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A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050). This special issue belongs to the section "Tourism, Culture, and Heritage".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (15 December 2020) | Viewed by 25733

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Special Issue Editors

Dr. Ionut Cristi Nicu

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Guest Editor

High North Department, Norwegian Institute for Cultural Heritage Research (NIKU), Fram Centre, N-9296, Tromsø, Norway
Interests: natural hazards; spatial analysis; risk assessment; GIS; soil erosion; cultural heritage

Dr. Alin Mihu-Pintilie

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Guest Editor

Institute for Interdisciplinary Research, Science Research Department, Alexandru Ioan Cuza University of Iasi (UAIC), St. Lascar Catargi 54, 700107 lași, Romania
Interests: natural hazards; hydrology; geographic information system; remote sensing; environment
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Mr. Erich Nau

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Guest Editor

Digital Archaeology Department, Norwegian Institute for Cultural Heritage Research (NIKU), Storgata 2, 0105, Oslo, Norway
Interests: archaeological prospection; 3D documentation; TLS; UAV; Prehistory

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Over the last decade, the intensity of natural disasters has increased all over the world, and they are being studied accordingly with the use of the newest GIS technologies and remote sensing. This means that they affect more and more cultural heritage sites in different parts of the world. This Special Issue focuses on the theory and the practice of applying modern technologies and methodology to advance the knowledge on cultural heritage of “living” together with natural disasters. Throughout history, natural disasters have destroyed significant cultural heritage sites (e.g., the mausoleum of Halicarnassus, which was destroyed by floods and earthquakes). The importance and value of cultural heritage is a significant legacy for future generations, and therefore, studies, policies, and management measures are needed.

Authors are invited to submit papers on the application of remote sensing and/or GIS in domains such as natural disasters (which could include but is not limited to landslides, gully erosion, floods, earthquakes, and coastal erosion), (long-term) monitoring and surveying, spatiotemporal analysis or predictive modeling (as a tool of analyzing the vulnerability of cultural heritage towards a specific or more natural disasters), and sustainable ways for cultural heritage safeguarding and conservation. The integration of modern technologies will provide a relevant contribution in our endeavor for safeguarding cultural heritage.

We welcome contributions where the aforementioned tools are combined and/or stand alone in relevant case studies. Theoretical and practical studies that bring a significant contribution in the field of natural disasters and cultural heritage are preferred. These are a set of interest topics for this Special Issue, in order to cover a larger spectrum of subjects and to ensure significant contributions:

Integration of remote sensing and GIS for cultural heritage assessment;
New tools and methods to generate new data and to continue possible monitoring process(es);
Novel 3D technologies used in the monitoring of cultural heritage (e.g., TLS);
Geophysical prospection for cultural heritage assessment and mitigation;
UAV data for monitoring and mapping of geohazards;
Climate change impacts on cultural heritage;
New methods to quantify the vulnerability of cultural heritage towards natural disasters;
Sustainable methods and tools for cultural heritage assessment and conservation.

Novel and stimulating techniques in studying the above points, along with their applications and relevant case studies, will be considered. Thorough review papers are also welcome.

Dr. Ionut Cristi Nicu
Dr. Alin Mihu-Pintilie
Mr. Erich Nau
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Sustainability is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Published Papers (6 papers)

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Research

19 pages, 7796 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Archaeological Surveying of Subarctic and Arctic Landscapes: Comparing the Performance of Airborne Laser Scanning and Remote Sensing Image Data

by Alma Elizabeth Thuestad, Ole Risbøl, Jan Ingolf Kleppe, Stine Barlindhaug and Elin Rose Myrvoll

Sustainability 2021, 13(4), 1917; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su13041917 - 10 Feb 2021

