Ground-based remote sensing of buildings and archaeological sites: ten years research to operation

The archaeological examination of standing buildings, particularly when still in use, is frequently compounded by the need to examine hidden areas where the use of destructive techniques is not desirable or permissible. Other sections of historic building fabric, and related fittings, suffer frequently from the actions of erosion and decay, and sometimes from vandalism and unsympathetic repair, resulting in incomplete or incomprehensible details. Ground-based remote sensing techniques, based largely on scientific photo-imaging and computerized image-enhancement, have been developed specifically to assist with the nondestructive recovery of archaeological data in standing buildings and their associated fittings. Many of the techniques are also applicable to the examination of archaeological sites both before and during excavation.