Opportunities and Threats of Adopting Digital Twin in Construction Projects: A Review

Abstract

Digital twin (DT) is recognized as a pillar in the transition from traditional to digital construction, yet the risks (opportunities and threats) associated with its implementation have not been thoroughly determined in the literature. In addition, there is a scarcity of research relating the risks of DT implementation to DT maturity levels, which has hindered the optimum consideration of such risks when DT is adopted at different maturity levels. To address these gaps, this study conducted a literature review of 1889 documents from Scopus and Web of Science databases. After rigorous filtration, 72 documents were selected and comprehensively reviewed. A total of 47 risk factors (RFs) were identified and categorized into opportunities (economic, technical, environmental and sustainability, monitoring and safety, and management) and threats (economic, technical, and policy and management). Subsequently, these RFs were mapped onto the five-level DT maturity model, providing users with insights into opportunities and threats on each level. The exhaustive list of RFs and proposed integration of a DT maturity model with corresponding RFs enables stakeholders to identify the risks in their specific use cases and facilitate the decision-making and success in transition across various levels of DT in real-life construction projects.