Generating a 3D model of a Bayon tower using non-metric imagery

The Hindu and Buddhist monuments of Angkor in Cambodia are the legacy of highly developed Khmer empires. Well-known for their structural and surface complexity they constitute a great challenge to any attempt towards precise and detailed 3D measurements and modeling. This paper reports about a pilot project using modern techniques of analytical and digital photogrammetry to derive a photorealistic 3D model of one of the very complex towers of the famous Bayon temple of the ancient city of Angkor Thom. The project is based on the use of small format analogue touristtype photography. Described processing steps include phototriangulation on an analytical plotter, automated image matching for surface model generation and the use of novel point cloud editing and view-dependent texture mapping techniques.