Interdisciplinary JMU drones team collaborates with Colombia to conserve historic wall

Harrisonburg, V.A.

Undergraduate interdisciplinary team collaborates with a Ph.D. candidate in Colombia to track global warming’s corrosive effect on Cartagena’s historic wall this December by creating a 3D model of the structure. Combined with wall strength and porosity data, the model will reveal weaknesses in the structure. The team will travel to Colombia in December 2017 to use a GoPro-equipped drone to create a 3D model.

The interdisciplinary team works in conjunction with the JMU Drones Project, a multi-campus initiative to use drones to solve social and environmental problems. Manuel Saba, Ph.D. candidate from Colombia will use data provided by the team to track the wall’s corrosion. He aims to track how acid rain and climate change are contributing to the erosion of the wall.

The wall is a decaying yet complex system of defense and a UNESCO protected historical site. The team will create a 3D model of the structure using a mounted GoPro on a drone. AgiSoft PhotoScan software will stitch the images into a 3D model which can be imported to SAP 2000 analyzation software. Saba will add internal details and do static and dynamic analysis of the structure to see its weaknesses. This innovative process streamlines the conventional topographical survey process and allows him to begin internal analyzation. The team will travel to Cartagena January 8-14 to run the project.

About us

The City Walls team contains computer science, industrial design, biology, physics, and writing students. This tight-knit group produces excellent research and design through high commitment to the project and respect for our diverse skills and perspectives. Learn more at http://sites.jmu.edu/vadrones/walls/ or contact Sarah Paynter at payntesa@dukes.jmu.edu.

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