WSP builds engineering apps for colleagues without Python experience

Original article: VIKTOR en WSP werken samen aan applicatieontwikkeling

WSP starts building Cloud-based Python applications with VIKTOR, the web-based development platform for engineering applications. WSP started using the VIKTOR platform back in 2021 with two successful Prove of Concept’s (PoC’s), in which within two shorts sprints (four weeks) two applications were already developed.

Partnership WSP - VIKTOR

This successful approach is now continued through a partnership that has been signed by both parties as of this week.

“Our goal for this year is to provide our colleagues with easy-to-use Python applications. Additionally, we want to professionalize our application development. The reason for this partnership with VIKTOR is because their platform enables our engineers to develop Python applications themselves and distribute them amongst colleagues in a secure manner. These colleagues don't need to have any programming experience to use the applications. Before, it took our coding engineers lots of time per colleague to whom the application had to be made available. Now, the VIKTOR platform enables us to do this all at once. So far, this has already been very promising and that is why we are now continuing at high pace!” - Mark van den Brink, Digital Transformation Lead at WSP

First two applications finished

The applications that were developed within the first sprints are the ‘cross-section tool’ and the ‘remmingwerken tool’ (with the purpose of slowing down ships whenever they approach e.g. a bridge). Both tools can be used within WSP by colleagues without any programming knowledge, enabling them to benefit from the programming experience of their colleagues that do have programming experience, without constantly requiring their interference.

Cross-sections

“The cross-section tool allows our engineers to easily define a large set of perpendicular lines along a line object (dike trajectory, railroad, go on), after which cross-sections of the ground level are generated by connecting with the AHN-web service. Additionally, the user has the possibility to upload grid files that function as data source. Examples of this are the extraction of hydraulic head from ground water models to calculate the hydraulic gradient on a dyke or to determine the local soil build-up by extracting 3D underground information.” - Martijn Kriebel, Flood Risk Consultant at WSP

Interface of the cross-section tool

Remmingwerken

“De remmingwerken tool allows our constructors to easily perform an iterative calculation of the energy intake of fenders in a 3D-environment. By automating the iterative non-linear analysis, a higher accuracy and time-gain can be achieved. Through a graphic web app, different software such as SCIA engineer and Excel work together to come to an answer. After the calculations, the results are presented in an interactive graph.” - Wichard Bron, Constructor Infra at WSP

Visualization from the Remmingwerken tool