Three-dimensional model of the Rzeczka object (the Riese Complex, Sowie Range) as an enhancement of the comprehensive geotourism potential of an underground tourist route

The dynamic development of measurement technology based on the use of laser scanners allows for fast transfer of information, related to terrestrial data, to a virtual environment and enables the creation of three-dimensional models. Because of the growing demand for underground areas inventory, especially historic areas, the creation of 3D numerical models increases in popularity. It allows to increase the geotouristic potential of a particular area and to use solutions in support of the safety of tourists as well as the safety of area itself. The development of the terrestrial laser scanning technique is accompanied simultaneously by the development of means of digital data processing that was obtained in the form of point clouds. Those means use the commercial software as well as software available in the open source system. Both computing environments use algorithms enabling the processing of huge collections of points in automatized mode by using a number of open-access algorithms either freeware or dedicated. The methodology of numerical models development, described in this article, has been presented on the example of underground object “Rzeczka” (“Riese” Complex) located at the Sowie Range (SW Poland)