## Increasing design efficiency

However, providing an adjusted design after each road or artwork change costs a lot of work. About two years ago, WTOP decided to investigate where most of the time was spent in the process of designing, and where this could be done more efficiently. This showed that in a number of these processes, many hours were spent on repetitive and unimaginative work. In addition, it turned out that arranging and creating a smooth line with these barriers is a complicated process and time-consuming. Jaap van de Werfhorst, owner of WTOP infra, decided that this process should be automated.

## Automating the process

The work of manually placing elements along the road based on a maximum angular rotation and, if it turns out not to fit, to start this process all over again, had to find an alternative solution. WTOP infrastructure was in contact with VIKTOR to see how various processes could be better linked to each other, and the above mentioned problem was discussed with the question wheher using VIKTOR would be fruitful. At VIKTOR they came up with the proposal to do this with a self-written algorithm. Van de Werfhorst: “Initially, there was still uncertainty whether the algorithm could also handle complex projects. If it could carry out the 80% easiest projects, it would not be of much use to us, because it is precisely in the difficult 20% where the most profit lies.”

## An application for complex projects

“After several brainstorming sessions, we were confident that the application could also handle complex projects,” explains Van de Werfhorst. In the application you can define your grid, the bounds of the design, the horizontal and vertical alignment, the maximum angular rotations between the elements, variables related to defining the angular rotations, other constraints such as cables and pipes, artworks, etc. and where you wants to apply your fitting elements. All these parts can be entered in both x, y and z directions. Based on all this input, the algorithm determines the optimal line of the noise barrier. In a visual representation, the application shows by means of colors whether the barrier can be made with the specified conditions. If it turns out that this does not work, the application indicates where the problems are, so that the conditions can be adjusted at those specific locations if desired. This can be done by increasing the angular rotation between the elements, which may then create elements that meet the requirements or by giving the barrier some more space by adjusting the bounds of the design. The great thing is that the program examines and calculates hundreds of thousands of possibilities within a few minutes. The application also generates a list of coordinates in x, y and z direction of the design. This list of coordinates is imported into Excel by WTOP infra, after which all elements that meet the requirements are generated by dynamo and placed in a 3D model. In addition, dynamo in combination with excel creates a quantity list with the main dimensions per element. As a result, the consequences of design choices are immediately visible in both a 3D model and quantities.

## What can be gained? 

Due to this extensive automation, instead of spending much work on unimaginative tasks, the time can now be spent on solving details and interfaces. The advantage is that various choices can be made clear at a detailed level quickly in the tender phase, which also makes it easier to estimate the risks. Since all parts and placements are generated from a single coordinate list, including the production drawings and layout drawings, it is also possible to act quickly during the design process and execution, and failure costs due to changes can be minimized.

Van de Werfhorst: “The step that we have taken together with VIKTOR ensures that we are at the beginning of a development that can be carried out much further by linking this to schedules, cost estimates, etc.” The application and links made with analysis- and drawing programs are useful not only for noise barriers, but also for everything in which prefabricated (3D) elements are placed on or along an alignment, which is currently also being implemented.

Civil

Structural

Excel

Dynamo

Revit

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For complex projects, it is important to deliver designs in complete 3D, so that they can be incorporated into BIM. But this process takes a lot of time. 

An algorithm that makes noise barrier design much faster

## Get the white paper

**INDEX**

1. Construction companies and digital transformation
2. Technology trends for a different approach
3. Technology trends in the construction industry
4. A new technology trend for the construction industry
5. Low code for the construction industry
6. The VIKTOR platform
7. What does it cost?
8. How to start
9. What's next?

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What are the current trends in digital transformation and how do they affect the engineering and construction industry? 

This white paper is for every engineer, manager, director, or anyone else that wants to learn more about (new) technology trends that help boost digital transformation in engineering and construction, such as BIM, parametric or generative design, and low-code and no-code. 

Discover how web applications can help you find the best solution fast, get the best insights, capture knowledge into assets, and make work more joyful! 






Learn about trends in digital transformation and how they affect the engineering and construction industry.