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2352

Abstract

What can remote sensing contribute to archaeological surveying in subarctic and arctic landscapes? The pros and cons of remote sensing data vary as do areas of utilization and methodological approaches. We assessed the applicability of remote sensing for archaeological surveying of northern landscapes using airborne laser scanning (LiDAR) and satellite and aerial images to map archaeological features as a basis for (a) assessing the pros and cons of the different approaches and (b) assessing the potential detection rate of remote sensing. Interpretation of images and a LiDAR-based bare-earth digital terrain model (DTM) was based on visual analyses aided by processing and visualizing techniques. 368 features were identified in the aerial images, 437 in the satellite images and 1186 in the DTM. LiDAR yielded the better result, especially for hunting pits. Image data proved suitable for dwellings and settlement sites. Feature characteristics proved a key factor for detectability, both in LiDAR and image data. This study has shown that LiDAR and remote sensing image data are highly applicable for archaeological surveying in northern landscapes. It showed that a multi-sensor approach contributes to high detection rates. Our results have improved the inventory of archaeological sites in a non-destructive and minimally invasive manner. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Cultural Heritage and Natural Disasters)

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28 pages, 49165 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Remote Sensing for Cultural Heritage Assessment and Monitoring: The Case Study of Alba Iulia

by Cristian Moise, Iulia Dana Negula, Cristina Elena Mihalache, Andi Mihai Lazar, Andreea Luminita Dedulescu, Gabriel Tiberiu Rustoiu, Ioan Constantin Inel and Alexandru Badea

Sustainability 2021, 13(3), 1406; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su13031406 - 29 Jan 2021

Cited by 18 | Viewed by 3967

Abstract

In recent times, satellite-based remote sensing has a growing role in archaeology and inherently in the cultural heritage management process. This paper demonstrates the potential and usefulness of satellite imagery for the documentation, mapping, monitoring, and in-depth analysis of cultural heritage and the archaeological sites located in urban landscapes. The study focuses on the assessment and monitoring of Alba Iulia, which is one of the Romanian cities with the richest historical past. Multitemporal analysis was performed to identify the land use/land cover changes that might contribute to an increased cultural heritage vulnerability to natural disasters. A special emphasis was dedicated to the assessment of the built-up area growth and consequently of the urbanization trend over a large time interval (30 years). Next, the urbanization and urban area expansion impact was further analyzed by concentrating on the urban heat island within Alba Iulia city and Alba Iulia Fortress (located in the center of the city). As temperature change represents a key element of climate change, the temperature trend within the same temporal framework and its impact on cultural heritage were determined. In the end, with regard to the cultural heritage condition assessment, the research was complemented with an assessment of the urban ground and individual building stability, using persistent scatterer interferometry. The results contribute to the detailed depiction of the cultural heritage site in such a manner that the site is monitored over an extensive timeframe, its current state of conservation is accurately determined, and the future trends can be identified. In conclusion, the present study offers reliable results regarding the main factors that might endanger the cultural heritage site as a basis for future preservation measures. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Cultural Heritage and Natural Disasters)

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17 pages, 14725 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Photogrammetric Measurement of Erosion at the Sabbath Point Beothuk Site in Central Newfoundland, Canada

by James Williamson and Ionut Cristi Nicu

Sustainability 2020, 12(18), 7555; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su12187555 - 14 Sep 2020

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2488

Abstract

Erosion at archaeological sites in Central Newfoundland, Canada is a major concern, which is compounded by the fact that there has been a dearth of archaeological research in this region. While more than 70 house pits are known, very few excavations have examined whole features in the Exploits River Valley (ERV), and the archaeology of many has not been examined yet. The aim of this study is to examine the rate of erosion at the Sabbath Point house pit, a recently recorded archaeological site, located on the bank of Red Indian Lake (RIL), and to describe a low-cost methodology for analysing site level bank changes. This site is particularly important, as it represents an example of a late Beothuk residential feature about lifeways practiced in this region. The surveys employed here were carried out using image-based modelling. GRASS GIS was used to measure the diachronic difference between bank edges. The Digital Elevation Models (DEMs) were then compared, and the differences were measured using a transect based method. The erosion measurement has shown that Sabbath Point is in danger of being completely eroded. This shows that a salvage excavation program covering the entire feature is necessary within the next few years, as the feature itself will begin to erode. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Cultural Heritage and Natural Disasters)

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18 pages, 8613 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Pavilions at the Alhambra’s Court of the Lions: Graphic Analysis of Muqarnas

by Antonio Gámiz-Gordo, Ignacio Ferrer-Pérez-Blanco and Juan Francisco Reinoso-Gordo

Sustainability 2020, 12(16), 6556; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su12166556 - 13 Aug 2020

