Mapping Digital Twin Technology Research Trends for Infrastructure Development in Emerging Economies

Digital twin technology (DTT) adoption in emerging economies remains limited despite its benefits, such as enabling real-time monitoring, simulation, and predictive maintenance of infrastructures. Hence, this study examines the research focus of DTT for infrastructure development in emerging economies through a bibliometric analysis of articles indexed in the Scopus database. The study adopted the following keywords for the search: (“digital twin”) AND (“built environment” OR “infrastructure” OR “construction industry” OR “construction sector”). The study used VOSviewer, a software designed explicitly for bibliometric literature reviews, to analyse the data. The findings indicate that DTT research in emerging economies has focused on decision-making, infrastructure management, and sustainability. Therefore, the findings suggest that more attention is required on how DTT can support sustainable construction practices, particularly in emerging economies with distinct challenges. In addition, the study points to the potential for future research on how DTT can be integrated into the architectural design process and improve building performance in emerging economies. This is important as it could enhance efficiency and minimise errors.