Digitalization and Sustainability in Linear Projects Trends: A Bibliometric Analysis

Abstract

Linear infrastructure projects, including roads, tunnels, and railroads, are vital for the socioeconomic advancement of regions and nations. Given their large scale, these projects require significant resources, leading to substantial environmental impacts and demanding the collaboration of professionals from multiple disciplines. In this context, it is essential to adopt strategies that favor digitalization to enhance the sustainability of such projects by automating the analysis of various alternatives. Despite the proliferation of studies in this area, there needs to be more research synthesizing the main trends in digitalization and sustainability in linear projects. Given this knowledge gap, this study focuses on identifying and analyzing the main trends in digitalization and sustainability in the context of linear infrastructure projects. To this end, a comprehensive bibliometric analysis of a selected set of papers has been carried out. The research method follows five main steps: (1) scope definition, (2) selection of bibliometric analysis techniques, (3) data collection, (4) bibliometric analysis execution, and (5) evidence analysis and synthesis. An analysis of 419 documents was done, applying performance analysis and scientific mapping techniques. The results reveal that trends in digitalization and sustainability in linear projects can be categorized into five main clusters: road construction, road administration, life cycle analysis, digitalization of linear infrastructure, and sustainable development, leading this line of research towards computer-aided design technologies such as BIM, GIS, and computer vision to study sustainable development throughout the whole life cycle analysis of linear infrastructure projects.

Harnessing digital technologies for triple bottom line sustainability in the banking industry: a bibliometric review

“…The overwhelming majority of publications come from the following six countries: China (n = 51), Spain (n = 24), India (n = 23), UK (n = 16), Malaysia (n = 14), and Indonesia (n = 12). Nevertheless, two of the most technologically and digitally proficient nations, such as China and India, share a strong commitment to sustainable development and BIM initiatives [82] which matches their escalating trend of publication from period III, since 2019. Surprisingly, till now, just three publications have been produced by nations including Qatar, Iran, France, Germany, Iraq, Russia, and Sri Lanka.…”

Building Information Modeling Uses and Complementary Technologies in Road Projects: A Systematic Review

“…These tools facilitated the identification of the most commonly applied BIM Uses to date, the existing interconnections between them, and emerging research trends. In VOSviewer, an analysis of the frequency of co-occurrence of BIM Uses was performed, which was complemented by a thematic map analysis in Bibliometrix and an analysis of the cumulative frequency over time of each BIM Use, which was prepared following the methodology presented by Castañeda et al [54] and Lozano et al [55]. This analytical approach provided a clear view of the BIM Uses that form the current basis of BIM implementation, and those that represent the future of innovative BIM practices applied to road projects.…”

“…They may be recent innovations that have not yet gained traction or practices that are being replaced by new trends and technologies. From the thematic map analysis, it is possible to establish how different concepts relate to each other within the broader spectrum of the field of study, thus identifying key areas for future research [54,55,106].…”

“…The tool is designed for the collection and analysis of large volumes of real-time data, such as traffic patterns, environmental conditions, and user behaviors [119]. It enables accurate planning and proactive management, aligning with the sustainability and efficiency goals of smart cities [55]. Furthermore, the interoperability of smart cities is essential for effective BIM integration, facilitating collaboration among various disciplines and stakeholders.…”

“…Each node in the figure represents a complementary tool to BIM, and the size of the node is proportionally related to the frequency of its use. The connections between the nodes show the links between the tools, highlighting their synergy and practical relevance [54,55]. Figure 10 displays the main technologies used in road infrastructure projects and their interrelationship based on the frequency of co-occurrence observed during the documentary review.…”