Digital twin-enabled BIM-blockchain integration for automated and transparent construction progress payments

Slow and disputed progress payments undermine contractor liquidity and project schedules due to manual verification, fragmented data, and limited transparency. This paper presents a prototype system that incrementally integrates digital twin (DT), building information modeling (BIM), and blockchain to automate milestone-based payments. The continuously updated DT is conceptualized as a dynamic oracle, capturing real-time site conditions and comparing them with structured BIM milestones. Verified achievements trigger Ethereum smart contracts referencing Merkle-proofed evidence stored off-chain in InterPlanetary File System (IPFS), with disbursements authorized via Gnosis Safe multi-signature wallets. A prototype on a police station project shortened verification to payment from several days to minutes and eliminated disputes across all milestones. A survey of industry professionals confirmed gains in efficiency, transparency, and trust. The proposed system provides a practical foundation for transparent, automated payments and offers pathways for future adoption such as stablecoin settlement and public sector integration. • Digital twins resolve blockchain oracle challenges in construction payments. • BIM-blockchain integration reduces payment verification from days to minutes. • Smart contracts with multi-signature governance secure transaction integrity. • Stakeholders confirm enhanced payment speed, transparency, and trust.