The Investigation on the Possibilities of Utilising the Leica MS60 Scanning Total Station in Heritage Investigation - Preliminary Results

This study compares the use of the Leica Nova MS60 scanning total station with the Z+F 5010 terrestrial laser scanner (TLS) for documenting the structural condition of the Church of St. Anne in Warsaw, a historic building facing stability issues. The research focuses on evaluating point cloud quality using metrics such as point density, roughness, and curvature and assessing crack detection capabilities. Results show that the TLS generally provided superior point cloud density and accuracy, especially for flat surfaces. However, the MS60 demonstrated effective crack detection capabilities, identifying cracks as small as 2 mm and capturing surface details at higher resolution. The study also highlights that scanning angles and resolution impact data quality, with higher resolution yielding better results. While the TLS offered more consistent point cloud accuracy, the MS60 proved valuable for specific tasks such as crack detection and detailed surface analysis. The Leica Nova MS60 is a useful tool in documenting the condition of structural elements of historic buildings.