BIM and GIS Integration for Archaeology: a new method for documenting field archaeology

The BIGAr project aims to innovate archaeological research methodology developing a digital application to integrate representation software (Building Informative Model -BIM- and Geographical Information System -GIS-) to document the 4D nature of archaeological evidence as well as their traditional information (i.e. text or photography).

This approach can be quicker and more complete than others currently used; it allows a higher degree of collaboration via Web as well as it provides a new frontier for spatial analysis and management of Cultural Landscape. So far, in archaeology, the use of BIM is only applied to architectural analysis and never integrated with GIS.

Thus, I will use innovative geospatial environment, developing a new digital workflow of integration GIS and BIM, for managing archaeological data, collected in field works as excavations and surveys.

To achieve this target I will develop a dedicated application based on an original programming script, using open source software.

Such a research will be possible merging competences and laboratories of the 3 involved Organizations: the University of Michigan (outgoing phase, supervisor Prof. Nicola Terrenato), the University of Minho (secondment, supervisor Prof. Miguel Azenha), and the University of Bologna (return phase, supervisor Prof.

Andrea Augenti).

The field data will come from two projects active in the area around two ancient capitals, Rome (Gabii Project, University of Michigan) and Ravenna (Ravenna Landscape Archaeological Project, University of Bologna).

As part of the MSCA-IF-2020-GF action at the Universities of Michigan and Minho, two world leading institutions in this field, I will receive the necessary high-quality training, which will allow the continuation of a successful career in the field of archaeology and the development at Bologna University of this technology, that will be transferable to any other archaeological project in EU and beyond.