RC115 NovDec 2024 - Magazine - Page 24
RISK ASSESSMENT
PROJECT
VISUALIZATION
Unlocking the future of risk assessment
with digital twins by Elena Theodoropoulos
ISTORICALLY, THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY has been slow to adapt to digital
change and innovation. This is despite demand for infrastructure
skyrocketing due to government stimulus such as the $1.2-trillion
Bipartisan Infrastructure Law in the U.S. and the $180-billion Investing
in Canada Plan in Canada. The strong demand for infrastructure is
being curbed by a shortage of skilled labour. Technological innovations
known in the construction sector as ‘con-tech’ can help deliver infrastructure
more e昀케ciently.
Con-tech can be used in all parts of the construction lifecycle—from the
design and planning stage, throughout the actual construction and into the
operations and maintenance phase. These innovations include design software,
robotics and tools to make scheduling or budgeting more e昀케cient and tools to
monitor construction site progress and safety.
Ontario’s recent $5-million investment in digital twin technology marks
a signi昀椀cant step forward in the evolution of using con-tech in Canadian
public infrastructure projects. By integrating digital twin technology, Ontario
is stepping into a transformation in infrastructure project management, with
far-reaching bene昀椀ts for risk mitigation. This investment has the potential not
only to save time and money, but also increase the ability to assess and mitigate
risks, leading to other results such as improved safety conditions for workers
on site.
The increasing use of digital twin technologies for public infrastructure
projects is already changing how Canada’s insurance industry approaches the
construction sector. Insurers are increasingly recognizing the value of con-tech
like digital twins in reducing risk. Some insurers are o昀昀ering lower premiums
for projects that use this technology—and in some cases even subsidizing its
implementation. Digital twin technologies are an all-around win for project
owners, contractors, governments, taxpayers and, yes, insurance companies.
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RENEW CANADA – NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2024
METROLINX
Elena
Theodoropoulos
is vice president
and account
executive for the
North American
Construction and
Infrastructure
Group at NFP, an
AON company.
Understanding digital twin technology
Digital twin technology creates a detailed virtual replica of a physical asset,
system or process. This digital model is continuously updated with real-time
data from multiple sources, which allows for a dynamic and accurate representation and the ability to test out multiple ‘what-if’ scenarios and simulations of
di昀昀erent risks.
Essentially, it creates a virtual model that is the exact counterpart of a physical thing. The idea of using a digital twin likely originated with NASA in the
1960s when the organization replicated a version of their spacecrafts on Earth
for study and simulation purposes. You may be familiar with the term Building
Information Modelling (BIM)—A digital twin is similar to BIM in that both can
model a project and allow many parties to collaborate. However, a digital twin
can have a real-time operational response. Due to the complexity of building a
digital twin, they are usually geared towards complex sectors. Therefore, the
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