Digital Twins as Enabler in Circular Construction Management

Abstract

With the increasing attention on circularity and digitalization in the built environment, Digital Twins (DT), as a means of linking the digital world and real-world data, is considered as an enabler of circular construction (CC) and dealing with the related societal challenges, such as slowing the material and resource loops, optimizing the decision-making, reducing waste, and lowering the overall cost. Despite these benefits, the application of DT-based CC is still in early development. Several gaps need to be addressed: the lack of information on building the DT model; the fragmented application of the DT concept across the project life cycle; and the lack of a framework in using DT to implement CC. Therefore, this thesis aims to analyze the role of DT and CC in a project's life cycle and to develop a framework for using DT technologies to implement CC. A qualitative methodology is applied in three phases: theoretical research, empirical research, and synthesis. A systematic literature review is conducted to develop the knowledge framework of using DT for CC. Focus groups and a case study are used in integrating stakeholder perspectives in the knowledge framework for practice. In the end, a DT-based CC management framework is proposed for benefiting circular project management.