Integrated tunnel design: connecting subsurface data to engineering reality The implementation of digital twins isn’t simply about adopting new software tools. It requires developing a new way for how different disciplines communicate and collaborate. This process consists of several key elements. Rather than periodic data transfers between disciplines, digital twins require continuous integration of new information. Borehole logs, geophysical surveys, tunnel convergence measurements, and other data sources flow into a common environment where they immediately influence the collective understanding. This continuity is enhanced through solutions, including Bentley OpenGround’s geotechnical extension, which seamlessly integrates subsurface data with civil design applications that include Bentley OpenRoads, OpenRail, OpenBridge, and OpenTunnel. The extension allows geotechnical data to be directly imported and visualized in plan, 3D, profile, and cross-section views, eliminating data silos and ensuring that the latest subsurface information is immediately available to all stakeholders. This continuity eliminates the “stale data” problem that has affected traditional workflows, where decisions might be made based on outdated information simply because the latest findings haven’t been processed and shared. Visual thinking at scale Humans are inherently visual thinkers, yet much of subsurface engineering has historically relied on numerical tables, charts, and written reports. Digital twins harness our

Beyond digital models: The digital twin paradigm shift Digital twins have revolutionized projects in engineering circles for years, but its application to the subsurface realm represents a new way of thinking. The best way to understand the underground isn’t as a static model of what lies beneath—it should be a living, dynamic representation that evolves as new data emerges and as our understanding deepens. The multidiscipline digital approach initiates a conversation between these disciplines, between data and interpretation, between what we know and what we’re learning. It’s this conversation that marks the true paradigm shift. Italy’s underground renaissance: A transformative implementation To begin to understand the practical impact of this shift, consider Italy’s aging tunnel network—a vast, 2,500-kilometer underground arterial system built primarily in the 1960s and 1970s. These tunnels, critical to the country’s transportation infrastructure, face mounting challenges from decades of use and evolving safety standards. Tecne Systra took on this challenge by reimagining how tunnel assessment and rehabilitation could work in a digital age. Their approach didn’t simply digitize existing processes, it fundamentally transformed them. The reimagined workflow begins not with disciplinary handoffs, but with integrated data collection. Borehole TV cameras, flat jacks, core drilling, and other investigative