The DRF Lunchtime Clinic welcomes visiting academic, Dr Farnaz Sadeghpour, Associate Professor in Construction Engineering and Management at the Schulich School of Engineering at Department of Civil Engineering of Calgary University. Farnaz wil be talking on Rethinking Safety in Construction: A Dynamic Digital Twin for Smart Site Operations.
Abstract
The construction industry faces serious safety challenges, with high rates of injuries and fatalities from falls and collisions. This presentation introduces an innovative Dynamic Digital Twin (DDT) framework that, among other capabilities, can help enhance safety on construction sites. By integrating Real-Time Locating Systems (RTLS) with Digital Twin technology, DDTs enable continuous, high-fidelity modeling of worker and equipment trajectories within the built environment. This supports context-aware analysis of interactions with static elements in the Building Information Model (BIM). The framework delivers accurate real-time tracking and predictive analytics, enabling proactive incident prevention. By detecting hazards and risks in real time and generating early warnings, DDTs can significantly reduce accidents and near-misses, offering a transformative approach for safety and operations management in construction sites and other dynamic, high-risk environments.
Bio
Dr. Farnaz Sadeghpour is an Associate Professor in the Department of Civil Engineering at the University of Calgary. Her research interests lie at the intersection of construction site operations and logistics, digital innovation, and construction safety. She leads transdisciplinary efforts to improve safety and operations on construction sites using Real-Time Locating Systems and Digital Twin technology. With a strong background in technology development and industry collaboration, she leads a research team comprising experts from diverse disciplines, including civil, geomatics, and software engineering, psychology and human factors, kinesiology, and population health and safety.
Dr. Sadeghpour is a leader for advancing Equity, Diversity, Inclusivity, and Accessibility (EDIA) in engineering. She currently serves as Vice President – Technical of the Canadian Society for Civil Engineering (CSCE). Dr. Sadeghpour was inducted as a CSCE Fellow for her contributions to the advancement of civil engineering in Canada and is currently a Visiting Academic Fellow at the University of Cambridge.