González, J; Barzellay Ferreira da Costa, B; Tam, V W Y and Haddad, A N (2025) Integration of 4.0 technologies towards the creation of digital twins. International Journal of Construction Management, 25(13), pp. 1516-1533. ISSN 1562-3599
Abstract
The crescent utilization of 4.0 technologies in the construction industry is bringing some benefits that can be useful to enhance the relationship between the built environment and the dwellers. One of these technologies is the BIM methodology, which can be utilized to create digital twins of buildings, enriched with data from sensors, and using intelligent processing, to permit an optimized management of the asset and in consequence, a better decision-making process. Currently, the integration of these 4.0 technologies in virtual models of buildings is in the early stages, and still lacking standardization processes to permit the creation of digital twins using BIM, sensor data, and artificial intelligence. For this reason, this research established as objective the comprehension of the current state of the literature regarding the creation of digital twins in the construction industry. A systematic literature review was executed contemplating a bibliometric and bibliographic analysis. The results retrieved 108 papers to be included in the study, considering two databases: Scopus and Web of Science, all of them in full version and in English language. The findings highlighted interoperability as the main issue, the necessity to develop more rapid, specified and secure models, and exhort the scientists to deepen the applicability of the available methodologies in real-world examples, as well as improving their capacitation. This research contributes to expand the comprehension about the integration of 4.0 technologies in the built environment, identifying opportunities and challenges to develop more complex and solid digital twin models.
| Item Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | 4.0 technologies; building information modelling; digital twin |
| Index terms: | database, methodology, integration, digital twin, decision-making process, artificial intelligence, sensor data, science, interoperability, standardization, built environment, building information modelling, construction industry, systematic literature review |
| Subjects: | research products and data, decision analysis, research methods, specialized education, performance measurement, systems and processes, organizational analysis, industry analysis, infrastructure and transport systems, research evaluation and metrics, digital engineering, artificial intelligence, data management, information systems |
| Topics: | Risk Management, Urban Studies, Quality Management, Digital Applications, Engineering Principles, Organizational Design, Education, Research Practice |
| Descriptive scope: | 4 PCTE |
N.B. Descriptive scope is a count of how many of the five facets of empirical research are indicated by the words used in title, abstract and keywords. It is not intended as a judgement on the research; merely a count of the kind of word we would expect to indicate Phenomenon, Concepts, Theoretical framing, Empirical techniques, Analytical techniques. If all five are present, then a code of “5 PCTEA” will indicate this. If you feel the coding for this record is questionable, we welcome discussion around the terms we matched or the way we categorized them. The facet you would expect may not be coded, or a facet may be coded inappropriately. This can also bear on a larger question, of which facets should be treated as defining in construction management research. Please get in touch, and we will look at it. More details here