High-Definition Survey of an Historic Blacksmith Shop

PBS&J provided a topographic survey for a historic preservation project conducted for the National Park Service.

PBS&J performed a topographic survey for an historic preservation project of a blacksmith shop in Louisiana for the National Park Service. The circa 1840 blacksmith shop is located on the Magnolia Plantation in the Cane River Creole National Historic Park in Natches, Louisiana.

PBS&J used the Leica HDS-2500 3D laser scanner to perform a topographic survey of the dirt floor of the building interior and surrounding areas to aid in the grading and drainage design so as to prevent additional deterioration of the structure. Conventional surveying methods were used to tie the scans to local horizontal and vertical control and to validate the point cloud data.

Using Leica Geosystems’ Cyclone Point cloud management software and Autodesk Land Desktop, PBS&J was able to create a DTM from which 3-inch existing ground contours were generated. Leica CloudWorx for AutoCAD was used to locate additional details of the shop such as the perimeter wall, support beams, fences, the porch overhang, and the historic forge’s location in the shop.

High definition survey techniques allowed existing conditions data to be captured quickly and nonintrusively. Because data captured by the scans was highly accurate, items in need of replacement could be designed and fabricated to closely match the existing architecture and retain the structure’s historical details. The point cloud data was able to be referenced directly into AutoCAD or MicroStation for generation of cross-sections and plan drawings. This data could also allow universities and historians to study and document the blacksmith shop’s architecture without visiting the site.