By Nidhi DhullReviewed by Susha Cheriyedath, M.Sc.Aug 21 2024A recent review article published in Production & Manufacturing Research explored the construction sector’s transition from Building Information Modeling (BIM) to Digital twin (DT) technologies. The article discussed the current state-of-the-art opportunities and challenges of adopting DT as an extension of BIM.
Study: From building information modeling to construction digital twin: a conceptual framework. Image Credit: 1st footage/Shutterstock.com
Background
The construction industry is evolving with new technologies such as BIM to enhance project delivery, streamline operations, and improve efficiency. However, global BIM adoption is slow due to the perceived risks and challenges associated with its development. Moreover, misconceptions regarding BIM’s potential in overcoming the challenges of the construction sector have resulted in its abandonment in various projects.
Despite several advantages, BIM is limited in providing more sophisticated digital solutions. Alternatively, emerging DT technology can extend BIM capabilities through interaction between digital and real environments. A DT is a virtual replica of a physical asset like a building incorporating real-time data from sensors and other digital systems.
Integrating BIM with DT allows stakeholders to access a holistic and dynamic representation of buildings. This advances the processes of monitoring, predictive analysis, and operation optimization. Thus, this article investigated the potential benefits and limitations of transitioning from BIM to DT in the construction sector.
Methodology
A systematic literature review (SLR) involving the three steps of preparation, operation, and documenting was performed using Scopus as the main database. A total of 204 relevant articles were identified and analyzed using VOSviewer® software before shortlisting.
Based on the identified gaps, three research areas were formulated. These include limitations of BIM pushing adoption of DT during construction execution and operation and maintenance (O&M) phase; advantages of integrating BIM with DT in the O&M phase; and gaps in the evolution of BIM into DT in construction.
BIM Limitations
There is a lack of considerable emphasis on illustrating BIM advantages in building projects’ design and creation phases. This aspect is considered established knowledge rather than a current research topic due to the standardization of BIM in numerous countries.
‘IFC’ and ‘COBie’ files are considered standardized BIM information interchange formats. However, the usability of these databases has various limitations and problems. The data and information collected are generally incomplete, obsolete, or fragmented, inhibiting BIM application for a complete digital lifecycle of a building project.
BIM models not updated regularly are ineffective in decision-making and do not provide additional value in the maintenance phase. Moreover, despite its widespread use, the IFC standard cannot handle real-time data efficiently. Consequently, BIM’s reliance on a static database restricts its adaptability to dynamic maintenance requirements.
DT Advantages
DT technologies create a virtual replica of a physical building, enabling facility managers to monitor and control different aspects of the building in real time. They leverage Internet of Things (IoT) sensors for proactive identification and prediction of maintenance needs, thereby reducing downtime, improving asset performance, and enhancing cost efficiency.
DT improves the efficiency of energy-saving methods by providing insights into energy consumption patterns, facilitating better energy management and optimization. Moreover, the comprehensive and up-to-date information from DT allows facility managers to make informed decisions regarding resource allocation, energy usage, and occupant comfort.
The benefits of DT extend beyond individual buildings to urban-scale monitoring of multiple buildings, communities, and cities. Data from various sources such as IoT devices, environmental sensors, and smart infrastructure enable comprehensive analysis of urban spaces.
Current Gaps in BIM to DT Transition
The lack of established standards and protocols is a significant challenge in the construction sector’s transition from BIM to DT technology. This hampers the seamless interoperability between these two technologies and the effective utilization of DT for facility management.
DT must handle the multi-modal integration of heterogeneous status information, including sensor data, images, and measurements. This requires a flexible architecture design and the implementation of data fusion methods to ensure a coherent representation of varied data sources.
Notably, the working hypotheses and knowledge about DT are still fragmented and limited to single case studies. Moreover, the few concrete cases reported in the literature are simple constructions such as bridges or roads and not complex buildings. Thus, BIM-DT integration requires developing standard protocols, establishing clear frameworks, adopting a human-centric approach, investing in training and education programs, etc.
Conclusion and Future Prospects
Overall, the researchers comprehensively investigated the limitations of the BIM technology, potential improvements, and potential of DT methods in construction execution and O&M phase.
However, this study has limitations. It considered only scientific publications in the Scopus database, including journal and conference papers; books, reports, manuscripts, and trade journals were excluded. Moreover, the literature not written in English was not analyzed. Another limitation of this study is the restricted search period from 2011 onwards.
The researchers suggest exploring requirements for the transition of BIM to DT, comparing DTs used in different fields, and specific use cases in the construction sector in the future.
Journal Reference
Revolti, A., Gualtieri, L., Pauwels, P., & Dallasega, P. (2024). From building information modeling to construction digital twin: a conceptual framework. Production & Manufacturing Research, 12(1). DOI: 10.1080/21693277.2024.2387679, https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/21693277.2024.2387679
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