An implementation strategy for the application of digital twin for construction progress monitoring using wearable technologies

Challenges such as schedule delays and discrepancies between as built and planned structures are common issues in the construction industry. Consequently, effective monitoring and analysis of construction progress remain vital aspects of productivity. Digital twins provide a promising solution to these challenges by creating a digital replica of a corresponding real-world entity, enabling simulation, tracking, analysis, and various operations throughout its entire lifecycle. Digital twins have been applied to various construction lifecycle stages to address specific issues, including BIM, structural system integrity, facilities management, monitoring, logistics processes, and energy simulation. However, a significant gap remains in utilising digital twins for construction progress monitoring with safe, wearable technologies. Employing an exploratory mixed-method approach, the study combines qualitative and quantitative analyses to recommend using digital twin applications to monitor construction progress using wearable technologies. The study proposes an implementation strategy for construction progress monitoring by integrating BIM, multiple reality capture methods (GIS, IoT, UWB, WSN), digital twin technology, and wearable technology (AR). The framework outlines methods to create, record, synthesize, interpret, and visualise construction progress analytics, information, and summaries.