Digital Twin

THE CHALLENGE

Before implementing the initiative, the GISCD faced the following challenges:

• Traffic Accident Simulation: Analysing the impact of accidents on traffic required improvement.
• Building Inspection: To enhance proactive maintenance, virtual inspections with BIM and IoT required integration.
• Utility Infrastructure: Predictive maintenance was limited without a Digital Twin, raising costs and downtime as a result.
• Assist Monitoring: The lack of real-time data delayed effective monitoring and response.
• Data Integration: Without a unified platform, data silos hindered comprehensive analysis and decision-making.

THE SOLUTION

Dubai’s Digital Twin platform offers a real-world replica to support planning, decision-making, and urban management. The initial 3D models include Dubai Mall, Mall of the Emirates, and Dubai Marina, with ongoing updates. Features

The following features are modelled:

Buildings, Utility Services Network, Street Assets, Metro Station and Tracks, Bridges and tunnels, Bus Stations.

Drone/LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging)

Drones (LiDAR, aerial photography), mobile mapping, TIMMS (indoor mapping), and BIM/CAD for detailed 3D modelling.

Aerial photography

Using this technique would obtain several useful products, such as:

• DTM/DSM
• 3D Mesh

Mobile mapping

This technology will generate several end products such as:

• Point Clouds
• Panorama 360

TIMMS

Utilizing this technology will further capture several products:

• Point Cloud
• Panoramic Images
• Floor plan

BIM (Building Information Modelling) and CAD (Computer-Aided Design) models

The captured data is processed and validated before converting it into a 3D model which is then published on the portal from where the users can access it.

THE RESULT

The Digital Twin Platform for the Emirate of Dubai aims to achieve the following outcomes:

• Urban Planners can utilise the platform to model and simulate different scenarios of land use, infrastructure and transportation.
• Dubai Municipality can use the Digital Twin platform to monitor and optimise waste management.
• Departments involved in public safety can utilise the Digital Twin to model emergency scenarios like evacuation, handling pandemics, etc.
• Provide real-time data and insights to decision makers to make more informed, data-driven decisions.
• The platform could be used for predictive maintenance.
• The virtual platform will allow for evaluative testing of new scenarios ahead of real-world implementation.
• Improve sustainability by using the platform to identify opportunities to reduce energy consumption and minimize waste.

The GISCD has identified the following potential use cases which can help in improving operational efficiency.

• Interactive 3D Infrastructure analysis and simulation.
• Traffic Management
• Asset management for light pole
• Real estate management
• Healthcare

IMPACT ON SDGs

Based on the scope of the platform, the following two Sustainable Development Goals are impacted:

• SDG 3
• SDG 11

NOVELTY [Optional]

The core objective of building a Digital Twin Platform for the Emirate of Dubai primarily focuses on improving better decision making, improved operational efficiency, and enhancing public safety and security, as well as and improved sustainability.

The Digital Twin project is an ongoing initiative and is being implemented in phases. The vision is to develop the Digital Twin for the whole Emirate of Dubai. This requires continuous data capture efforts, data updates, data processing and publishing, in addition to the integrations with the real-time data