Beyond disaster training: How VR and AR could support infrastructure recovery

Virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) are moving beyond visualization and training tools. They are increasingly being integrated into systems that help communities and infrastructure agencies prepare for, respond to, and recover from disasters.

Researchers at Morgan State University conducted a systematic review of 68 peer-reviewed studies examining how immersive technologies are being used across the four phases of disaster management: mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery. The review, published in the Journal of Safety Science and Resilience, found growing integration of virtual and augmented reality with digital twins, real-time sensors, geographic information systems, and artificial intelligence.

“Applications were most mature in disaster preparedness and response,” says lead author Julius O. Etuke. “Immersive environments are already being used for evacuation exercises, emergency training, hazard communication, damage visualization, responder navigation, and collaborative situational awareness. These applications can help stakeholders interpret and interact with complex infrastructure and hazard information.”

Immersive technologies become particularly valuable when they are connected to the wider information systems that support infrastructure decisions. “Rather than functioning only as visualization tools, VR and AR can serve as human-centered interfaces through which digital twins, sensor networks, spatial data, and predictive models become easier to understand and use,” says Etuke.

One main finding of the review was the imbalance across the disaster management cycle. “While preparedness and response applications have advanced substantially, relatively few studies examined how immersive technologies could support long-term infrastructure restoration, community rebuilding, asset monitoring, and post-disaster recovery,” says senior and co-corresponding author Yi Liu.

“Our findings suggest that recovery is the next major opportunity for immersive technologies,” Etuke adds. “Future systems could extend beyond emergency operations to support restoration planning, resilience investment decisions, and more informed rebuilding after disasters.”

The researchers proposed a conceptual framework linking data collection, digital twins, immersive interfaces, and decision-support systems across the disaster management cycle. “We also identified barriers that continue to limit adoption, including interoperability challenges, implementation costs, accessibility concerns, limited field validation, and organizational readiness,” says Liu. The findings provide a roadmap for researchers, infrastructure owners, emergency managers, and public agencies seeking to use immersive technologies to strengthen infrastructure resilience before, during, and after disasters.”

Contact the Author:

Julius O. Etuke
Civil and Environmental Engineering Department, Morgan State University
Baltimore, Maryland, USA
Email: juetu1@morgan.edu

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