Some laser-scanner applications in structural analysis

In the present work, the authors intend to describe some recent experiences in the application of the laser scanner technique to the structural analysis. Three main examples are provided, the former involves a typical Renaissance palace in Ferrara, the second one is developed in the framework of the damage analysis carried out for the Nativity Church in Bethlehem, and the latter deals with the non-destructive testing of a common historical masonry building in Ferrara. In such examples the laser scanner data acquisition is mainly aimed at investigating the structural behaviour and not at the geometrical representation. The contribution ends with some comments on the current open issues.