Digital Transformation in African Heritage Preservation: A Digital Twin Framework for a Sustainable Bab Al-Mansour in Meknes City, Morocco

The advent of digital transformation has redefined the preservation of cultural heritage and historic sites through the integration of Digital Twin technology. Initially developed for industrial applications, Digital Twins are now increasingly employed in heritage conservation as dynamic, digital re...

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Main Authors: Imane Serbouti, Jérôme Chenal, Saâd Abdesslam Tazi, Ahmad Baik, Mustapha Hakdaoui
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-02-01
Series:Smart Cities
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2624-6511/8/1/29
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author Imane Serbouti
Jérôme Chenal
Saâd Abdesslam Tazi
Ahmad Baik
Mustapha Hakdaoui
author_facet Imane Serbouti
Jérôme Chenal
Saâd Abdesslam Tazi
Ahmad Baik
Mustapha Hakdaoui
author_sort Imane Serbouti
collection DOAJ
description The advent of digital transformation has redefined the preservation of cultural heritage and historic sites through the integration of Digital Twin technology. Initially developed for industrial applications, Digital Twins are now increasingly employed in heritage conservation as dynamic, digital replicas of physical assets and environments. These systems enable detailed, interactive approaches to documentation, management, and preservation. This paper presents a detailed framework for implementing Digital Twin technology in the management of heritage buildings. By utilizing advanced methods for data collection, processing, and analysis, the framework creates a robust data hub for Digital Twin Heritage Buildings (DT<sub>HB</sub>). This architecture enhances real-time monitoring, improves accuracy, reduces operational costs, and enables predictive maintenance while minimizing invasive inspections. Focusing on Bab Al-Mansour Gate in Meknes, Morocco, a significant cultural landmark, this research outlines the workflow for developing a Bab Al-Mansour DT<sub>HB</sub> platform. The platform monitors structural health and detects damage over time, offering a dynamic tool for conservation planning. By integrating innovative technologies with data-driven solutions, this study provides a replicable model for preserving heritage sites, addressing critical gaps in real-time monitoring, resource optimization, and environmental risk mitigation.
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issn 2624-6511
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publishDate 2025-02-01
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series Smart Cities
spelling doaj-art-7902347f8e714cd5bde77eee73bd46802025-08-20T03:11:22ZengMDPI AGSmart Cities2624-65112025-02-01812910.3390/smartcities8010029Digital Transformation in African Heritage Preservation: A Digital Twin Framework for a Sustainable Bab Al-Mansour in Meknes City, MoroccoImane Serbouti0Jérôme Chenal1Saâd Abdesslam Tazi2Ahmad Baik3Mustapha Hakdaoui4Center of Urban Systems (CUS), Mohammed VI Polytechnic University (UM6P), Ben Guerir 43150, MoroccoCenter of Urban Systems (CUS), Mohammed VI Polytechnic University (UM6P), Ben Guerir 43150, MoroccoOpen Minds Art and Culture, Mohammed VI Polytechnic University (UM6P), Ben Guerir 43150, MoroccoGeomatics Department, Architecture and Planning Faculty, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah 21589, Saudi ArabiaLaboratory of Applied Geology, Geomatic and Environment, Department of Geology, Faculty of Sciences Ben M’Sik, Hassan II University of Casablanca, Casablanca 20000, MoroccoThe advent of digital transformation has redefined the preservation of cultural heritage and historic sites through the integration of Digital Twin technology. Initially developed for industrial applications, Digital Twins are now increasingly employed in heritage conservation as dynamic, digital replicas of physical assets and environments. These systems enable detailed, interactive approaches to documentation, management, and preservation. This paper presents a detailed framework for implementing Digital Twin technology in the management of heritage buildings. By utilizing advanced methods for data collection, processing, and analysis, the framework creates a robust data hub for Digital Twin Heritage Buildings (DT<sub>HB</sub>). This architecture enhances real-time monitoring, improves accuracy, reduces operational costs, and enables predictive maintenance while minimizing invasive inspections. Focusing on Bab Al-Mansour Gate in Meknes, Morocco, a significant cultural landmark, this research outlines the workflow for developing a Bab Al-Mansour DT<sub>HB</sub> platform. The platform monitors structural health and detects damage over time, offering a dynamic tool for conservation planning. By integrating innovative technologies with data-driven solutions, this study provides a replicable model for preserving heritage sites, addressing critical gaps in real-time monitoring, resource optimization, and environmental risk mitigation.https://www.mdpi.com/2624-6511/8/1/29heritage buildingdigital twinHBIMdata-drivenpredictive maintenancereal-time monitoring
spellingShingle Imane Serbouti
Jérôme Chenal
Saâd Abdesslam Tazi
Ahmad Baik
Mustapha Hakdaoui
Digital Transformation in African Heritage Preservation: A Digital Twin Framework for a Sustainable Bab Al-Mansour in Meknes City, Morocco
Smart Cities
heritage building
digital twin
HBIM
data-driven
predictive maintenance
real-time monitoring
title Digital Transformation in African Heritage Preservation: A Digital Twin Framework for a Sustainable Bab Al-Mansour in Meknes City, Morocco
title_full Digital Transformation in African Heritage Preservation: A Digital Twin Framework for a Sustainable Bab Al-Mansour in Meknes City, Morocco
title_fullStr Digital Transformation in African Heritage Preservation: A Digital Twin Framework for a Sustainable Bab Al-Mansour in Meknes City, Morocco
title_full_unstemmed Digital Transformation in African Heritage Preservation: A Digital Twin Framework for a Sustainable Bab Al-Mansour in Meknes City, Morocco
title_short Digital Transformation in African Heritage Preservation: A Digital Twin Framework for a Sustainable Bab Al-Mansour in Meknes City, Morocco
title_sort digital transformation in african heritage preservation a digital twin framework for a sustainable bab al mansour in meknes city morocco
topic heritage building
digital twin
HBIM
data-driven
predictive maintenance
real-time monitoring
url https://www.mdpi.com/2624-6511/8/1/29
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