Application of Advanced Computer Simulation and Visualization to Enhance Cultural Resources Documentation (1997-06)

Sponsored by NCPTT, the National Preservation Institute and Advanced Marine Enterprises demonstrated techniques in advanced computer simulation and Visualization for enhancing cultural resources documentation. In the video, the hull of the Civil War warship USS Monitor is recreated digitally. It is then put in simulated physics environments where different aspects of its operation can be studied. The turret system of the ship is also modeled, and it can then be studied under simulated operation. Properties such as speed, load, and stress can be studied from such a model. The video does an excellent job of outlining how virtual reconstruction can be used to re-develop and “operate” a system which no longer exists in hardware.