Implementing Digital Twin for Enhanced Construction Management

Building Information Modeling (BIM) is effective in design and planning, but the static nature of BIM makes it less effective in managing a construction site in real-time. To overcome this, the need for Digital Twins (DTs) with the Internet of Things (IoT) in physical site management has been emphasized. This paper proposes a DT framework for Indian construction sites, emphasizing physical and virtual environments, IoT communication, and feedback systems. The proposed framework adopts Levels of Detail (LoDs) for graphics, information, and site-related aspects such as manpower and equipment. The SLR has revealed the international research gaps in DT, which were further investigated by conducting a survey among 20 BIM experts from prominent Indian cities. The survey indicated that 70-80% of the respondents felt that DT would assist them in monitoring construction activity, increasing efficiency, increasing site safety, and utilizing LoDs. But they also cited difficulties such as fluctuating labor and high density in Indian cities. This paper proposes the combined use of DT, IoT, and BIM to overcome delays and expenses, and also proposes standardization of LoDs and the use of data fusion in DT.