From fantasy to reality: a thesis exploring the feasibility, implementation and potential of a digital twin as an operational aid!
On 25th February 2026, a meeting was held between Clermont-Auvergne University, the motorway company operating the French part of the Fréjus tunnel (SFTRF) and the CETU to finalise the arrangements for setting up a thesis aimed at exploring the feasibility and testing the creation of a digital twin of the Fréjus road tunnel.
With its two tubes – one historic, commissioned in 1980, and the other inaugurated in 2025 – the Fréjus Tunnel provides an ideal testing ground for a digital twin. This coexistence of technological generations presents a significant challenge: how can data from systems designed 40 years apart be unified to optimise operations?
The meeting covered the technical content of the research project, its administrative framework and the associated funding opportunities. A PhD proposal is currently being prepared in order to recruit a candidate. The PhD is expected to commence in January 2027..