Digital Twin

The increasingly frequent occurrence of disasters and extraordinary events, such as floods and earthquakes, together with the ageing and deterioration of structures and infrastructure, makes their conscious and proactive management more necessary than ever. Most structures, including road infrastructure, were in fact built before the introduction of seismic design codes in the 1970s (or later): they are therefore vulnerable not only to seismic action but also to the effects of ageing and deterioration.

An emerging field of research addressing this challenge is based on creating a “digital twin” of structures. A digital twin is a virtual representation of an existing infrastructure which, precisely because it is digital, can and should be updated as new data on the real structure are collected. This virtual model can be used to obtain information and feedback on the real structure. With the help of artificial intelligence algorithms, it is also possible to explore “what-if” scenarios to assess the current condition of structures and any risks, schedule maintenance and evaluate predictive scenarios. A digital twin can be used for visualisation, monitoring, assessment, simulation, prediction, optimisation, management and more.

The ultimate goal of the research project is therefore greater resilience of structures through preventive measures, effective resource management and prioritisation, with a focus on seismic risk and on the ageing and deterioration of structures.

Role of ASDEA: Internal project

Activities:

• Analysis and definition of technical specifications
• Design and development of the finite element framework – digital twin
• Big data analysis and design of predictive algorithms
• Development of BIM models and predictive algorithms
• Testing and performance verification

Start date: 2020 · End date: 2022 · Total amount: €185,929.85

Funding line: Italian Law no. 160/2019 as amended – Fiscal years 2020-2021-2022

Related publications:

• Alessia Amelio, Roberto Boccagna, Maurizio Bottini, Guido Camata, Nicola Germano, et al. A disruptive strategy for structural health monitoring with STKO. 2nd Eurasian Conference on OpenSees, OpenSees Days 2022 Eurasia, July 2022, Turin, Italy. ⟨hal-03793253⟩
• L. Aceto, Alessia Amelio, Roberto Boccagna, Maurizio Bottini, Guido Camata, et al. A Self-Consistent Artificial Intelligence-Based Strategy for Structural Health Monitoring. Fifth International Conference on Railway Technology: Research, Development and Maintenance (RAILWAYS 2022), August 2022, Montpellier, France. ⟨hal-03784295⟩
• Alessia Amelio, Roberto Boccagna, Maurizio Bottini, Guido Camata, Nicola Germano, et al. Digital Twin: a Hybrid Approach for Structural Health Monitoring. Fifth International Conference on Railway Technology: Research, Development and Maintenance (RAILWAYS 2022), August 2022, Montpellier, France. ⟨hal-03773062⟩