Digital Twin Railway: The Future of Railway Management

The technology of digital twins is also revolutionizing the railway sector, offering new solutions for the design, construction, and maintenance of infrastructures. However, these advanced virtual models could not express their full potential without the adoption of international standards such as the IFC (Industry Foundation Classes) format, which ensures data interoperability and consistency across the different stages of the infrastructure lifecycle. In particular, the development of extensions like IFC Rail meets the specific needs of the railway sector, ensuring more efficient and scalable data management.

This article explores the applications of digital twins for railways, with particular attention to their impact on operational efficiency, safety, and maintenance optimization throughout the entire lifecycle.

If you are an engineer, architect, surveyor, or technician in the construction sector interested in GIS and BIM technologies, this guide will provide you with a comprehensive overview of the topic and suggest digital twin software tools to keep up with innovation.

What is a digital twin in the railway sector?

A digital twin is a 3D virtual model that accurately and realistically reproduces an existing model. What is its purpose? It is created to manage the entire life cycle of the asset from its design, when it is still not built, to its demolition at the end of its life cycle.

The concept of digital twin railway refers to a virtual replica of a railway infrastructure or a related asset. This virtual representation is updated in real-time with data from the physical infrastructure, allowing for continuous monitoring and advanced simulations. The combined use of GIS and BIM technologies enables a holistic management of infrastructures, facilitating the planning and maintenance of the entire railway system, even when it comes to very extensive linear infrastructures in space.

Navigation of the digital twin railway model

Advantages of digital twin railway

Now that we have established what it is, let’s look at the advantages associated with its implementation in the world of railway infrastructure.

• Maintenance optimization
  One of the main benefits of using digital twins in the railway sector is the ability to constantly monitor the conditions of assets. This enables preventive maintenance, reducing operational costs and preventing unexpected failures, significantly lowering unnecessary expenses​.
• Improved design
  Thanks to 3D models and simulations, digital twins offer the possibility to visualize and test a project before its physical realization. During the design and construction phase, digital twins are essential for simulating different scenarios and assessing the impact of design decisions. This approach not only reduces costs but also allows for resolving potential issues before work begins. A successful case is the renewal project of the railway signaling in Bristol, where the use of a digital model significantly reduced design times.
• Operational efficiency
  The integration of real-time data from various sources allows for more efficient management of resources and railway operations. Digital twins provide a comprehensive view of activities, improving coordination among different operational departments​.
• Enhanced safety
  Constantly monitoring the infrastructure through digital twins allows for the identification and addressing of potential risks in real time. For example, the use of digital twin technology can foresee the inclusion of detected objects along the tracks that could interfere with train passage, thus improving safety​. Furthermore, creating a 3D model of the infrastructure allows for operator training programs (maintenance workers, technicians, builders, etc.) to be conducted directly in 3D, integrating the use of VR technology. This represents an important scenario for both worker safety during operations and securing the infrastructure in case of unforeseen events. To delve deeper into this topic, read also Training with virtual reality: understanding and managing construction site risks through VRI.
• Monitoring and operational simulations
  Digital twins are used to monitor in real time the conditions of trains and vehicles used for rail transport and optimize their management. This allows for prompt responses to any issues and ensures that daily operations run smoothly. The use of digital twins to simulate different operational scenarios is a valuable resource for staff training and testing new scenarios. For example, integration with artificial intelligence systems can be aimed at simulating scenarios for automated driving​.

BIM, GIS, and IFC: the Key to managing complex railway infrastructures

Railway infrastructure is, by its nature, very extensive in space. Therefore, we find ourselves with large-scale models whose management is closely linked to the environmental context in which the infrastructure is embedded.

For this reason, managing the BIM model of a railway is necessarily also related to GIS.

However, to ensure that these integrations are interoperable and scalable, it is essential to refer to international standards such as the IFC (Industry Foundation Classes) format, which allows for the modeling and sharing of complex data within the openBIM framework.

Among the most significant developments of the IFC format, IFC Rail represents a specific subcategory that focuses on the unique needs of the railway sector. Thanks to this extension, it is possible to describe in detail fundamental elements of railway infrastructure, such as tracks, switches, ties, and other structural components, improving the consistency and quality of shared information.

IfcRailDomain: The Standard that Transforms Railway Design

A crucial aspect of IFC Rail is the IfcRailDomain schema, developed to address the specificities of the railway sector that are not covered by general IFC schemas. This schema enables a detailed and standardized description of key components, promoting better lifecycle management of railway infrastructure.

Here are the main strengths of the IfcRailDomain:

• Specialized track elements: it defines components such as ties, derailers, and switches, ensuring an accurate representation of railway infrastructure.
• Classification of rails: it supports the identification and modeling of different types of rails, ensuring precise guidance for vehicles and machinery.
• Spatial structures for railway projects: it organizes railway models in spatial hierarchies, simplifying the management of complex projects.

The adoption of IfcRailDomain allows railway professionals to integrate advanced digital models with real-time monitoring systems, improving design, maintenance, and operations. This schema represents an essential tool for integrating BIM, GIS, and digital twin technology within modern railways.

A Case Application of GIS and BIM Integration for Digital Twin Railways

But how is the integration between BIM, GIS, and digital twin practically implemented in a scenario related to railway infrastructure?

The use of specific digital twin software is necessary.

To explore further, here is a video that clearly and thoroughly demonstrates how GIS, BIM, and digital twin technologies can be integrated to achieve an advanced management of railway infrastructures. The proposed solution allows for the creation of a complete and detailed geospatial view, thanks to the federation between a point cloud, generated by laser scanner surveys, and the existing BIM model of the railway modeled precisely from the point cloud. The BIM model will contain, in addition to geometric information, a series of properties and information entered by the user based on specific needs and directly accessible from the platform environment.

The use of this platform allows, in fact, to visualize in a single digital environment all the information of openBIM objects, updated in real time thanks to the use of the Common Data Environment (CDE).

Among the main advantages of the solution is the ability to have photos, documents, and data associated directly integrated with the point cloud and the BIM model, making all relevant information for infrastructure management easily accessible. Furthermore, users can monitor the railway network directly from a browser, without the need for complex software, improving speed and efficiency in control and maintenance.

An additional strength is the integration of immersive virtual reality (VRI), which allows for a completely realistic experience of the railway. Users can navigate the 3D model, select objects to consult properties and associated data, and even simulate driving a train, with a realistic view of the track and infrastructure. This combination of BIM, GIS, and VRI provides a powerful tool for optimizing the design, management, and maintenance of railways, reducing time and operational costs.

The video illustrates the main features of the solution:

• georeferencing the point cloud of the railway on a GIS map;
• federation between the point cloud and the BIM model of the railway;
• navigation of the 3D model of the infrastructure;
• visualization of detailed information on the objects of the model;
• consultation of the properties of the objects and the data associated with the 3D model;
• immersive virtual reality navigation of the GIS map, the BIM model in IFC format, and the point cloud.

This solution represents a fundamental innovation to improve the efficiency and safety of railway management.