Dengfeng, Henan Province, China, August 15, 2025
News Summary
A research team produced a millimetre-accurate Heritage Building Information Model (HBIM) of the Main Hall at Chuzu Temple in Dengfeng, Henan. Using 1.1 billion-point terrestrial laser scans, roughly 3,000 drone images, manual measurement and archival records, they modelled complex Song‑dynasty timber elements and inferred hidden interlocking joints. Deliverables include a loadable Revit family library of 66 categories and 330 families, 23 deterioration drawings, unified point clouds and virtual tours via Unreal Engine. The HBIM captures geometry and condition data to support conservation, reuse on other timber heritage projects and regional HBIM standards.
Researchers produce a high‑precision HBIM and a reusable family library for a Song‑dynasty timber hall
A team led by researchers from Zhengzhou University and partners has created a detailed Heritage Building Information Model (HBIM) for the Main Hall of Chuzu Temple in Dengfeng, Henan Province, and built a reusable component library of 66 categories totaling 330 families. The work, published in npj Heritage Science (volume 13, Article 399, 2025) with DOI 10.1038/s40494-025-01926-1, aims to make timber heritage records more accurate, usable and repeatable for conservation and management.
Top findings and outputs
The project delivered a millimetre‑level HBIM that closely matches the building’s present condition and a loadable family library designed for reuse on other timber heritage sites. Main outputs include:
- HBIM of the Main Hall (Song Dynasty origin, 1125) modeled to high precision.
- A family library organized into 12 major types, 66 categories and 330 loadable families.
- Combined TLS and UAV point cloud data (about 1.1 billion points) and 23 detailed deterioration drawings.
- Virtual presentation assets including a walkthrough scene and a simulated construction animation.
Why this matters
Timber buildings with interlocking joints and complex bracket systems cannot be fully captured by point clouds alone. The study shows that combining precise surveying with expert analysis and a component‑based HBIM lets teams record both visible geometry and inferred internal joints and materials, improving conservation planning, maintenance scheduling and public display.
What was modeled: the Main Hall at Chuzu Temple
The subject building is part of the Dengfeng historic cluster and sits at 34°30′N, 112°55′E. The Main Hall has a nearly square, three‑bay plan and a xieshan (hip‑and‑gable) roof with a main ridge and multiple ridgeline elements. The structure uses stone octagonal columns (16 in total), and a layered bracket set (puzuo) made of many individual pieces connected by mortise‑and‑tenon joins (sunmao).
Surveying and data accuracy
The team combined Terrestrial Laser Scanning (FARO Focus S70) and UAV photogrammetry (DJI Phantom 4 RTK). The TLS campaign used 110 scanning stations with 6 mm resolution and produced a unified point cloud of about 1.1 billion points; registration RMSE was controlled within 3 mm. UAV work produced roughly 3,000 images and 3D reconstructions accurate to ±1 cm. Manual measures filled gaps where scans were occluded or unclear.
HBIM workflow and technical approach
The workflow had four main steps: multi‑source data collection, creation of a component family library, geometric modeling, and loading of non‑geometric information such as material, conservation state and archival references. Autodesk Revit was the primary authoring tool; families were made as single and composite loadable types and organized using a naming and grid‑based ID system that stores axis, elevation and attributes to enable precise retrieval and statistics.
Levels of detail and model fitting
The project adapted LOD concepts to heritage needs. Walls, doors, windows and columns were modeled at LOD300, while timber beam frames, puzuo and roofs reached LOD400. Model components were aligned to the point cloud with a tolerance of no more than 3 mm. A shared Revit model with a two‑grid system and seven elevation levels helped maintain positioning accuracy for upper brackets and roof parts.
Non‑geometric data and deterioration recording
The HBIM stores non‑geometric data through family attributes linking to high‑definition images and point cloud extracts, Revit decals, and annotated deterioration drawings. The team produced 23 deterioration drawings covering beam frames, puzuo and roof elements. Schedules were exported for analysis and can be imported into external tools for maintenance planning.
