Perceived Impact of Digital Twin–Internet of Things Systems on Project Schedule Management

Abstract Schedule management has long been a problem in the construction industry, but rapid urbanization, complex project environments, resource constraints, and inefficiencies in traditional scheduling methods have made it even more pervasive and challenging. Thus, the aims of this study were to investigate the impact of integrated digital twin–internet of things (DT-IoT) systems on 13 schedule management functions and to evaluate how organizational characteristics influence professionals’ perceptions of these systems. To this end, a structured questionnaire was developed and distributed to construction practitioners across the United States. A total of 152 responses were received, and the 135 that were deemed valid were subjected to nonparametric statistical analysis. The Kruskal-Wallis H test and the Mann-Whitney U test were performed to examine the variations in perceptions based on organization size, construction sector, and ownership type. The results revealed that schedule estimation, real-time monitoring of construction progress, and resource tracking received the highest median impact ratings. Significant differences were identified across organizational contexts, with medium- and large-sized firms reporting higher perceived impacts for advanced scheduling applications, industrial and heavy construction sectors emphasizing clash detection and delay prediction, and private ownership reporting greater reliance than public ones on schedule control decision-making and alert systems. Accordingly, DT-IoT implementation priorities and expected scheduling benefits should be aligned with organizational capacity and project complexity rather than assumed to be uniform across firms. These findings demonstrate that organizational characteristics shape the perceived effectiveness of DT-IoT systems and highlight the need for tailored implementation strategies. The study contributes empirical evidence to the growing body of knowledge on the use of DT-IoT systems for construction scheduling and provides practical insights for firms seeking to optimize project outcomes through the adoption of digital technology.