Methodology for the measurement and 3D modelling of cultural heritage: a case study of the Monument to the Polish Diaspora Bond with the Homeland

Abstract The documentation of cultural heritage objects requires a special approach, as does the collection of materials describing a monument over a period of time. With the development of measurement and information technologies, such documentation can be supplemented by a digital model of the object, a 3D visualization in a computer environment, or a miniature, scaled 3D printout. This paper presents a methodology for developing the 3D documentation of the Monument to the Polish Diaspora Bond with the Homeland, a sculpture located in Koszalin, Poland. In the study, terrestrial laser scanning supplemented with photos was used for non-invasive measurements, and existing free software was used to generate a 3D model. The results of the study can supplement the technical documentation of an object so as to preserve its characteristic features and ease the conservation of monuments. The proposed approach to modelling 3D monuments can be used to create HBIM documentation.