Hoover Dike USA – Experiences with the use of a digital twin in specialist civil engineering

Clewston, USA. Paper is outdated, the digital twin is reality!

This is how evaluations and production optimisations run in a matter of seconds in digital form. The customer is aware of that as well and that is the reason why the customer demand data management on the Herbert Hoover Dike contract. Production parameters are recorded every second by the CSM rig using various sensors and saved in a production file. In addition, all project-relevant data (reports, images, videos …) are stored centrally and are made available for the customer on a daily basis. All project parties have the possibility to follow the process of the construction site on a digital replica and are able to start control measures for the execution or planning.

The production data are read into the relevant production data management system “b-project”, processed, and stored in a standardised database. The production logs, quality checks or overlap calculations generated from this twin are created completely automatically by b-project. The overlaps between the individual constructed Cutter Soil Mix (CSM) elements are required by the customer in three different levels and every 10 feet (approx. 3 m).

No 2D/3D modelling software or other programs are required for the visualisation and calculations. The data and tools are implemented in the software. A data manager sets up the system on the construction site and raises an alarm if there are any quality defects. As a result, location-independent control measures can be initiated in the shortest possible time after the element has been manufactured. All data can be accessed worldwide. In this way, the efficiency of the measures initiated can be traced directly on the digital twin.

A 3D geographical information system (GIS) system opens another form of visualisation and documentation for the digital image of the project. This enables a uniform understanding of the project and visual monitoring of target/actual states.