## The old method: expensive and unideal 

The current process is often still based on experience and reasoning. Solutions that have proven themselves in previous projects are often chosen; the solutions for the critical sections are extrapolated. That makes sense. Calculating a section takes a lot of time. However, this method lacks a numerical substantiation for the chosen solution. Real insight into the ideal design is lacking and that can cost a lot of money. The gross extrapolation can result in surplus work and material costs, as well as lead to incorrect assumptions and increasing failure costs.

### Cost optimization through parameterization

It is therefore better to find an optimum with global parameters, such as costs. To determine the approach of solving the problem, an application is needed that can vary parameters on an interdisciplinary level, based on pile types, number of piles, pile lengths versus applied reinforcement, floor thickness, and so on. By linking the structural and geotechnical models to the cost model and combining all these parameters, the cost optimum can be found. A user can then determine the domains within which the application can independently vary these parameters and on the basis of which outcome optima must be found (think of costs, planning or risks). Because there are often several options close to each other, a user can also generate multiple optimized versions and weigh them up.

## Creating an application for parameterization

### Application development

The tuning of parameters and the definition of the process were the starting point for the engineers of Lievense and developers of MOCS. Lievense is involved as an expert and user, while MOCS makes the web-based parametric model and ensures that the process is automated to the right level. Three areas of expertise have been brought together from Lievense: structural, geotechnical and cost-technical. In this way, a multidisciplinary optimization can be performed.

### Application workflow

Within the online application, the user specifies per project the pile types available with the different unit prices. The projects can then be designed within a project. For a design section, a user can upload the GEF files associated with the probes created within a section (GEF is a standardized exchange format for the storage and transfer of geotechnical data). The applications provides a suggestion for a soil layout interpretation, which a geotechnical consultant can adapt.

### Modelling

The modeling of a section starts with a global SCIA model without piles. This prevents manual input of data that is already fixed and that is already available in another source. This SCIA file is uploaded by the user via drag & drop. In VIKTOR, the user can design a pile plan in two ways. “Simple”: the user gives a desired number of posts in the x and y directions. “Detailed”: the user can add rows / columns of piles, centre-to-centre distance from the previous row / column. Other parameters that the structural engineer can manage include reinforcement covers, concrete strength classes, and other design choices.

### Multidisciplinary calculations

It is possible to calculate the specified situation automatically in its entirety with a click of a button. All programs (in this case SCIA, D-Foundations and multiple Excel sheets) are run in the background and no human actions are required to perform the entire multidisciplinary calculation. The load capacity of the pile configuration follows from D-foundations and the required load capacity from SCIA. The section forces are also read from SCIA by the VIKTOR application. Via a linked Excel sheet, VIKTOR can convert this into a required amount of reinforcement. All calculated properties together determine the cost of a design. The results of all calculations are displayed in VIKTOR.

## The results are clear!

Since this part of the process is now fully automated, VIKTOR can also generate and calculate a large number of different pile plans. Because all parameters influence each other, it is not always clear which choice is ultimately the cheapest. Lievense is mainly interested in the mutual connections. These are plotted in VIKTOR in an overview. This allows the manufacturer to make solid choices with the help of his knowledge and expertise. As a control functionality and to keep a good overview of the generated designs, Lievense can download files from created D-foundations and SCIA analyses and view them “locally”.

## The final outcome

Only two sprints were needed to develop the full application. Primarily, the result is insight into the influence of the different parameters, the sensitivity of the parameters to each other and an “optimal” solution direction. It is possible to consider more variants in a shorter period of time compared to before, which provides the numerical substantiation of the chosen “optimal” solution. This can bring a lot of value. Initially in money, but with other models this could also be in terms of risks, construction time, feasibility or other KPIs

Engineering & Design

Infrastructure & Construction

large_Optimal and quick underpass design thanks to parameterization of the process - resize.jpg

medium_Optimal and quick underpass design thanks to parameterization of the process - resize.jpg

small_Optimal and quick underpass design thanks to parameterization of the process - resize.jpg

thumbnail_Optimal and quick underpass design thanks to parameterization of the process - resize.jpg

