The Impossible Cathedral of Mejorada del Campo, Madrid: Utilizing Digitalization to Comprehend Its Geometry and Behavior

The cathedral of Mejorada del Campo was built single-handedly by Justo Gallego, using mostly recycled materials. He carried out his construction over a span of 60 years, despite lacking formal training in architecture or engineering. The cathedral is currently under the management of the NGO Mensajeros de la Paz, and requires a new project to legally guarantee its use by citizens. An operation that will be adapted to the precarious constructive reality of the building. To achieve this target, structural engineering work must be conducted to assess its condition and propose necessary reinforcements, ensuring its safe public use. To carry out this engineering study, extensive geometric and mechanical characterization is necessary, due to the absence of documentation and the unorthodox construction methods employed. The work utilized 3D scanning, drones, and techniques for obtaining both, destructive and non-destructive, mechanical characteristics. This document delves into the technical and aesthetic aspects of the cathedral, along with the reasons behind its construction. It also explores the advantages, disadvantages, and costs associated with various methods for digitizing the structural geometry.