Digital twin in construction: An empirical analysis

Construction is one of the most information-intensive industries where information needs to be readily available, accurate, timely, and in a format that is understandable by the recipient. Information needs to be effectively exchanged throughout the lifecycle - from conceptual planning to decommissioning. As Industry 4.0 continues to evolve, it is imperative that construction adopts new technologies. A key element of the Industry 4.0 roadmap is Digital Twin, a digitization technology that allows the physical and virtual space to communicate. While Digital Twin is rapidly being adopted in multiple sectors, the technology has the potential to leverage construction data. This paper synthesizes the current state of practice of Digital Twin in construction by reviewing the extant literature and proposes a framework that classifies the level of integration in construction into three subcategories namely: Digital Model, Digital Shadow, and Digital Twin. A conceptual illustration of Digital Twin in construction is also presented.