In the midst of the digital era, the construction sector is undergoing a significant transformation. Architects, engineers, and construction professionals are witnessing the rapid emergence of digital technologies entering the market to enhance efficiency, safety, and sustainability within the industry.

ASHVIN as an innovative initiative is spearheading the adoption of digital twin technologies in the construction industry - virtual representations of construction assets. The ASHVIN digital twin system has been demonstrated in over 20 European construction and infrastructure sites, enabling the assessment of the system’s benefits, such as cost reduction, improved worker safety, and optimisation of design, construction, and maintenance phases. Furthermore, it bridges the gap between the different teams and workers involved in the construction project management.

Developing a digital twin system and engaging stakeholders

In October 2020, the ASHVIN project began as a collaborative research and innovation endeavour involving 15 European organisations, including universities, research organisations, SMEs and construction industry players. Their common objective was to enhance the construction sector through digital twin technologies and validate their effectiveness in real-world settings.

To achieve this, the multidisciplinary team developed a system with multiple technical layers enabling end-users to collect, analyse, and monitor data from construction sites or infrastructure assets, visualising them through a digital twin platform.

Following 3,5 years of rigorous research, technical development and pilot testing across airports, bridges, railways, buildings, and other infrastructure sites, the ASHVIN system has garnered invaluable feedback from over 23 involved public and private organisations. Stakeholders have praised its usability, particularly highlighting its user-friendly interface and ability to enhance communication streams among technical and non-technical workers, improving understanding of infrastructure sites' performance.

According to the Ministry of Transport and Sustainability in Spain, 'ASHVIN provides an easy interface for maintenance managers. For further development, the possibility of tracking critical components of the bridges, such as the expansion joints should be considered, representing the most recurrent damaged part for them.'

Transferring knowledge and a digital culture

With the research and pilots concluded, the focus now shifts towards knowledge transfer, fostering a culture of technology adoption within the sector, and collaborating on standardisation efforts. 

'ASHVIN has shaped future standardisation efforts in digital twin technologies for the built environment within CEN. However, there is still work to be done to facilitate their market integration, educate stakeholders on their usage, and integrate them into existing processes,' emphasised Timo Hartmann, professor at the Technical University of Berlin and ASHVIN’s coordinator.

Before digital twin technologies become a routine process in the construction industry, there are challenges related to data privacy that need to be addressed. It is important to find the best way to record data on construction sites without violating workers' rights. This requires a clear understanding of the type of data needed to improve efficiency and safety, as well as the reasons for collecting it.

'In the ASHVIN Project we generated the A.D.A.P.T (Availability, Demonstration, Accountability, Proportionality, Transparency) framework as a solution for better and secure open maintenance infrastructure data. This framework provides a structured approach to leveraging maintenance data effectively. It translates the principle of data justice into five practical recommendations for opening public infrastructure data,' expressed Selma Toktas, Data Security Manager in ASHVIN.

Digital twin technologies and artificial intelligence methods are revolutionizing the construction industry, and stakeholders adopting them will maintain competitiveness. Researchers and engineers in the ASHVIN project predict that integrating digital twin assistants into their routine work processes will become commonplace within the next five years, signalling a significant shift in construction project execution.

Technical deliverables and scientific publications of the project are open access and available here!