A digital twin is a virtual model of a real physical object (e.g. machine, structure, technological unit, etc.) designed to faithfully represent the physical properties of its real twin entity and provide the end user with information based on the contextualization of measured data and results obtained using different simulation technologies.
The root of the digital twin is the ability to receive a real-time records of the state of a physical object from measurement of physical quantities by sensors (temperature, pressure, voltage, displacement, etc.) and not only display this measured data, but also compare it with the outputs of a calibrated simulation model that forms an integral part of the functional core of the digital twin. The use of both sensor-measured data and simulation model outputs within a single software framework for physical object state assessment and prediction is key to digital twin technology.
M. Pregnolato, S. Gunner, E. Voyagaki, R. De Risi, N. Carhart, G. Gavriel, P. Tully, T. Tryfonas, J. Macdonald, C. Taylor, Towards Civil Engineering 4.0: Concept, workflow and application of Digital Twins for existing infrastructure, Automation in Construction, Volume 141, 2022, 104421, ISSN 0926-5805
The root of the digital twin is the ability to receive a real-time records of the state of a physical object from measurement of physical quantities by sensors (temperature, pressure, voltage, displacement, etc.) and not only display this measured data, but also compare it with the outputs of a calibrated simulation model that forms an integral part of the functional core of the digital twin. The use of both sensor-measured data and simulation model outputs within a single software framework for physical object state assessment and prediction is key to digital twin technology.
We provide our customers with establishing digital twins of concerned engineering structures (bridges, high-rise buildings, water dams, tunnels and geotechnical constructions, deep CO2 storage under the CCS strategy, etc.) utilizing our in-house developed software platform, deep knowledge in FEM-simulations, structural assessment and programming.
The crucial benefits of digital twins for technical safety and supervision:
- Continuous safety assessment.
- Predictive maintenance based and actual load history.
- Inducement for active management and feedback.
Together with CREA Hydro&Energy z.s. and VODNI DILA – TBD a.s. we have created digital twin of important water dam VD Bystřička (located in Czech Republic).
The development of such an interface in the form of a digital twin has been made possible using available technologies in the field at the current state of knowledge:
- measurement techniques enabling instantaneous data transmission,
- software tools for performing complex numerical simulations based on the finite element method – ANSYS,
- software tools for stochastic analysis and regression statistical modelling,
- and the necessary know-how in software development and production.
VD Bystřička digital twin provide technical-and-safety supervisors with unique and instant information about current state of the water dam construction.