Digital Twin Approach for the Ergonomic Evaluation of Vertical Formwork Operations in Construction

Construction formwork activities are physically demanding and repetitive, increasing the risk of work-related musculoskeletal disorders. This study proposed a digital twin approach to evaluate the ergonomic risks associated with vertical formwork operations using steel formwork systems in Indian construction projects. The on-site observation captured the workers' postures, allowing for more reproducible and thorough evaluations. The researchers selected the significant postures, and the real scenario was replicated in a virtual environment and performed a simulation to evaluate the ergonomic risks involved in the tasks. The findings indicated that the workers were at high risk of developing musculoskeletal disorders in the trunk, neck, wrist, and arm during formwork operations which could result in long-lasting harm to the workers. The recommendations were provided based on the study findings, including changes in methods to avoid and reduce the signs of musculoskeletal disorder risk caused by the original operations. The study findings show how digital twins could be used to evaluate ergonomic risks associated with construction activities.