A Conceptual Framework for Implementing Digital Twins in Infrastructure Upgrades and Retrofits

Abstract

The United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 9 emphasizes the need for sustainable and resilient infrastructure. An important pathway to achieving this goal is to upgrade and retrofit existing infrastructure to reduce carbon emissions, which is a top priority of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law in the United States. Existing research has recognized that Digital Twins (DTs) are valuable for retrofits. Yet, current efforts are fragmented, focusing on specific types of infrastructure, and do not provide an approach that can be applied to the aggregated infrastructure stock. The variety of infrastructure systems makes focusing on DT-based methods for infrastructure upgrades and retrofits at an aggregate level difficult, as different types of infrastructure will require different approaches. This paper presents an early-stage conceptual framework to address this gap by proposing a generic system of systems approach to DT modeling for infrastructure upgrades and retrofits, employing a systems technology view within the General Systems Theory paradigm and theoretical elaboration of foundational DT components. The proposed framework offers a standardized method that considers the interdependencies of components of various infrastructure systems, towards tracking relevant information through the construction, in-use, and end-of-life phases, as well as evaluating green financing as a crucial component of infrastructure retrofits.