Why BIM Needs Digital Twins
3
What is a Digital Twin?
The term digital twin is fairly intuitive. In layman's terms, it means exactly what it
sounds like: a digital twin is a digital representation of a physical asset. This is to say
that a digital twin is a digital equivalent of a real-world component on the jobsite.
It could represent something as macro as an entire structure all the way down to
something as micro as a length of pipe and everything in between.
Digital twins are up-to-date copies of physical objects that deliver information on the
object's properties and states. Information can include physical orientation such as
shape, position, gesture, or motion, as well as insight into other statuses, interactions,
and updates. Digital twins align the real world with the virtual world and help
illuminate the impact the environment has on a given physical asset.
A digital twin is more than just a schematic. This digital tool is dynamic — it offers
more understanding than a mere blueprint since digital twins are capable of
recalibrating automatically. As a physical asset adjusts to a new environment, user
interaction, updated calibrations, etc. the digital twin adjusts accordingly. A digital twin
is able to learn from multiple sources and update to represent the status, condition,
and position of its real-world counterpart.