Customer_case_optimal_quick_underpass_desgin_parameterization_of_processes_1

Optimal and quick underpass design thanks to parameterization of processes

1. What is parametric design, and how is it evolving
2. Collaborative parametric design: working together for better results
3. How to make tools available to others
4. Active collaboration on parametric design tools
5. Parametric design in a billion-euro project
6. What collaborative parametric design means for you



large_Viktor White Paper The future of parametric design is_ COLLABORATION.jpg

medium_Viktor White Paper The future of parametric design is_ COLLABORATION.jpg

small_Viktor White Paper The future of parametric design is_ COLLABORATION.jpg

thumbnail_Viktor White Paper The future of parametric design is_ COLLABORATION.jpg

WP_white

large_parametric_steel_structure.png

medium_parametric_steel_structure.png

small_parametric_steel_structure.png

thumbnail_parametric_steel_structure.png

WP_white_2

The adoption of parametric design grows exponentially thanks to friendly programming languages like Python or visual programming packages like Dynamo or Grasshopper.
 
Our perception is changing. We no longer see parametric design as a model to solve specific technical problems, but rather as a new way of working, in which stakeholders collaborate to find the best solution for a project.

Learn about the latest trends and the future of parametric design in this white paper

Collaborative parametric design models allow you to work together for better solutions

Download the white paper and get INSPIRED

Did you know parametric design models are no longer just used to solve specific technical problems, but rather as a new way of working? Read here how stakeholders use parametric design to collaborate and find the best solutions for their projects!

The Future of Parametric Design is COLLABORATION

Original source: [Land+Water](https://mocs698.sharepoint.com/sites/Marketing/Gedeelde%20documenten/Marketing/Land%20+%20Water_%20Artikel%20module%20damwandconstructies%20%20ism%20Viktor.pdf), nr 3 – March 2020. K. Nijs / R. Reurings.

</br>

Companies in construction and infra are experiencing a turbulent transformation to higher levels of digitalization. The reason for this being that this sector is lagging behind quite significantly compared to other industries. Just like in other sectors, digital transformation is happening on all kinds of aspects and throughout all phases of a project. This means that digital transformation is a relevant topic from tender and engineering to execution and maintenance.
 
Voorbij Funderingstechniek noticed the potential of this transformation in their industry and decided to act upon it. How? By using VIKTOR to automate and optimize part of their processes to be able to generate the best designs fast!

## Process analysis determines potential

For the first step towards building their own app, Voorbij Funderingstechniek started with a process analysis. The goal of this analysis is to gain insight into the impact of automation on business processes and what this means for the current processes. 

This sparked some opportunities. Currently, a sheet pile calculation is still an intensive and iterative process. To come up with a first design, a significant number of variables needs to be considered, such as the layout of the soil, the desired excavation depth, environmental influences, loads, and desired construction phase. This results in one or more normative sections with corresponding starting points. 

After the first design, every small change requires a new model and a new calculation. That means that all files need to be copied and everywhere one parameter, such as the type of sheet pile, the length, or the drainage, needs to be changed manually. In a typical design process, the second design also does not meet all requirements yet. The process of copying and adjusting keeps repeating itself, for every defined section, multiple times. This is exactly where digitization makes a difference; by automating repetitive tasks a lot of time can be won. 

Another complication is that for projects with multiple sheet piles often a ‘normative’ design is used for all sheet piles. Here, a sheet pile is designed as well as possible (within the stated time) and duplicated to all other sheet piles.

![Blog_smart_application_contributes_sustainable_future_construction](https://cms.viktor.ai/uploads/Voorbij_areal_a17012b79f.jpg)


## Cost reduction

By automating the design process, a lot more design iterations can be performed, resulting in cost reduction with regards to materials used and time savings for engineering. Risk of errors becomes close to zero as well because processes are automatically copied, pasted, and adjusted. Additionally, and maybe most importantly, automating processes gives engineers more time to apply their specialist knowledge on more challenging projects to create a real added value. 

