BIM and cultural heritage: compatibility tests in an archaeological site

Nowadays, when people speak about BIM software, they refer to new constructions, made by regular elements and standard parameters. The question is: what happens when you, instead of a new building, consider an ancient or existing one? To answer this question, we have evaluated the possibility of using the BIM process effectively for the conservation and proclamation of Cultural Heritage. The target is to test the BIM programs, satisfying the requirements of new buildings, and see if they can also be successfully used in complex situations, like the ones linked to the Cultural Heritage field, where you have to consider the unicity of the architectural elements, the constructive systems and materials (those are not standardized as the new ones), the degradation of the structures and the environmental conditions. In particular, the research examines the case study of the archaeological area of the Sanctuary of Diana in Nemi (Rome), which is an important example in the National Heritage. The final product consists of a parametric model, where you can find, embedded in a database, all the information about the elements and the management of conservation projects. Highlighting positive aspects and existing limits we want to contribute to further studies on the subject, leading to a mandatory implementation and use of this software, even in relation to future European legislative framework.