Download the White Paper and get INSPIRED

This white paper is for every engineer, manager, director, or anyone else that wants to learn more about (new) technology trends that help boost digital transformation in engineering and construction, such as BIM, parametric or generative design, and low-code and no-code. 

Digital Transformation: Engineering and Construction Industry

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Quickly build and distribute user-friendly tools, customized to your project needs!

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Generate optimized designs in less time and get better insights regarding the impact and risk of your choices.

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Adjust to new plans or circumstances quickly without decreasing the quality of your design.

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Build a tool that can be used by your whole team and reused on all your future projects.

## Generate better designs in less time
Get better insights regarding the impact of your choices and generate optimized designs in less time using parametric design in the Cloud.

##### Create a total design solution
Take all requirements into account and avoid communication errors by creating parametric design models that integrate across disciplines and [connect different software packages](https://www.viktor.ai/platform#integrate-software).

##### Find the optimal design, quickly
Generate the best solution with the help of advanced optimization algorithms that calculate thousands of solutions in an instant with the power of Cloud computing.

##### Make better and more informed decisions
Directly evaluate the impact or risks of your choices. Compare multiple scenarios and make data-driven decisions using clear, understandable, and interactive visualizations.

## Be flexible to change, without errors or delays
Adjust to new plans or circumstances quickly without giving in on the quality of your design.

##### Always be prepared for change
By automating and integrating all calculations within a single parametric design tool, you are always ready to adjust to any changes without affecting your planning nor sacrificing the quality of your design.

##### Keep everyone on the same page
Your parametric design tool is [hosted in the Cloud](https://www.viktor.ai/platform#distribute-apps) where it serves as single source of truth that can be accessed by every member of the team with the right permissions. Throughout a project, the tool keeps track of all design changes made by everyone at all times.

##### Adapt your tools to all your needs
Enjoy the benefits of a flexible system that makes it easy to improve and [expand your tools according to your needs](https://www.viktor.ai/platform#powerful-app). Once you are online, you can be sure that everyone always uses the correct version of the tool and data your working with.



## Start building digital products
Get better insights regarding the impact of your choices and generate optimized designs in less time using parametric design in the Cloud.

##### Use our scalable building system
Quickly build the [perfect tool for every project](https://www.viktor.ai/platform#powerful-app). There is no reason to keep reinventing the wheel; You can use our digital blocks or create your own.

##### Share your knowledge
Create parametric design tools with a [user-friendly interface](https://www.viktor.ai/platform#user-interfaces) that make your knowledge accessible to everyone.</p>

##### Safely distribute your tools
Keep your data and intellectual property safe. [Provide anyone controlled access](https://www.viktor.ai/platform#distribute-apps) to (part of) your tools without exposing your logic. If needed, remove access remotely at any given time.

Our experts can help you find the right opportunities, set realistic goals, and meet deadlines.

Effortlessly integrate with industry-leading software,  the Python Ecosystem, and modern development tools.

Why VIKTOR for Parametric Design

<p>Create parametric design tools that are tailored to every individual project. Enjoy a powerful design process that leads to better designs in less time and provides flexibility to adjust to changes quickly.</p>

<p>VIKTOR empowers you to build and distribute custom-made parametric design tools that are hosted in the Cloud. Use our digital building blocks to easily build applications with user-friendly 
interfaces that provide understandable insights through interactive visualizations.</p>

<p>Take all project requirements into account and avoid communication errors by creating a total design solution that integrates across disciplines and connects different software packages. Enabling you to collaborate with clients and colleagues on a single platform.</p>

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Original article: [VIKTOR en WSP werken samen aan applicatieontwikkeling](https://www.wsp.com/nl-NL/nieuws/2022/WSP-en-VIKTOR-werken-samen-aan-applicatieontwikkeling/)

[WSP](https://www.wsp.com/nl-NL) starts building Cloud-based Python applications with VIKTOR, the [web-based development platform for engineering applications](https://www.viktor.ai/platform). 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

![UI of Cloud-based Python Cross-section tool](https://cms.viktor.ai/uploads/Blog_WSP_partnership_cross_section_tool_888a9cde77.jpg)