Cited by 9 | Viewed by 6873

Abstract

This research documents and graphically analyzes the pavilions muqarnas at the Court of the Lions in the Alhambra in Granada, a World Heritage Site. In order to cast some light on the understanding and preservation of these 14th century architectural elements, after a brief report of historical data on catastrophes and restorations, a novel methodology for the case study based on three complementary graphic analyses is presented here: First, there is a review of outstanding images ranging from the 17th to the 20th centuries; subsequently, new CAD (computer-aided design) drawings from pavilions muqarnas testing the theoretic principles from their geometric grouping are accomplished for the first time; and finally, a 3D laser scanner is used to understand the precise present-day state from the point cloud obtained. Comparing drawings allows us to assess the muqarnas relevance while proving, for the first time, that the muqarnas of both pavilions have distinct configurations and different amounts of pieces. Besides, this process reveals geometric deformations existing in the original Nasrid muqarnas compositions, identifying small pieces hitherto unknown, plus additional deformations resulting from adjustments after important threats that both pavilions and their muqarnas overcame for centuries, despite their fragile construction. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Cultural Heritage and Natural Disasters)

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21 pages, 11030 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Coastal Erosion Affecting Cultural Heritage in Svalbard. A Case Study in Hiorthhamn (Adventfjorden)—An Abandoned Mining Settlement

by Ionut Cristi Nicu, Knut Stalsberg, Lena Rubensdotter, Vibeke Vandrup Martens and Anne-Cathrine Flyen

Sustainability 2020, 12(6), 2306; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su12062306 - 16 Mar 2020

Cited by 24 | Viewed by 4929

Abstract

Hiorthhamn is an abandoned Norwegian coal mining settlement with a loading dock and a lot of industrial infrastructure left in the coastal zone. In this study, changes in the position of 1.3 km of the Hiorthhamn shoreline, which affect cultural heritage, is described for a time-period spanning 92 years (1927–2019). The shoreline positions were established based on a map (1927), orthophotos (2009) and a topographic survey with differential Global Positioning System (GPS) (summer 2019). Detailed geomorphological and surface sediment mapping was conducted to form a framework for understanding shoreline-landscape interaction. The shoreline was divided into three sectors to calculate the erosion/stability/accretion rates by using the DSAS (Digital Shoreline Analysis System) extension of ArcGIS. The DSAS analysis showed very high erosion in Sector 1, while Sectors 2 and 3 showed moderate accretion and moderate erosion, respectively. Sector 1 is geologically composed of easily erodible sorted beach sediments and protected remains from the mining industry such as wrecks of heavy machines, loading carts, wagons and rusty tracks that are directly exposed to coastal erosion. The all-sector average shoreline erosion rate (EPR parameter) for the 92 years period was −0.21 m/year. The high shoreline erosion rates in Sector 1, together with the high potential damage to cultural heritage, supports the urgent need of continued coastal monitoring and sustainable management of cultural heritage in Hiorthhamn. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Cultural Heritage and Natural Disasters)

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13 pages, 5040 KiB

Open AccessArticle

GIS-Based and Statistical Approaches in Archaeological Predictive Modelling (NE Romania)

by Ionut Cristi Nicu, Alin Mihu-Pintilie and James Williamson

Sustainability 2019, 11(21), 5969; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su11215969 - 27 Oct 2019

Cited by 12 | Viewed by 3938

Abstract

Archaeological predictive modelling (APM) is an important method for archaeological research and cultural heritage management. This study tests the viability of a new statistical method for APM. Frequency ratio (FR) is widely used in the field of geosciences but has not been applied in APM. This study tests FR in a catchment from the north-eastern part of Romania to predict the possible location(s) of Eneolithic sites. In order to do that, three factors were used: soils, heat load index and slope position classification. Eighty percent of the sites were used to build the model, while the remaining 20% were used to externally test the model’s performance. The final APM was made with the help of GIS software and classified into four susceptibility classes: very high, high, medium and low. The success rate curve and the prediction rate curve reported values of the area under curve (AUC) of 0.72, and 0.75 respectively. The Kvamme’s Gain value for the model has a value of 0.56. Therefore, the final APM is reliable, so FR is a viable technique for APM. The final map can be successfully used in archaeological research, cultural heritage management and protection, preventive archaeology and sustainable development. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Cultural Heritage and Natural Disasters)

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