Creating Digital Representations and Data Models for Digital Twins to Promote Sustainability in Road Asset Management
Project ID: 2228cd1251 (You will need this ID for your application)
Research Theme: Digital Security and Resilience
UCL Lead department: Bartlett School of Sustainable Construction
Lead Supervisor: Tim Broyd
Project Summary:
The UK has considerable, aged highway and railway assets. To maintain and improve their condition whilst also transforming them into smart and sustainable infrastructure, it will be necessary to develop and use digital solutions and technologies. This can be accomplished using Digital twins, which can also help achieve net zero by 2050 in the UK. Creating a more secure and resilient digital society is the foundation of the next generation of DTs. Robust data models as the foundation are essential for adaptable DT architecture. The data models are like the cornerstone of a building, to strengthen the DT products and processes. Furthermore, the DT architecture benefits the applications of DT at the practical level.
This research aims to develop proof-of-concept data structure/models at the fundamental level and an integrated digital twin architecture at the implementation level for digital twinning in infrastructures, including roads highways, and railways, to support decision-making in operation and maintenance and reduce carbon emission.
The research will • Propose fundamental data models based on the existing data standards and reference models • Explore the precise metadata characterization and semantic relationships among infrastructure products and processes for monitoring carbon emission •Create the new data schema based on ontology and knowledge-based rules for modelling road digital twins • Design the integrated DT architecture to guide the implementation
The student will be based at The Bartlett School of Sustainable Construction, University College London, and will be supervised by Prof. Tim Broyd and Dr. Weiwei Chen.
We seek a highly capable and numerate individual, with relevant MSc qualification and expertise in at least one of the following topics: civil and construction engineering, information engineering or computer science. It would be useful (but not essential) for the candidate to have some expertise in any of the following: programming, operational research, transportation, or sustainable construction. Post-qualification experience in these areas would be helpful.