Rilevamento laser scanning, modello della superficie (DSM) e modello per il metodo agli elementi finiti (FEM) di una struttura

The paper describes the contribution that laser scanning techniques may provide to the best definition of a geometrical model as basis for structural analyses carried out by the finite element method (FEM). The current legislation is presented and remarked, focusing the "geometrical survey" in the knowledge path of the structure. The requirements of accuracy, correctness and detail are highlighted as well as the influence of the survey in the "level of knowledge", the resulting "confidence factor" and thus the whole structural analysis. The conversion problems from laser scanning DSM to the model for FEM are discussed. Finally, the laser scanning survey and the simplified static FEM analysis of the Bollani arc in Udine, attributed to Palladio, is shown.