Joint Research on Digital Twins and Immersive Inspection of Structural Retrofits at ECPPM 2026

The Institute of Construction Informatics at TU Dresden contributed to the European Conference on Product and Process Modelling (ECPPM 2026) with the joint research paper “Digital Twins for Immersive Construction and Ambient Inspection of Structural Retrofits.”

The paper was authored by Markus Berger from the University of Rostock, Mukta Nisal and Hanwen Hu from the Institute of Construction Informatics at TU Dresden, and Johann Sinner and Birgit Beckmann from the Institute of Concrete Structures at TU Dresden. The interdisciplinary collaboration combines expertise in construction informatics, immersive technologies, digital twins, and structural engineering.

The research investigates how digital twins can support the planning, installation, and long-term monitoring of structural retrofits in existing buildings. A particular challenge is maintaining access to building information, sensor data, and spatial context throughout the different stages of a retrofit project. To address this, the paper proposes a multi-stage process model connecting BIM data, structural monitoring, and immersive and ambient visualization technologies.

As part of the joint research, the Institute of Construction Informatics contributed its expertise in BIM-to-XR integration and immersive building visualization. Using a campus building at TU Dresden as a case study, a BIM-derived building model was transferred from Autodesk Revit into Unity and prepared for interactive exploration in the university’s CAVE environment. The developed workflow automatically organizes building levels and components, assigns collision geometry, and enables immersive navigation and selective visibility control.

The resulting immersive environment allows users to examine spatial and technical relationships within the building, progressively reveal concealed components, and collaboratively inspect structural elements and technical systems. These capabilities provide a foundation for investigating how immersive model review can support retrofit planning and interdisciplinary collaboration.

By connecting BIM-based visualization with structural monitoring and digital twin concepts, the joint research explores how information can remain accessible and usable across the lifecycle of retrofitted building components—from initial planning and experimental testing to installation and long-term operation.

Publikation: Berger, M., Nisal, M., Hu, H., Sinner, J. und Beckmann, B. (2026): Digital Twins for Immersive Construction and Ambient Inspection of Structural Retrofits. European Conference on Product and Process Modelling (ECPPM 2026).