Research on digital twin technology and its application in intelligent operation and maintenance of high-speed railway infrastructure

Purpose This paper analyzes the application of digital twin technology in the field of intelligent operation and maintenance of high-speed railway infrastructure from the perspective of top-level design. Design/methodology/approach This paper provides a comprehensive overview of the definition, connotations, characteristics and key technologies of digital twin technology. It also conducts a thorough analysis of the current state of digital twin applications, with a particular focus on the overall requirements for intelligent operation and maintenance of high-speed railway infrastructure. Using the Jinan Yellow River Bridge on the Beijing–Shanghai high-speed railway as a case study, the paper details the construction process of the twin system from the perspectives of system architecture, theoretical definition, model construction and platform design. Findings Digital twin technology can play an important role in the whole life cycle management, fault prediction and condition monitoring in the field of high-speed rail operation and maintenance. Digital twin technology is of great significance to improve the intelligent level of high-speed railway operation and management. Originality/value This paper systematically summarizes the main components of digital twin railway. The general framework of the digital twin bridge is given, and its application in the field of intelligent operation and maintenance is prospected.