Digital twin in computational design and robotic construction of wooden architecture

Abstract

This study proposes a cyber-physical interconnection method for computational design and robotic construction in a wooden architectural realm. It aims to provide a highly efficient, flexible, and adaptive design-construction approach by continuously updating digital models and physical operations according to the locally sourced materials. A perception-modeling system to scan the source materials on-site and send their data simultaneously to design software was developed by using physical sensors and computational technologies in an innovative manner. The data was used for architectural programs to generate design outcomes and guide the robotic construction. The novelty of this study is to establish a real-time, bidirectional interaction mechanism between digital design and physical construction. The design outcome is no longer a fixed, predefined geometric model but a dynamic, data-driven model which would be updated by material conditions on-site. The construction robot is able to make synchronous adjustment automatically in coordination with the dynamic design. The success of the iterative perceiving-simulating-updating loop was demonstrated by building two pavilions.