Oregon State University 3D scanning project aims to preserve Silver Falls

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) – Amid an increasing threat of wildfires, researchers at Oregon State University are using 3D scans to create a digital map of historical structures at Silver Falls State Park in an effort to preserve its legacy, the university announced Thursday.

OSU said the research is especially timely as Oregon and the western United States face an increasing frequency of wildfires, including fires in 2020 and 2023, the latter of which scorched the edge of the park.

“Having a digital record of these buildings is essential, as that may be the only record we have,” said Todd Kesterson, senior instructor in OSU’s New Media Communications program and project director for the 3D scanning work. “If something is damaged or lost, that record can be used for repair or restoration.”

He added that a similar 3D scanning project provided the "perfect blueprint" after a fire destroyed part of the Notre Dame in Paris in 2019. Kesterson noted that particular project could help rebuild the cathedral with accuracy within five millimeters.

The Silver Falls project includes scanning structures such as South Falls Lodge, the South Lodge Nature Store, and the Stone Kitchen Shelter, which were built in the 1930s by the Civilian Conservation Corps as part of the New Deal, OSU said.

The project involves two types of technology, including photogrammetry, which uses a camera to take successive photos of a structure, then uses structure-from-motion software to stitch the photos together to make a 3D digital replica, OSU explained.

The project also uses laser scanning, including lidar technology, to record millions of points per second and measure the shape and location of the structure at a high resolution.

The researchers set up laser scanners on tripods around and inside each building to capture 3D panoramas from different angles and sent a large drone 300 feet into the sky to take aerial photos.

After spending a day taking the 3D scans, over the next year, researchers will stitch the scans together to build digital models and then upload them to a public database.

OSU said the precise digital models will be given to the Oregon Parks & Recreation Department for future restoration or rebuilding whether natural disaster strikes or typical wear-and-tear from historical buildings.

Highlighting the importance of these digital records, park ranger Matt Palmquist told OSU he was among those evacuated from Silver Falls during the 2020 Beachie Creek Fire and was told by park management there was only enough time and manpower to protect one structure, so they chose South Falls Lodge. Crews put sprinklers on the roof and moved historically significant objects outside the park, OSU said.

“We get over a million visitors here at Silver Falls, and probably 90 to 95% of them walk right through this district and right past these buildings,” Palmquist said. “It’s a really excellent spot to showcase the history here and the work of the Civilian Conservation Corps here at Silver Falls.”

Kesterson hopes the Silver Falls project will encourage more 3D scanning of historical structures in the state and throughout the country.

“I do hope this kind of project leads to greater awareness and has people really understand that this is an important part of our history, and we need to protect it on a digital level, as well," Kesterson said.