Geometric Accuracy of Digital Twins for Structural Health Monitoring

We present an exploratory analysis of the geometric accuracy of digital twins generated for existing infrastructure using point clouds. The Level of Geometric Accuracy is a vital specification to measure the twinning quality of the resulting twins. However, there is a lack of a clear definition of the Level of Geometric Accuracy for twins generated in the operation and maintenance stage, especially for structural health monitoring purposes. We critically review existing industry applications and twinning methods. To highlight the technical challenges with creating high-fidelity digital replicas, we present a case study of twinning a bridge using real-world point clouds. We do not provide conclusive methods or results but envisage potential twinning strategies to achieve the desired geometry accuracy. This chapter aims to inform the future development of a geometric accuracy-based evaluation system for use in twinning and updating processes. Since a major barrier for a fully automated twinning workflow is the lack of rigorous interpretation of ‘geometric accuracy’ outside design environments, it is imperative to develop comprehensive standards to guide practitioners and researchers in order to achieve model certainty. As such, this chapter also aims to educate all stakeholders in order to minimise risk when drafting contracts and exchanging digital deliverables.