the development of all-in-one digital environments for digital twinning of cultural and architectural heritage and its assessment, aware of potentialities and criticalities to be overcame. The research moves from stakeholders’ information requirements to implement the VERBuM process supported by the central VTT, editable via cloud-based platform (VERBuM product) to exchange digital contents, uploaded in different file format, but consulted in VR by all the involved actors via web services, without any software product installation. The tool has been evaluated via SWOT analysis supported by Task-Technology Fit (TTF) model and users’ perceptions. The results provide mitigation measures of threats related to distrust in use of VTT within working groups and fruition of point clouds, meshes and BIM models, possible via WebGL-based libraries.