With their process analysis, Voorbij identified a couple of opportunities that function as input: 

- Repeatedly copying models
- Inserting variables
- Getting results per section

With a custom application on the VIKTOR platform, these processes can be automated and linked to different steps, such as analyzing CPTs, calculating designs in calculation software, and iterating until the results are sufficient. 

## Web-based

VIKTOR is a web-based platform for the development of online applications with Python. In Voorbij’s application, Python is used to program and guarantee professional and business knowledge, specifically by integrating all relevant data sources and software programs. 

With Voorbij’s VIKTOR app, data and analysis results are centralized and made available through a dashboard to all relevant (authorized) people. This ensures that everyone always has access to all insights and the correct up-to-date information.
 
To automate and later optimize sheet piles designs, the process first needs to be standardized in the application. To achieve standardization, the right ‘recipe’ needs to be discovered that always delivers a good result. Questions asked here are: “How do we process a CPT?” “How do we build the model and how do we process the results?”. Only after everyone agrees on this, automation can follow. 

![CC_Voorbij_sheet_piles](https://cms.viktor.ai/uploads/CC_Voorbij_sheet_piles_180f2cab82.png)

*Result output of the BASEFT Sheet Pile application*

</br>

## Automation

The online application is designed as a central entry point of all variables. It creates the models itself, performs the calculations, and generates a summary of the results. 

If we follow this route, there is no need to perform any repetitive tasks. Do all sections roughly have the same excavation depth? Does the engineer want to iterate sheet pile lengths? In that case, the input only needs to be adjusted in one spot in the application to recalculate all the sections! Fast iterations like this, combined with the results gathered from multiple sections, generate lots of information that can be used to make connections between, for example, drainage and required sheet pile length. 

Automation is of course not restricted to inserting variables and generating models. Other processes, such as drainage, determining head heights (instead of manually inserting these in D-SheetPiling), and more, are automated as well. 

![CC_Voorbij_sheet_piles2](https://cms.viktor.ai/uploads/CC_Voorbij_sheet_piles2_b90017729c.png)

*Parameter input of the BASEFT Sheet Pile application*

</br>

## Optimization 

Now that it is possible to automatically perform multiple sheet pile calculations, optimization can start. The most important question is: What is the goal of the optimization? Is this the cheapest, lowest CO2 emission? Or the easiest executable sheet pile? By specifically defining this goal, a couple of conditions will naturally follow. Based on these conditions, the application calculates the optimal design. This can be in either tens or even thousands of iterations. 

Let’s say that the cheapest sheet pile is your goal. In that case, the application works as follows: If the previous design is more than adequate and has a certain price, the next design can be repeated but for a shorter and lighter sheet pile with a lower price. If this design is no longer adequate, you can take a step back and make the sheet pile a bit heavier, but for a lower price than with the first design. This can be repeated until the optimum is found between price and requirements. 

In essence, digitization of the construction and infra sector should create a distinctiveness because the automation of repetitive work leaves engineers more time for the real and fun thinking. 

Automate the boring. Engineer the awesome! 

## Interested?

Are you interested in this development as well? Visit [www.voorbijfunderigstechniek.nl]( https://www.voorbijfunderingstechniek.nl/technieken/grondkerende-constructies/stalen-damwand) or contact Richard Reurings at r.reurings@voorbijft.nl for more information.


large_CC_sheetpile_voorbijFT

medium_CC_sheetpile_voorbijFT

small_CC_sheetpile_voorbijFT

thumbnail_CC_sheetpile_voorbijFT

CC_sheetpile_voorbijFT

VoorbijFT uses VIKTOR to automate and optimize part of their processes to be able to generate the best designs fast!

Optimal sheet pile design within reach

Customer cases

Optimal sheet pile design within reach

Optimal and quick underpass design thanks to parameterization of processes

Blog

White Papers & Guides