What is Dimensional Analysis

In the last times, laser scanning is being massively used to perform reverse engineering of different built-up structures, both modern and historic ones, providing detailed geometry. This chapter presents an introduction to the technology so topics like the physic fundamentals of laser scanners, instrumentation (static and mobile platforms) and the advantages of each method. This chapter aims to illustrate the optimal application of laser scanning to the field of structural engineering in order to ease the adoption of the technology by engineers outside of the geomatic domain. The chapter presents a review of different case studies where laser scanning allowed very precise and very detailed geometric characterization of historic structures in order to obtain an objective diagnosis of their current state. Also, methodologies that permit the implementation of laser scanning products in structural calculation will be shown. Finally, up-to-date trends, mainly related to automatic and intelligent processing, of laser scanning data in historic structures are discussed.