*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

![Visual UI Cloud-based Python Remmingwerken-tool](https://cms.viktor.ai/uploads/Blog_WSP_partnership_Remmingwerken_tool_2c15164caa.jpg)

*Visualization from the Remmingwerken tool*

## About VIKTOR

You've just read one of the many use cases of the VIKTOR platform. I hope you found it an interesting read! However, there is much more to the VIKTOR platform than only this specific case. Let me tell you more about us:

VIKTOR is a low-code application development platform that empowers engineers and other domain experts to revolutionize their workflow by effortlessly creating user-friendly web applications with nothing more than Python. The VIKTOR platform consists of the following pillars:

1. The VIKTOR SDK: Application development is time-consuming and not the core business of many engineers, but web applications are truly an amazing asset. With the VIKTOR SDK, you can build your own Python-based web apps. The SDK takes care of the back-end, front-end, and hosting, so you can easily transform your Python scripts into any web app and start automating the boring.
 
2. The Workers: VIKTOR allows for seamless integration with other third-party software packages, such as Revit, Dynamo, ETABS, Grasshopper, and many more. The VIKTOR workers allow you to easily connect your app to these software packages by pushing and pulling data to and from them, eliminating the boring manual work. This way, you can create a whole new level of interoperability, all within a single app, making your VIKTOR app the single point of truth.
 
3. The Company environment: VIKTOR comes with a company environment, giving you the ability to provide access to users within and outside your company to use your apps. The company environment is a hub where all developed apps are stored and can be used, much like a library. To top that, end-users do not need to install any third-party tools that integrate with a VIKTOR app to be able to use them. The user management system lets you fine-tune user rights within applications (which have their own user management and database), while also providing valuable insights into app usage. This enables you to measure the adoption of the digital tools developed.

You can build any application you can imagine on the VIKTOR platform. Automating the boring tasks with ease, so engineers can fully focus on their engineering work again.
 
If this sounds interesting to you or your company, let's have a chat, you can reach me via: swolters@viktor.ai





Application development engineering Python

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Discover how engineers at WSP use VIKTOR to develop their own Cloud apps for colleagues without programming experience.

WSP engineers build apps to automate processes with VIKTOR

WSP builds engineering apps for colleagues without Python experience

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Digital Transformation Lead - WSP

Mark van den Brink

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## Dike design tool Wilma: a new, digital way of designing

The Wilma dike design tool, created on the VIKTOR platform, is a renewed design environment for the geotechnical consultant. The tool was developed by the Graaf Reinaldalliantie to be used on the Gorinchem-Waardenburg (GoWa) dike reinforcement project.

The innovation consists of the combination of cleverness and insights of the designer and the infinite computing power of the computer on the VIKTOR platform. For the Wilma tool, design software for the various design mechanisms (D-series and PLAXIS) is integrally linked and data is centrally managed in accordance with the BIM philosophy. Because of this, changes in starting points or other information can be made transparant very quickly, allowing the design to adapt quickly as well. This provides a certain flexibility in the design process that has proven itself to be very beneficial within this project. 

## A challenging reinforcement

The Graaf Reinaldalliantie was established to strengthen the river dike between Gorinchem and Waardenburg. The alliance consists of the Water Board Rivierland and the contractor consortium ‘Waalensemble’ consisting of Heijmans, GMB and de Vries & van de Wiel. Royal HaskoningDHV is associated with the alliance as an advisory party as well. 

This dike improvement project is approximately 23 kilometers long and is particularly complex in terms of tasks related to reinforcement. Not least because of the highly heterogeneous soil structure, which was created in the past on the north side of the Waal by the many old river channels and fillings, the diversity of soil layers and the filling in at the site of old dike breaches. The dike body itself also varies in structure due to the construction of the dike over the centuries and the reinforcements and relocations of the past decades. In order for this dike section to meet current safety standards, several improvement measures are needed that, together with the built environment, the soil conditions, and the transition to undrained modeling, make it a very challenging project.

