PAIR Distinguished Lecture Series: Digital Twinning the Built Environment

Prof. Ioannis BRILAKIS of the University of Cambridge delivered the 14th PAIR Distinguished Lecture titled “Digital Twinning the Built Environment” on 8 March 2024. The hybrid lecture attracted over 370 participants joining in person and online from more than 40 countries and regions across Australia, Asia, Europe and North America. It was also broadcast live on multiple social media platforms, captivating online viewing audience of over 13,100.

The lecture commenced with a welcome speech by Prof. CHEN Qingyan, Director of PAIR, followed by a brief speaker introduction by Prof. Christopher CHAO, Vice President (Research and Innovation).

In his presentation, Prof. Brilakis first gave a brief introduction to digital twins (DT), pointing out that DT plays a central role in digital transformation. Next, he elaborated on the application of DT in the construction industry and explained how DT is involved in the planning, design, construction, maintenance and operation processes. He introduced research conducted at the University of Cambridge on inexpensive methods for generating object-oriented infrastructure geometry, detecting, and mapping visible defects on the resulting DT, automatically extracting defect spatial measurements, and sensor and sensor data modelling. Prof. Brilakis also provided examples of how these resulting DT are further exploited in design for manufacturing and assembly (DfMA), mixed-reality-enabled mobile inspection, and proactive asset protection from accidental damage. To conclude, Prof. Brilakis stated that DT, smart materials, data science, and automation & bobotics, constitute important digital assets for driving sustainability, and pointed out the future development directions in these areas.

A question-and-answer session moderated by Prof. DING Xiaoli, Director of the Research Institute for Land and Space (RILS), and Prof. WANG Yuhong, Member of RILS, followed. This session provided both the online and on-site audience with an opportunity to engage in a fruitful discussion with Prof. Brilakis.