Advanced object detection for heritage preservation: A case study of Ouaouizerth and the Palace of Sultan Moulay Ismail
KHLIFATI Oumaima, BABA Khadija, MASROUR Ilham, EL HARROUNI Rime, NOUNAH Abderrahman, EL HARROUNI Khalid
Abstract. Ouaouizerth, a historic town located about 80 kilometers southwest of Béni Mellal, stands as a testament to Morocco’s rich and diverse history. Founded centuries ago, the town is home to landmarks like the Palace of Sultan Moulay Ismail, commissioned around 1710 and also known as Kasbah de Boulaouane. This palace, built during the reign of Sultan Alaouite Ismail Ibn Sharif, showcases a blend of grandeur and architectural skill. Positioned strategically overlooking the Oum Er Rabia river and inspired by Byzantine fortifications, it offers a fascinating glimpse into historical architecture. Preserving these historical monuments is vital, yet traditional methods of documentation and categorization are often labor-intensive and prone to inaccuracies. This study tackles these challenges by developing an advanced object detection model to improve the efficiency and accuracy of degradation detection in these historical monuments. Utilizing the object detection method, a robust model was created for detecting and classifying various forms of deterioration. The dataset included meticulously captured and annotated images from Ouaouizerth and the Palace of Sultan Moulay Ismail, featuring a range of degradations. Annotations were performed using Label Studio software to ensure precise identification and categorization. Data augmentation techniques were employed to create a diverse and representative dataset, essential for effective model training. The model’s performance was rigorously evaluated using metrics such as precision and recall, demonstrating its high accuracy in detecting specific deteriorations. The successful implementation of this model holds significant potential for aiding conservation efforts, providing a valuable resource for heritage preservation, urban planning, and tourism promotion, thus ensuring the enduring legacy of Morocco’s historical treasures.
Keywords
Historical Monuments, Heritage Preservation, Object Detection, Degradation Detection, Architectural Heritage
Published online 1/10/2025, 8 pages
Copyright © 2025 by the author(s)
Published under license by Materials Research Forum LLC., Millersville PA, USA
Citation: KHLIFATI Oumaima, BABA Khadija, MASROUR Ilham, EL HARROUNI Rime, NOUNAH Abderrahman, EL HARROUNI Khalid, Advanced object detection for heritage preservation: A case study of Ouaouizerth and the Palace of Sultan Moulay Ismail, Materials Research Proceedings, Vol. 47, pp 172-179, 2025
DOI: https://doi.org/10.21741/9781644903391-20
The article was published as article 20 of the book Vernacular Architecture
Content from this work may be used under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 license. Any further distribution of this work must maintain attribution to the author(s) and the title of the work, journal citation and DOI.
References
[1] I. Masrour, K. Baba, and S. Simou, “Naturally Strengthening Rammed Earth: The Promising Potential of Biopolymers,” presented at the Materials Research Proceedings, 2024, pp. 233–239. https://doi.org/10.21741/9781644903117-25
[2] I. Masrour, K. Baba, and K. Doughmi, “Geopolymers: An Eco-Friendly Approach to Enhancing the Stability of Earthen Constructions,” presented at the Materials Research Proceedings, 2024, pp. 226–232. https://doi.org/10.21741/9781644903117-24
[3] S. Simou, K. Baba, and A. Nounah, “Preserving Historic Structures: Advancing Conservation Practices Through Building Material Analysis and Mapping,” Civil Engineering and Architecture, vol. 12, no. 1, pp. 312–325, 2024. https://doi.org/10.13189/cea.2024.120124
[4] S. Simou, “Investigating Cultural Dimensions in Sustainable Tourism: Carrying Capacity Assessment and GIS-based Management Strategies for Historic Buildings,” presented at the Mediterranean Architectural Heritage, Apr. 2024, pp. 311–318. https://doi.org/10.21741/9781644903117-33
[5] O. Khlifati, “Object Detection Method for Automated Classification of Distress in Rabat’s Built Heritage,” presented at the Mediterranean Architectural Heritage, Apr. 2024, pp. 358–362. https://doi.org/10.21741/9781644903117-37
[6] M. Bouzahzah and Y. El Menyari, “International tourism and economic growth: the case of Morocco and Tunisia,” The Journal of North African Studies, vol. 18, no. 4, pp. 592–607, Sep. 2013. https://doi.org/10.1080/13629387.2013.836321
[7] I. Flores-Colen, J. de Brito, and V. de Freitas, “Expected render performance assessment based on impact resistance in situ determination,” Construction and Building Materials, vol. 23, no. 9, pp. 2997–3004, Sep. 2009. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2009.05.003
[8] L. A. Santos, I. Flores-Colen, and M. G. Gomes, “In-situ Techniques for Mechanical Performance and Degradation Analysis of Rendering Walls,” Restoration of Buildings and Monuments, vol. 19, no. 4, pp. 255–266, Aug. 2013. https://doi.org/10.1515/rbm-2013-6606
[9] T. Reyno, C. Marsden, and D. Wowk, “Surface damage evaluation of honeycomb sandwich aircraft panels using 3D scanning technology,” NDT & E International, vol. 97, pp. 11–19, Jul. 2018. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ndteint.2018.03.007
[10] Michael O’Byrne, Franck Schoefs, Bidisha Ghosh, Vikram Pakrashi, “Texture Analysis Based Damage Detection of Ageing Infrastructural Elements – O’Byrne – 2013 – Computer-Aided Civil and Infrastructure Engineering – Wiley Online Library.” Accessed: Sep. 25, 2024. [Online]. Available: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-8667.2012.00790.x
[11] I. Flores‐Colen, J. Manuel Caliço Lopes de Brito, and V. Peixoto de Freitas, “On‐site performance assessment of rendering façades for predictive maintenance,” Structural Survey, vol. 29, no. 2, pp. 133–146, Jan. 2011. https://doi.org/10.1108/02630801111132812
[12] E. Barreira and V. P. de Freitas, “Evaluation of building materials using infrared thermography,” Construction and Building Materials, vol. 21, no. 1, pp. 218–224, Jan. 2007. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2005.06.049
[13] M. Mishra and P. B. Lourenço, “Artificial intelligence-assisted visual inspection for cultural heritage: State-of-the-art review,” Journal of Cultural Heritage, vol. 66, pp. 536–550, Mar. 2024. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.culher.2024.01.005
[14] O. Khlifati and K. Baba, “Road Distress Detection and Classification: Harnessing the Synergy of Deep Learning and Transfer Learning Approaches,” in Advances in Research in Geosciences, Geotechnical Engineering, and Environmental Science, K. Baba, L. Ouadif, A. Nounah, and M. Bouassida, Eds., Cham: Springer Nature Switzerland, 2023, pp. 346–355. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-49345-4_33
[15] J. Redmon, S. Divvala, R. Girshick, and A. Farhadi, “You Only Look Once: Unified, Real-Time Object Detection,” May 09, 2016, arXiv: arXiv:1506.02640. https://doi.org/10.48550/arXiv.1506.02640
