IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v17y2025i20p9153-d1772280.html

Sustainable Digital Transformation in Geotechnical-Related Engineering Disciplines: An Integrated Framework for Türkiye

Author

Listed:
  • Merve Akbas

    (Civil Engineering Faculty, Istanbul Technical University, Maslak, Istanbul 34469, Turkey)

Abstract

This study proposes the Sustainability-Aligned Digital Integration Model for Geotechnical-Related Engineering Disciplines in Türkiye (SDIM–Geo–TR) as a roadmap for sustainable digital transformation. Built on a four-stage methodology—global technology mapping, national contextualization, criteria definition, and phased integration—the model synthesizes emerging technologies such as GIS, BIM, UAV, IoT and Digital Twin into a maturity framework. It illustrates how digital adoption in Türkiye has evolved from early GIS use to more integrated multi-technology ecosystems but remains hampered by interoperability gaps, skill shortages and cost constraints. SDIM–Geo–TR organizes this evolution into four maturity stages and assesses progress using sustainability impact, technical feasibility, data compatibility, cost effectiveness and adoption level. The findings highlight that achieving fully integrated digital geotechnical practice requires coordinated policy interventions, standardization efforts and capacity building. By aligning international best practices with Türkiye-specific drivers, the model offers a practical roadmap for guiding sustainable and digitally enabled geotechnical engineering.

