Exploring the Potential of Digital Twins Across Construction Phases: A Review

Digital Twins, as virtual counterparts of physical assets, have gained significant attention over the past few years due to their growing number of applications across various fields, and the construction industry is no exception. Digital Twins hold immense potential for various applications throughout the different phases of the construction industry, including design and planning, construction, maintenance and operations, and even demolition. While Digital Twins offer significant applications in certain construction project phases, their applicability may vary across different stages. In this paper, first, we delve into the very essence of the Digital Twins and study them from multiple perspectives aiming to provide a comprehensive definition that can unravel the complexities and enhance understanding of this sophisticated concept. Then, we embark on a comprehensive journey, reviewing existing studies that explore the viability of implementing digital twins within the construction industry to categorie these studies according to the project phases they concern. Reviewing existing works reveals that the benefits of digital twins are particularly pronounced in certain phases, notably construction, and maintenance phases.