Bentley study finds digital gap in infrastructure resilience

Bentley Systems has published research on digital readiness for infrastructure resilience, highlighting a gap between resilience strategies and operational delivery across infrastructure organisations.

Conducted by Verdantix and commissioned by Bentley, the study surveyed senior executives at large energy, mining, transport and water organisations worldwide. It found that more than 80% of respondents have mature or developing resilience strategies, but many are struggling to put those plans into practice because of limitations in their data and digital systems.

More than two-thirds of respondents identified fragmented data and disconnected digital systems as the two main technical barriers to improving resilience. Those gaps reduce visibility across assets, networks and climate-related risks, leaving operators without a unified view of how infrastructure systems perform under stress.

The report comes as extreme weather places fresh scrutiny on infrastructure resilience. It argues that climate-related disruption is exposing weaknesses not only in physical assets but also in the digital systems used to monitor, assess and manage them.

Execution gap

Verdantix said the central issue is not a lack of strategic intent, but execution. Many organisations are unable to connect operational, environmental and risk data in ways that support decision-making across whole networks rather than individual assets.

This challenge is shaping investment priorities. More than 70% of organisations surveyed plan to increase spending on digital twins over the next 24 months, while artificial intelligence is already being used in specific operational tasks.

Half of respondents said they use AI for inspections, and more than 40% have implemented AI-based failure prediction. The findings suggest companies are trying to shift from reactive maintenance to earlier identification of faults and vulnerabilities.

Amit Prothi, Director General of the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure, wrote the report foreword.

He said: "As climate-driven disruptions become more frequent and interconnected, infrastructure resilience must move from policy ambition to operational reality. Investments in risk-informed planning, data systems, and digital capabilities can significantly reduce the cascading impacts of infrastructure disruptions. Building resilience requires a system-wide approach."

The report focuses on the role of open digital twins, which it describes as a way to bring together operational, environmental and risk information in one environment. Bentley argues this can help infrastructure owners manage interconnected systems and networks rather than monitor isolated assets.

Data problem

Priyanka Bawa, Principal Analyst at Verdantix, said the issue goes beyond technology spending and points to a broader operational problem in how information is organised and shared.

She said: "The research highlights a fundamental operational challenge. While most organisations have a resilience strategy in place, their digital systems are rarely integrated enough to execute it. When critical information remains siloed, infrastructure owners cannot accurately assess complex network vulnerabilities or demonstrate the clear return on investment necessary to secure future funding."

That funding point may prove significant for operators under pressure to justify resilience spending while also addressing maintenance backlogs and climate adaptation. Without a clearer picture of risks across networks, companies may struggle to show where investment will reduce disruption or improve service continuity.

For Bentley, the findings support the case for wider use of connected data systems in infrastructure management. Infrastructure professionals already collect much of the information needed to understand climate risks, but often keep it in separate systems that limit its usefulness.

Chris Bradshaw, Chief Sustainability & Education Officer at Bentley Systems, addressed that point in comments included with the report.

He said: "Infrastructure professionals already collect much of the data needed to understand climate-related risks. The biggest barrier is fragmentation. Open digital twins help address this challenge by bringing disparate data sources into a single, accessible environment. This integration enables engineering teams to move from reactive maintenance toward predictive insights and more proactive, long-term resilience planning."

The report draws on input from sectors where disruption can have broad economic and social effects, including energy, transport, mining and water. Its core argument is that resilience now depends as much on how infrastructure owners connect and use data as on the condition of the physical assets themselves.

One of the clearest findings is the scale of planned spending on digital twins, with more than 70% of respondents expecting to increase investment over the next two years.