2D digital imaging for cracks mapping of Cultural Heritage in emergency condition

The digital photography represents not only an immediate medium for data communication, but also an effective instrument for surveying and monitoring the architectural buildings. In this context, 2D images allow to acquire multi-scale geometrical and material data in a few time. This peculiarity makes this technique very suitable for the survey of cracks distribution in emergency condition, for example immediately after an earthquake. Referring to this specific application, the article suggests a process of 2D images acquisition, data management and representation for surveying crack distribution inside an historical building in Ferrara, Palazzo Renata di Francia, seriously damaged by the seismic events happened in May 2012.