Smart Materials and Digital Twins: Advancing Full-Lifecycle Sustainability of Urban Infrastructure

Abstract

Amid rapid urbanization and mounting environmental pressures, urban infrastructure sustainability has become a critical global agenda. While integrating smart materials (SMs) and digital twin (DT) technology is widely acknowledged to boost infrastructure resilience, its potential to drive full-lifecycle sustainability (design, construction, operation, maintenance, deconstruction) remains underexplored. This study addresses this gap by constructing a full-lifecycle sustainability framework for urban infrastructure based on SM-DT integration. It clarifies the synergistic mechanisms of SMs and DTs in optimizing resource efficiency, reducing environmental impacts and improving economic viability across lifecycle stages; analyzes integration paths for typical infrastructure (transportation, building, municipal utilities) targeting carbon neutrality and circular economy; presents Asian, European and North American case studies to verify sustainability effects; and discusses key challenges and targeted promotion strategies. The study provides a novel theoretical framework and practical guidance for stakeholders to advance sustainable urban development.

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