Virtual display and simulation
For outreach and technical review, the model was prepared for immersive use. Unreal Engine hosted a virtual tour; Navisworks TimeLiner simulated construction steps; 3ds Max and Twinmotion supplied auxiliary models and materials. The virtual scene combines HBIM geometry with UAV‑derived context to show both detail and surrounding environment.
Recommendations, limits and next steps
Key recommendations include using component‑based families for timber heritage, combining scans with archival records and expert input, adopting IFC for cross‑platform sharing, and building standards and evaluation frameworks for Asian timber HBIM. The study notes limits: current BIM tools lack native East Asian timber families and full automation is still difficult because of complex joints and as‑built irregularities. Future work points to lifecycle integration, structural simulations, IoT monitoring and broader family adoption across regional monuments.
Project details and access
The article was received 19 March 2025, accepted 1 July 2025, and published 14 August 2025. The research was supported by provincial and national grants and an open research fund for cultural heritage. Authors declare no competing interests. Datasets are available from the corresponding authors on reasonable request and the article is published under a Creative Commons Attribution‑NonCommercial‑NoDerivatives 4.0 International license.
FAQ
What is HBIM and why is it useful for timber heritage?
HBIM is a digital model that stores geometry and descriptive information about historic buildings. For timber heritage, HBIM helps record interlocking joints, material conditions and repair histories that point clouds alone do not capture, supporting conservation and maintenance.
How accurate is the model from this study?
The combined TLS and UAV survey produced a point cloud accurate to millimetre level; registration RMSE was within 3 mm and UAV reconstructions were about ±1 cm. Model components were fitted to the point cloud with deviations no greater than 3 mm.
What are these families and can they be reused?
Families are reusable Revit components that represent building parts. The study created 330 loadable families across 66 categories. Most are designed to be reused in other Chinese timber heritage projects.
Can the datasets be obtained?
Yes. The paper notes that datasets are available from the corresponding authors on reasonable request.
What software was used?
Key tools included FARO SCENE, Geomagic Studio, Context Capture, Autodesk Recap, Autodesk Revit, Navisworks, 3ds Max, Twinmotion and Unreal Engine.
Does this solve automatic HBIM creation for timber buildings?
Not fully. The work advances reusable families and semi‑automated workflows, but full automation remains difficult because of complex joinery and as‑built variations requiring expert interpretation.
Key features at a glance
| Feature | Detail |
|---|---|
| Subject | Main Hall, Chuzu Temple (Song origin, Dengfeng, Henan) |
| Publication | npj Heritage Science, 2025, DOI: 10.1038/s40494-025-01926-1 |
| HBIM families | 12 major types; 66 categories; 330 loadable families |
| Survey data | TLS (FARO Focus S70) + UAV (DJI Phantom 4 RTK); ~1.1 billion point cloud; ~3,000 images |
| Accuracy | Point cloud mm‑level; registration RMSE ≤ 3 mm; UAV ±1 cm |
| LOD targets | Columns/walls/windows LOD300; timber frames/puozu/roof LOD400 |
| Deliverables | HBIM model, family library, deterioration drawings (23), virtual scene, construction animation |
| Availability | Data available from corresponding authors on request; published under CC BY‑NC‑ND 4.0 |
Deeper Dive: News & Info About This Topic
Additional Resources
- Nature: HBIM of Chuzu Temple (article)
- Wikipedia: Building information modeling
- Nature: Article figures — Figure 1
- Google Search: Song dynasty timber architecture puzuo Yingzao Fashi
- Nature: Article PDF
- Google Scholar: HBIM Chuzu Temple
- Nature: Supplementary information
- Encyclopedia Britannica: Yingzao Fashi
- Nature: Data availability / Author contact
- Google News: Heritage BIM timber China HBIM
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