Digital twins and AI in civil engineering: a sustainability review from Colombia

Abstract

Urban and territorial planning processes in most Latin American countries have not kept pace with urbanisation dynamics, placing significant pressure on civil infrastructure. In this context, digital twins (DT) and artificial intelligence (AI) are emerging as strategic tools for promoting more resilient and sustainable systems. This article presents a critical review of the methodologies implemented in Latin America between 2018 and 2025 in three areas of civil engineering: transport, geotechnics, and structural systems. The analysis considers technological maturity through technology readiness levels (TRL), interoperability, and contribution to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The review was based on international databases (Scopus, Web of Science, and IEEE Xplore) and regional sources. The studies were comparatively analysed by country and domain using approximate TRL classifications, interoperability criteria among building information modelling–geographic information systems–Internet of Things–AI platforms, and alignment with the SDGs. The results show that the implementation of these technologies in the region has been slow and fragmented, with specific applications in predictive maintenance and monitoring, approximate TRL between TRL 3 and 5, and limitations in methodological standardisation. In Colombia, delays in the development of public policies condition the contextualised adaptation and large-scale deployment of these methodologies for sustainable and resilient infrastructure.