Digital Graphics and Virtual Reality for the Presentation of Ancient Roman Construction Techniques

In the field of construction engineering, the use of computer imaging, and more recently virtual reality, has become instrumental in the creation of educational simulations, which can be used to present techniques and details in a manner that is easily understood by students. Because these tools are increasingly used in the simulation of modern buildings and construction projects, the same system can be combined with engineering and historical studies as a means of demonstrating the construction of ancient monuments, which will enable historians and engineers to understand the specifics of various monuments more clearly. For this specific simulation, the intent is to replicate the construction of the Roman Colosseum in two different ways – a unique undertaking – which can be adjusted for presentation to various audiences, ranging from academic scholars in history or engineering to students in relevant topics. The expected outcome is an assembly of the structure that can be viewed from both the inside and outside. The “top-down” approach, which divides a completed monument into multiple stages, is useful for defining the overall plan of the structure, but presents a risk of large amounts of data slowing down the simulation process. In contrast, the “bottom-up” approach, which creates the structure in a piecewise fashion, may be more viable because it replicates the various steps individually, allowing a greater emphasis on detail.