Data-Driven Documentation: Techniques for Historic Buildings After Anthropogenic and Natural Hazards

This study examines the challenges and opportunities in digitizing historic buildings following two distinct disaster events: the 2020 Beirut Port Explosion and the 2021 Quad State Tornado. Through these case studies, this research explores the critical role of rapid digital documentation in preserving cultural heritage and informing structural resilience strategies. The process of extracting key structural, architectural, and urban attributes from 3D point cloud models is detailed, highlighting the potential for this data to inform predictive modeling and enhance disaster preparedness. By comparing the methodologies and outcomes from both case studies, lessons are derived for future structural engineering focused documentation efforts, emphasizing the need for systematic pre-disaster documentation, high-resolution capture of critical structural elements, and strategic accessibility planning. Ultimately, this research seeks to bridge the gap between digital documentation and structural engineering applications to develop more data-driven approaches for protecting and preserving cultural heritage sites against future disasters.