Applicability of digital twin technology for quality management in the Sri Lankan construction industry

Abstract

The construction industry in Sri Lanka is grappling with challenges such as cost, time, and quality issues, which impact project delivery, productivity, and overall performance. The current Quality Management (QM) systems are primarily paper-based, labourintensive, and inefficient, hindering the ability to identify and manage defects. To improve Quality Management performance, fully automated and intelligent systems are required. The application of Digital Twin (DT) can offer real-time insights to enhance Quality Management procedures. However, the Sri Lankan construction industry is lagging in adopting Digital Twin technology due to implementation barriers. This study aimed to explore the applicability of Digital Twin for quality management in the Sri Lankan construction industry. A critical literature review was conducted, involving 15 experts interviewed using semi-structured interviews. The study found that Digital Twin improves the efficiency and effectiveness of the Quality Management process by integrating with quality standards and regulations, improving communication, material quality control, automatic quality checks, transparency, improved quality documentation, stakeholder participation in quality decisions, and prompt resolution of problems. This study identifies barriers to implementing Digital Twin in construction and suggests overcoming them. The results of this study indicate that Digital Twin has a higher potential than the traditional method currently used for Quality Management in the Sri Lankan construction industry.