Mapping the Invisible: Subsurface Survey in an Ancient Church of Rome
In the heart of Rome, an ancient church revealed its underground secrets thanks to a cutting-edge geophysical survey by GGM.EARTH. 📡🏛️ Using GPR (ground penetrating radar) and 3D SLAM mapping, we detected structural anomalies indicating voids and hidden structures beneath the foundations. The result? A digital 3D reconstruction highlighting a known crypt and shedding light on other unexplored areas rich with hidden history.
Client: Romana Car Allestimenti
Location: Rome, Italy
Coordinates: 41.898856° N, 12.479780° E
Technologies: Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR), SLAM (GeoSLAM scanner), Geolitix (GPR processing), 3D Modeling
Introduction & Objectives
In the historic center of Rome, a detailed subsurface investigation was conducted within an ancient church. The objective was to identify potential underground cavities, such as crypts or hidden structures, that could provide new insights into the site's architectural and historical development. This study integrates Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) with Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (SLAM) technology, allowing for a precise three-dimensional reconstruction of both the building and its subsurface. By combining these techniques, researchers can analyze structural anomalies with high accuracy, contributing to a broader understanding of the church’s foundation and hidden elements.
Methodology & GPR Analysis
A sectional view of the church reveals the underlying structure, enabling a detailed analysis of the subsurface. Using Geolitix, a leading software for GPR data processing, tomographic slices were generated progressively, reaching a depth of approximately three meters. These slices highlight variations in the radar signal, where darker areas indicate anomalies — potential voids or structural discontinuities that may correspond to hidden crypts or other subsurface features. This advanced processing enhances the accuracy of interpretation, providing crucial insights into the church’s underground composition.
3D Visualization of Anomalies
In the next step, the individual tomographic slices were stacked and processed to interpolate the visible anomalies, creating three-dimensional volumes. These volumes represent potential subsurface features of interest. The purple volume highlights an already known cavity, corresponding to a previously explored crypt. In contrast, the green volumes indicate areas of unexplored anomalies — likely to be other crypts, tombs, or ossuaries whose existence is not yet documented. This method of visualization enhances our ability to detect and map these hidden structures with high precision.
Calibration with Real Data
As mentioned, the purple volume corresponds to a known crypt, which had been previously explored. In this study, that crypt was scanned using GeoSLAM technology — an essential tool for accurately calibrating the depth of the other GPR anomalies. This precise scan allowed for a reliable comparison between the radar data and the actual structure. Below, we can observe the detailed scan of this crypt, providing a clearer understanding of its spatial characteristics and its relationship to the surrounding subsurface features.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the combination of GPR data processed with Geolitix and SLAM surveying is a powerful approach for subsurface exploration. By merging these two advanced technologies, we achieve a more comprehensive understanding of the structures hidden beneath the surface. The precise mapping provided by SLAM helps calibrate the GPR results, enhancing the accuracy of our interpretations and enabling us to fully comprehend the complexity and extent of the subsurface features. This integrated methodology is key to unlocking the secrets of historic sites like this one, providing valuable insights for both conservation and research.
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TEAM LINE-UP & CREDITS
Survey by: Matteo Bastioli, Gerardo Di Nunno, Paolo Presutti, Davide Murano
Data elaboration and interpretation by: Giuliano D'Elia , Davide Murano
3d Model&Video: Davide Murano
