A recent study published in Engineering explores the potential of digital twin (DT) technology in revolutionizing road engineering and its lifecycle applications. Amid global challenges in digitizing road infrastructure, DT technology emerges as a promising solution.
Conducted by scholars from Tongji University and Harbin Institute of Technology (Shenzhen), the research systematically reviews DT-enabling technologies, including model creation, condition sensing, data processing, and interaction. Currently, digital road technologies in road engineering are advancing rapidly but remain in a developmental stage. Research primarily focuses on data perception and virtual model creation, while real-time data processing and interactions between physical and virtual models require further exploration.
Digital transformation (DT) in road engineering has been applied across the full lifecycle, from planning and design to demolition and reconstruction. In the planning and design phase, DT integrates engineering data with environmental conditions to optimize route selection and pavement design. For instance, a DT-MCDM-GIS framework (where MCDM is Multi-Criteria Decision Making and GIS is Geographic Information System) for urban road planning has been successfully implemented in Bromley, UK. During construction, DT aids in resource allocation, quality control, and progress monitoring. In operation and maintenance, it is crucial for monitoring pavement health, managing road assets, and informing maintenance decisions. However, DT applications in the demolition and reconstruction phase remain limited.
Despite the immense potential of digital road technologies, their application in road engineering faces several challenges. There is a lack of unified understanding and standards in the industry, with varying interpretations of digital road DT across studies, and no dedicated standards yet for constructing DT systems in road engineering. Enabling technologies also require further innovation, such as diversifying digital road modeling tools to better integrate surface and internal models, and improving data acquisition and interaction technologies, including enhanced data fusion and real-time interoperability capabilities.
The researchers recommend that future efforts focus on establishing uniform standards, developing innovative perception and data interaction technologies, optimizing development costs, and expanding lifecycle applications. Through these initiatives, DT technology is poised to deliver greater benefits to road engineering, enhancing efficiency, safety, and sustainability. This research offers a comprehensive overview of DT technology in road engineering, providing valuable insights for future research and development in the field.
