Cutting-edge ‘digital twins’ of real roadways will power WVU civil engineering summer research program open to students nationwide

To combat mounting challenges from aging national highway infrastructure, the WVU Statler College is launching a summer undergraduate research program that uses innovative technologies to train the future civil engineering workforce. (WVU Photo)

West Virginia University is recruiting undergraduate students from across the United States to join a summer research immersion experience that explores topics of road infrastructure through the use of “digital twin” technologies. The students will learn to use virtual models to mirror real-world streets and highways in their future careers as the civil engineers building America’s roads.

Story by Micaela Morrissette, Director, WVU Research Communications
Photos by WVU

Benjamin M. Statler College of Engineering and Mineral Resources

Civil Engineering Professor Fei Dai of the WVU Benjamin M. Statler College of Engineering and Mineral Resources said applications are open for the initial year of the program, which will span 10 weeks over May, June and July 2026. During the final two weeks, the students will travel to the University of Cambridge in England to collaborate with international experts there.

“This research experience addresses critical national challenges related to our aging highway infrastructure and limited maintenance funding,” Dai said. “The students will learn about infrastructure engineering, and they’ll use digital replicas of physical road assets to figure out how they can improve the way we monitor our roads and plan for their maintenance, and how to improve the resilience of our road systems.”

For instance, Dai said students might use virtual reality to recreate roadway work zones and see how different surroundings or safety measures affect workers’ behavior, helping make construction sites safer. They could also use AI to analyze rush-hour traffic videos, uncovering driving patterns and learning how road design or maintenance activities influence congestion and safety on busy roadways.

Dai emphasized that the transportation sector is already using innovative tools like simulated virtual environments to plan and problem-solve. He said the students will engage directly with real-world stakeholders from industry and groups like the Division of Highways to evaluate the potential and feasibility of the different approaches and solutions the students will develop.

Additional groups of students will participate over the summers of 2027 and 2028. The project is a National Science Foundation Research Experience for Undergraduates, or REU, and is supported by $281,400 in federal funding .

The students will create scalable models, integrate sensor data, and validate digital twin outputs for smarter infrastructure management and decision-making. Dai said the idea is to expose students to civil engineering, computing and data science, along with a combination of real-world infrastructure systems and emerging digital technologies.

“This REU site will give students hands-on research and international experience, preparing them for future careers in engineering in the era of AI and smart infrastructure,” Dai said. “We want to inspire these students to build transportation networks that connect us in resilient and sustainable ways.”

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