Suggested Citation

  • Merve Akbas, 2025. "Sustainable Digital Transformation in Geotechnical-Related Engineering Disciplines: An Integrated Framework for Türkiye," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 17(20), pages 1-31, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:17:y:2025:i:20:p:9153-:d:1772280
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/17/20/9153/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/17/20/9153/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Abdul Karim Feroz & Hangjung Zo & Ananth Chiravuri, 2021. "Digital Transformation and Environmental Sustainability: A Review and Research Agenda," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(3), pages 1-20, February.
    2. Mojtaba Mahmoodian & Farham Shahrivar & Sujeeva Setunge & Sam Mazaheri, 2022. "Development of Digital Twin for Intelligent Maintenance of Civil Infrastructure," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(14), pages 1-25, July.
    3. Anthea van der Hoogen & Ifeoluwapo Fashoro & Andre P. Calitz & Lamla Luke, 2024. "A Digital Transformation Framework for Smart Municipalities," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(3), pages 1-28, February.
    4. Emel Sadikoglu & Sevilay Demirkesen & Oguz Dal & Onur Seker & Paweł Nowak & Selcuk Toprak, 2025. "Fostering Sustainability and Resilience in Engineering Education and Practice: Lessons Learnt from the 2023 Kahramanmaras Earthquakes," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 17(4), pages 1-32, February.
    5. Jane H. Hodgkinson & Marc Elmouttie, 2020. "Cousins, Siblings and Twins: A Review of the Geological Model’s Place in the Digital Mine," Resources, MDPI, vol. 9(3), pages 1-14, March.
    6. Jaime Díaz-Arancibia & Jorge Hochstetter-Diez & Ana Bustamante-Mora & Samuel Sepúlveda-Cuevas & Isidora Albayay & Jeferson Arango-López, 2024. "Navigating Digital Transformation and Technology Adoption: A Literature Review from Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises in Developing Countries," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(14), pages 1-31, July.
    7. Davidson de Almeida Santos & Osvaldo Luiz Gonçalves Quelhas & Carlos Francisco Simões Gomes & Luis Perez Zotes & Sérgio Luiz Braga França & Guilherme Vinagre Pinto de Souza & Robson Amarante de Araújo, 2020. "Proposal for a Maturity Model in Sustainability in the Supply Chain," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(22), pages 1-37, November.
    8. Deniz Ay & Basak Demires Ozkul, 2021. "The strange case of earthquake risk mitigation in Istanbul," City, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 25(1-2), pages 67-87, March.
    9. Rebekka Volk & Mihir Rambhia & Elias Naber & Frank Schultmann, 2022. "Urban Resource Assessment, Management, and Planning Tools for Land, Ecosystems, Urban Climate, Water, and Materials—A Review," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(12), pages 1-22, June.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Zheng, Fengyi & Jiang, Jiahui & Ma, Jing & Liou, Jennhae, 2024. "Capital market opening, digital transformation and corporate risk-taking ——empirical evidence from Shanghai Shenzhen-Hong Kong stock connect," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 96(PB).
    2. Mihai Felea & Ionel Bran & Dragos Bujor & Kamran Allahverdiyev, 2026. "Exploring Research Trends in Sustainable Supply Chain Management: a Bibliometric Analysis," The AMFITEATRU ECONOMIC journal, Academy of Economic Studies - Bucharest, Romania, vol. 28(71), pages 1-88, February.
    3. Lea Primožič & Andreja Kutnar, 2022. "Sustainability Communication in Global Consumer Brands," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(20), pages 1-16, October.
    4. Hornungová, Jana & Petrová, Kateřina, . "The Relationship Between Digital Performance and Production of Greenhouse Gas Emissions in EU Countries: Correlation Analysis and ANOVA Method," AGRIS on-line Papers in Economics and Informatics, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Faculty of Economics and Management, vol. 15(01).
    5. Mingyu Chen & William Rodger, 2026. "Artificial Intelligence and Energy Efficiency for Ecological Sustainability: Can Regulatory Quality Overcome the Net Zero Challenges in G7 Economies?," Sustainable Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 34(2), pages 1773-1790, April.
    6. repec:bcp:journl:v:9:y:2025:i:10:p:8643-8651 is not listed on IDEAS
    7. Dimitrios Vlachopoulos & Rannveig Björk Thorkelsdóttir & Despoina Schina & Jóna Guðrún Jónsdóttir, 2023. "Teachers’ Experience and Perceptions of Sustainable Digitalization in School Education: An Existential Phenomenological Study of Teachers in Romania, Greece, Cyprus, Iceland, and The Netherlands," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(18), pages 1-17, September.
    8. Hui Li & Xiaqing Peng & Jingxiao Zhang & Pablo Ballesteros-Perez & Simon Patrick Philbin & Zhaoling Li & Xiaoying Tang & Jiawei Cheng, 2025. "Enabling the green total factor productivity of the construction industry with the prospect of digital transformation," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 27(7), pages 15339-15366, July.
    9. Youmeng Wu & Hao Sun & Hongliang Sun & Chi Xie, 2022. "Impact of Public Environmental Concerns on the Digital Transformation of Heavily Polluting Enterprises," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(1), pages 1-19, December.
    10. Daniel Beverungen & Thomas Hess & Antonia Köster & Christiane Lehrer, 2022. "From private digital platforms to public data spaces: implications for the digital transformation," Electronic Markets, Springer;IIM University of St. Gallen, vol. 32(2), pages 493-501, June.
    11. Carmen Isensee & Frank Teuteberg & Kai Michael Griese, 2022. "Exploring the Use of Mobile Apps for Fostering Sustainability-Oriented Corporate Culture: A Qualitative Analysis," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(12), pages 1-25, June.
    12. Dukangqi Li & Weitao Shen, 2021. "Can Corporate Digitalization Promote Green Innovation? The Moderating Roles of Internal Control and Institutional Ownership," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(24), pages 1-22, December.
    13. Xiaode Ji & Yanzhao Su & Yue Zhang & Hui Wang, 2023. "Making Our Firm More Sustainable: The Role of CEO Vision Communication of Sustainability on Sustainability Performance," SAGE Open, , vol. 13(4), pages 21582440231, November.
    14. Charilaos Mertzanis & Asma Houcine & Athanasios Pavlopoulos & Apostolos Vetsikas & Ilias Kampouris, 2026. "Financial Technology and Environmental Performance: International Evidence," International Journal of Finance & Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 31(2), pages 2664-2689, April.
    15. Wang, Wei & Cao, QiangYuan & Li, Zhouyang & Zhu, JinYing, 2025. "Digital transformation and corporate environmental performance," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 76(C).
    16. Ana Carolina Salles & Guilherme Lerch Lunardi & Fabiano Thompson, 2022. "A Framework Proposal to Assess the Maturity of Green IT in Organizations," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(19), pages 1-17, September.
    17. Pingguo Xu & Leyi Chen & Huajuan Dai, 2022. "Pathways to Sustainable Development: Corporate Digital Transformation and Environmental Performance in China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(1), pages 1-21, December.
    18. Mariusz Kmiecik, 2022. "Logistics Coordination Based on Inventory Management and Transportation Planning by Third-Party Logistics (3PL)," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(13), pages 1-19, July.
    19. Renato Camodeca & Alex Almici, 2021. "Digital Transformation and Convergence toward the 2030 Agenda’s Sustainability Development Goals: Evidence from Italian Listed Firms," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(21), pages 1-18, October.
    20. Sergio Sánchez Ramírez & Fátima Guadamillas Gómez & Mª Isabel González Ramos & Olga Grieva, 2022. "The Effect of Digitalization on Innovation Capabilities through the Lenses of the Knowledge Management Strategy," Administrative Sciences, MDPI, vol. 12(4), pages 1-18, October.
    21. Issam A. R. Moghrabi & Sameer Ahmad Bhat & Piotr Szczuko & Rawan A. AlKhaled & Muneer Ahmad Dar, 2023. "Digital Transformation and Its Influence on Sustainable Manufacturing and Business Practices," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(4), pages 1-35, February.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:17:y:2025:i:20:p:9153-:d:1772280. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.