Environmental Impact Assessment of Different Manufacturing Technologies Oriented to Architectonic Recovery and Conservation of Cultural Heritage

Alessio Altadonna, Filippo Cucinotta, Marcello Raffaele, Fabio Salmeri () and Felice Sfravara ()
Additional contact information
Alessio Altadonna: Department of Engineering, University of Messina, 98158 Messina, Italy
Filippo Cucinotta: Department of Engineering, University of Messina, 98158 Messina, Italy
Marcello Raffaele: Department of Engineering, University of Messina, 98158 Messina, Italy
Fabio Salmeri: Department of Engineering, University of Messina, 98158 Messina, Italy
Felice Sfravara: Department of Engineering, University of Messina, 98158 Messina, Italy

Sustainability, 2023, vol. 15, issue 18, 1-14

Abstract: Our cultural society has made remarkable advancements in creating digital models that depict the built environment, landscape, and reality. The advent of technologies such as terrestrial laser scanning and drone-based photogrammetry, coupled with sophisticated software capable of processing hundreds of photographs to generate point clouds, has elevated the significance of three-dimensional surveying in documentation and restoration. Point cloud processing and modeling software enable the creation of precise digital replicas of the investigated architecture, which can be scaled down and transformed into physically identical models. Through the export of STL files and the utilization of both subtractive and additive 3D printing technologies, tactile models resembling traditional manually crafted plastics can be obtained. An exemplary study focuses on the Gothic church of Santa Maria Alemanna in Messina, Italy, where laser scanner surveys and 3D prints using various technologies were applied to different parts of the building. The models were produced using a CNC milling machine and a 3D printer for fused deposition modeling. The sustainability of these production technologies was assessed through a Life Cycle Assessment, demonstrating the environmental advantages of additive manufacturing, including the use of materials with high recyclability and lower energy consumption. Additionally, the additive approach helps reduce processing waste.

Keywords: digital models; architecture recovery; Life Cycle Assessment; 3D printing; cultural heritage (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/15/18/13487/pdf (application/pdf)
https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/15/18/13487/ (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:15:y:2023:i:18:p:13487-:d:1235991

Access Statistics for this article

Sustainability is currently edited by Ms. Alexandra Wu

More articles in Sustainability from MDPI
Bibliographic data for series maintained by MDPI Indexing Manager ().