Integration and synchronization of digital twins for co-simulation

Overview

Digital twins are virtual representations of real-world products, systems, or processes, enabling simulation, integration, testing, monitoring, and maintenance. They support exploration of what-if scenarios to improve performance, reliability, and adaptability in complex systems across domains such as industrial manufacturing, energy, environmental monitoring, and healthcare.

The Engineering Digital Twin EDT program, funded by the France 2030 investment plan, is a national initiative to advance the foundations of digital twin engineering in France and Europe. It brings together leading academic and industrial partners to strengthen the design, use, and deployment of digital twins, addressing challenges in model hybridization, composability, development methodologies, digital coupling, and human–twin interaction.

A key objective is to enable stakeholders to interact with multiple digital twins that are permanently aligned with physical systems and can operate 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 include developing a conceptual framework for DT integration, runtime synchronization strategies for co-simulation, algorithms ensuring temporal and causal consistency, and validation on a representative multi-twin system.

Key scientific challenges

• Integration of heterogeneous digital twins
• Runtime synchronization 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).
• 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 research on real-world industrial use cases.
• Join a network of PhD candidates within the EDT program, fostering collaboration 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, be positioned as a recognized expert in a key domain for industry and research, with diverse opportunities in France and internationally.

References

(1) Benoît Combemale, Pascale Vicat-Blanc, Arnaud Blouin, Hind Bril El Haouzi, Jean-Michel Bruel, Julien Deantoni, Thierry Duval, Sébastien Gérard, & Jean-Marc Jézéquel (2025). Engineering Digital Twins: A Research Roadmap. EDTconf 2025 - 2nd International Conference on Engineering Digital Twins.

Requirements

• Experience with digital twins

Ready to Apply?

Send us your application including CV, cover letter, and relevant documents.