Three-dimensional deformation monitoring and simulations for the preventive conservation of architectural heritage: a case study of the Angkor Wat Temple, Cambodia

Researchers detected subtle structural instabilities at Angkor Wat, with deformation rates up to 3 mm/year, despite the temple's overall stability. These findings highlight the vulnerability of architectural heritage to thermal-induced bending and potential defects from solar radiation. The study introduced an innovative methodology combining differential SAR tomography (D-TomoSAR) and finite element method (FEM) simulations, addressing limitations in traditional geodetic approaches like GNSS and InSAR. By analyzing 46 TerraSAR-X images from 2011–2013, the team demonstrated how integrating InSAR measurements improved deformation simulation accuracy, providing a robust framework for preventive conservation of global heritage sites.

Chen, F., Xu, H., Zhou, W., Zheng, W., Deng, Y., & Parcharidis, I. (2021). Three-dimensional deformation monitoring and simulations for the preventive conservation of architectural heritage: a case study of the Angkor Wat Temple, Cambodia. GIScience & Remote Sensing, 58(2), 217–234. https://doi.org/10.1080/15481603.2020.1871188