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Image Credit: Luka Peternel, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Virtual and Augmented Reality Open New Paths for Preserving the Great Wall
A new study presents an integrated digital system that combines virtual reality, augmented reality, and mixed reality to document, preserve, and interpret the Jinshanling section of the Great Wall of China.
Jinshanling is one of the most important Ming-dynasty sections of the Great Wall and is known for its military architecture, watchtowers, complex terrain, and high cultural value. However, the site faces continuing deterioration caused by weathering, biological growth, natural hazards, difficult access, and major differences in elevation.
Traditional restoration often depends heavily on visual assessment and the experience of conservators. According to the researchers, the absence of a sufficiently detailed and continuously updated digital database can make it difficult to reconstruct damaged architectural features accurately.
To address these challenges, the research team developed an extended-reality system integrating virtual reality, augmented reality, and mixed reality. The project was guided by a framework described as “technology as the backbone, culture as the soul, and education as the thread.”
The system covers the full digital workflow, including field data collection, three-dimensional modelling, database construction, interactive interpretation, and visitor experience. Laser scanning, drone photogrammetry, photography, geographic information systems, and remote-sensing data were combined to create detailed digital records of the wall and its watchtowers.
The researchers report that the system achieved millimetre-level precision under the conditions used in the project. Data-acquisition accuracy was reported at within approximately 1.5 millimetres, while geometric modelling accuracy remained within about 2 millimetres. The models also contained more than 50,000 polygons for individual objects, allowing fine architectural features to be represented.
Virtual reality was used to construct immersive panoramas and full digital environments. The researchers developed a customised method for calculating the effective field of view during panoramic photography, allowing the number and overlap of images to be adjusted according to the complexity of the scene.
This method gives greater importance to detailed architectural features while reducing unnecessary repetition in visually uniform areas. The system was also designed to correct variations in lighting, colour, lens distortion, and camera position, producing more seamless panoramic images.
Augmented reality focused on the watchtowers and other key architectural features. Three-dimensional models can be placed over the physical remains to show historical reconstructions, restoration proposals, structural details, and interpretive information through mobile phones, tablets, or AR glasses.
The researchers adjusted scanning distances according to the type of structure being documented. Fine details such as brick joints and carvings were recorded from distances of less than five metres, while larger walls and landscapes could be scanned from distances of approximately 10 to 15 metres.
Mixed reality was used to create a closer interaction between physical space and digital reconstruction. By combining visual information with LiDAR scanning and spatial mapping, the system allowed virtual models to remain aligned with the real structures as users moved through the site.
The study reports that this visual-LiDAR approach improved stability in areas with repetitive masonry, strong shadows, changing light, and partial obstruction by visitors. It also supported the placement of digital architectural elements within real surroundings, allowing users to inspect reconstructed features from different positions.
Field testing was conducted at five representative locations, including stairways, a watchtower, a central wall section, a damaged battlement, and an interior space. Thirty participants took part, including heritage researchers, XR developers, and general visitors.
The tests assessed visual accuracy, resolution, lighting, interaction speed, positioning stability, and resistance to interference. The offline version generally performed more reliably than the online system, particularly in areas where network connectivity and visitor movement affected performance.
The system is intended to serve several purposes. It can provide conservators with precise records for monitoring deterioration and planning restoration, while also giving visitors access to historical narratives and virtual reconstructions without physically altering the monument.
The researchers argue that digital preservation should move beyond static archiving. Instead of creating digital models only for storage, heritage databases can become interactive systems that support restoration, education, tourism, and public engagement.
Overall, the study shows how virtual, augmented, and mixed reality can work together within a single preservation framework. At Jinshanling, these technologies offer a way to record vulnerable architecture in detail, simulate restoration, and present the Great Wall’s history through immersive experiences.
Published on: 06-07-2026
Edited by: Abdulmnam Samakie
Source: npj Heritage Science
