SAAN has been actively exploring the concept of digital twin on its application on large infrastructure projects. Recently when working on Zhengzhou International Airport’s (CGO) Phase 3 Expansion project, SAAN’s design team built an extensive 3D model of the existing airport before designing any expansion work, analyzing the airport’s evolution and getting an in-depth understanding of its current condition. We adapted the technology to CGO’s existing systems, finding predictive tendencies that established a trending direction for the master plan of the airport’s future growth.

A digital twin is an up-to-date representation of an actual physical asset in operation. As a representation of an asset in operation, a digital twin reflects the current asset condition and includes relevant historical data about the asset. A digital twin has the power to depict the past, the present, and the future. It can be used to evaluate the current condition of the asset and, more importantly, predict future behavior, refine the control, or optimize operation.

An airport is one of the largest man-made infrastructures with complex systems and structures. Using the concept of digital twins, we can allow for rapid iterations and optimizations of airport designs — faster and more accurate. What’s more, digital twins can result in significant improvements in the continuity of design progression and achieve a relatively ideal proposal.