Point-Cloud-Based Structural Health Monitoring and Quality Control for Complex Heritage Morphologies
Loughborough UniversityLoughborough, United Kingdom
Course overview
Heritage buildings often exhibit complex, irregular, and evolving geometries, making traditional inspection and monitoring methods inadequate. With the rapid improvement of terrestrial laser scanning, photogrammetry, and LiDAR technologies, point clouds offer unprecedented opportunities for digitally capturing full-shape geometry and tracking changes over time. This PhD project will develop advanced computational methods for automated analysis, comparison, and interpretation of large-scale point cloud datasets, enabling high-precision health monitoring, deformation tracking, and quality control for heritage buildings.
The research will explore the unique challenges of heritage structures, including irregular morphologies, partial visibility, environmental constraints, and historical preservation requirements. Research Goals: 1) Develop algorithms to detect, classify, and quantify shape changes, deformation, or damage from multi-temporal point clouds. 2) Design automated workflows for scan-vs-BIM, scan-vs-scan, and multi-scan comparison of complex architectural heritage.
3) Explore machine learning or geometric computing approaches for pattern recognition and anomaly detection. 4) Create robust metrics and digital protocols for heritage condition assessment and conservation decision-making. 94% of Loughborough’s research impact is rated world-leading or internationally excellent.
REF 2021
Key highlights
- Uses terrestrial laser scanning, photogrammetry and LiDAR point cloud data
- Develops algorithms to detect and quantify deformation and damage
- Designs automated scan-vs-BIM and scan-vs-scan comparison workflows
- Applies machine learning and geometric computing for anomaly detection
- Creates digital protocols for heritage condition assessment and conservation
- 94% of research impact rated world-leading or internationally excellent (REF 2021)
Entry requirements
- Degree: 2:1 — 2:1
Scholarships
Alumni Bursary
10% of tuition fees which will be credited to the student’s tuition fee account.
Up to 10% of feesAlumni Discount
UK students: £1,500 tuition fee discount for one academic year. International students: £3,000 tuition fee discount for one academic year.
Care Leaver's Scholarship
Excellence Scholarships
UK students: £3,000 off tuition fees; International students: £6,000 off tuition fees which will be credited to the student’s tuition fee account.
International Sports Student Postgraduate Bursary
Our International Sports Student Postgraduate Bursary offers a £12,000 tuition fee discount (set against the tuition fees of your chosen postgraduate taught programme ONLY).
Up to £12,000London 10th Anniversary Award
£5,000 off tuition fees.
Up to £5,000Loughborough Business School Scholarship
£1,500 (UK students) and £3,000 (international students) off tuition fees which will be credited to the student’s tuition fee account.
MBA Progress with Purpose Scholarship
50% of tuition fees which will be credited to the student’s tuition fee account.
Up to 50% of feesQatari Ghanim Al-Muftah Excellence Scholarship
Careers this course leads to
- Structural health monitoring engineer
- Heritage conservation engineer
- Geospatial data scientist
- Laser scanning and survey specialist
- BIM and digital twin specialist
- Postdoctoral researcher
Cost of study
UK/Home: £5,238 | International: £29,500
Admission
Applications are made through AHZ at no cost. Share your transcripts, English test scores and personal statement, and your AHZ Counsellor will review your profile, submit your application to Loughborough University, and guide you through interview, offer, CAS and visa — right up to enrolment.
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