Integration and synchronization of digital twins for co-simulation

Context

Digital twins are virtual representations of real-world products, systems, or processes, enabling simulation, integration, testing, monitoring, and maintenance. They play a pivotal role in optimizing complex systems across a wide range of domains, from industrial manufacturing and energy to environmental monitoring and healthcare.

The Engineering Digital Twin EDT program, funded by the France 2030 investment plan, is a national initiative aimed at advancing the foundations of digital twin engineering in France and Europe. By bringing together leading academic and industrial partners, EDT seeks to strengthen the bases for the design, use, and deployment of digital twins, addressing key open challenges in model hybridization, composability, development methodologies, digital coupling, and human–twin interaction.

A key promise of digital twins is to enable stakeholders to explore what-if scenarios: evaluating alternative configurations, behaviors, or interventions while the system is running, so as to improve performance, reliability, and adaptability. However, enabling such exploratory interactions remains challenging in practice. Digital twins of complex systems rely on a variety of models, solvers, and data streams. Actually, we consider that in an environment several digital twins already exist (a priori heterogeneous). It is therefore not possible to rely solely on a single unifying DT. We must be able to interact with a variety of heterogeneous DT which adapt dynamically to changes of environment over time. The main objective of this PhD project is to investigate whether multiple digital twins, permanently aligned with physical systems, can interact coherently in a real-time co-simulation environment.

Thesis Objectives

This PhD project aims to propose a framework enabling the integration and synchronization of heterogeneous digital twins for reliable co-simulation. The objectives consist to consider how heterogeneous DT can be integrated into a coherent co-simulation framework. So, the aim of this project is to propose a conceptual framework for DT integration; a runtime synchronisation strategies for co-simulation; algorithms ensuring temporal and causal consistency; the validation on a representative multi-twin system.

Key scientific challenges include:

• integration of heterogeneous digital twins

• runtime synchronisation of simulations and data streams

• adaptive coordination of interacting digital twins

Thesis objectives are the followings :

• Analyze existing co-simulation architectures and their limitations for digital twins.

• Define a model for integrating digital twins to enable their participation in co-simulation.

• Propose synchronization mechanisms at runtime, enabling temporal coordination between simulators and dynamic management of simulation participants.

• Develop a prototype co-simulation platform for digital twins.

• Validate the approach on industrial use cases (e.g., industrial systems or mobility systems).

The results of this thesis will directly contribute to the Artemis platform, an open-source framework set to become a benchmark in the field.

Work Environment

The PhD candidate will be co-supervised by Sophie Ebersold, IRIT and Jannik Laval, DISP Lab within [SM@RT Team] (https://smart-researchteam.github.io/). The candidate will benefit from a stimulating scientific and industrial environment of the highest level, with access to a national network of leading research institutions and industry partners, regular interactions with the broader EDT community through workshops, seminars, and joint demonstrators, and the opportunity to contribute to Artemis, the program’s open software platform.

What You Will Gain from This PhD

This PhD offers the opportunity to:

• Develop highly sought-after skills in system modeling, real-time data processing, and collaborative innovation.

• Collaborate with leading partners (Inria, CEA, CNRS, etc.) and validate your research on real-world industrial use cases.

• Join a network of PhD candidates within the EDT program, fostering collaboration, peer support, and interdisciplinary exchanges.

• Contribute to an open-source platform (Artemis) and publish in international conferences and journals.

• Gain recognition in a rapidly growing field, with career prospects in academic research, industrial R&D, or entrepreneurship.

Upon completion, you will be positioned as a recognized expert in a key domain for industry and research, with diverse professional opportunities in France and internationally.

References

• Benoît Combemale, Pascale Vicat-Blanc, Arnaud Blouin, Hind Bril El Haouzi, Jean-Michel Bruel, et al.. Engineering Digital Twins: A Research Roadmap. EDTconf 2025 - 2nd International Conference on Engineering Digital Twins, Oct 2025, Grand Rapids, Michigan, United States. pp.1-7.