Three Dimensional Automated Long-Term Monitoring Of Bio-Based Building Elements In Outdoor Conditions

This paper presents an innovative method for automated long-term, outdoor monitoring and analysis of materials, surpassing current techniques. It introduces a highly autonomous and resilient monitoring protocol utilizing low-cost depth cameras, enabling frequent observation over months. The paper evaluates existing 3D capture technology for outdoor suitability and proposes a method, that enables comprehensive examination of changes in both material appearance and geometry over extended periods. It develops qualitative and quantitative analysis of captured data merging depth data with 2D imagery. To track and quantify deformations at both global and feature levels a further voxel-based method is developed. The method is evaluated in two case studies, where the deformation of 3D printed bio-polymer panels is monitored, revealing their interaction with weather conditions. This research seamlessly integrates with material and design development, advocating for a new building practice grounded in real-world structural behaviors.