## Taking initiative

In the tendering phase of the Gorinchem-Waardenburg dike reinforcement project, Waalensemble took the initiative to perform the design calculations in a smarter, more efficient way, based on the positive experiences from previous Heijmans projects (Wilhelminakanaal, Wintrack) where repetitive design issues in particular were efficiently automated. In these examples, design software (D-Series, SCIA, Excel) is linked by means of assumptions and existing equations, resulting in an automated process. This principle has been adopted by the Gorinchem-Waardenburg dike improvement project, further elaborated and further professionalised through the availability of the VIKTOR platform, among other things. The Viktor platform makes it possible to link design software in a much easier way and with extra functionality than was previously possible in the aforementioned Heijmans projects. During the project, the functionality of the dike design tool was expanded in various versions with settlement and failure mechanisms such as macro stability, piping and overtopping, which can be calculated simultaneously per cross section, for both embankments and dike relocations. An example of a schematic of a profile is shown in the picture below.

![An example of a cross section schematized by Wilma with a crown displacement and inward embankment in a D-GeoStability calculation.](/uploads/Cross_section_schematized_by_Wilma_8ed53a86da.png)

*An example of a cross section schematized by Wilma with a crown displacement and inward embankment in a D-GeoStability calculation.*

### The first development

The first development motif arises from the request to support the designer in achieving a higher quality of the stability calculations. The application of the undrained CSSM model requires a schematisation with boundary tensions and a course of the effective tension due to changed water levels and previous loads. Within the functionality of the then available D-GeoStability version 18, this required a far-reaching division of the soil layers with additional stress calculations by the designer. The first version of Wilma has been developed to achieve an accurate calculation of the stresses and to develop an efficient method to include these results in the D-GeoStability model.

### The second development

After a successful application of the first version, the second development started almost immediately. The functionality has been extended to centrally manage the input and output of the various design software. This is in line with the BIM method for quality assurance and version management. In a design analysis, the geotechnical properties per soil layer and the derived parameters that are determined by means of a calculation method, always originate from Wilma and are independent of other design calculations. The old and the new process diagram, where the [parametric design tool](https://www.viktor.ai/blog/46/parametric-design-cloud-engineering-construction) is central, is shown here:

![Traditional vs Parametric vs Generative designwilma design process (1).svg](https://cms.viktor.ai/uploads/Traditional_vs_Parametric_vs_Generative_designwilma_design_process_1_dcdd3d64a0.svg)

*Traditional design process versus new design process with Wilma.*

From this central position, Wilma compiles the input files and sends them to the existing design software, such as the D-series or Plaxis. The results from the design software are then collected and presented via the [parametric design tool](https://www.viktor.ai/blog/46/parametric-design-cloud-engineering-construction). By automating the data flow in the design process, the effort for the designer has shifted from drawing up calculation files to supervising the quality assurance of the calculations and assessing the results.

[![CTA_start_using_PD](https://cms.viktor.ai/uploads/solutions_page_banner_4_f474c9c318.svg)](https://www.viktor.ai/blog/46/parametric-design-cloud-engineering-construction)


## A new design methodology
The greatest gains, however, come from a different design method. The traditional design method is based on the manual input of cross sections by a consultant, which forces planning to make choices about how many cross sections can be calculated. In a complex project such as this dike improvement, this quickly means that major simplifications are needed to realise a design within time and money. One calculation that is normative for hundreds of meters of dike is common. As a result, the design is over-dimensioned, which in principle is not wrong from a safety point of view, but does lead to strict and heavy measures that affect the environment and are therefore not always desirable from stakeholders.

### An automated way
A new automated way of calculating means that it will be possible to calculate a very large number of cross sections, instead of one standard profile. In theory, a transverse profile can be calculated with possible variants for each dike stretch where a different situation arises. This is shown schematically in figure 3, where each block represents a new situation.

![The schematic choice for a standard profile (red) or several representative profiles (yellow)](/uploads/the_schematic_choice_for_a_standard_profile_red_or_several_representative_profiles_yellow_1acc3b2033.png)

*The schematic choice for a standard profile (red) or several representative profiles (yellow)*

The ability to design a large number of profiles provides the following benefits:

1. The consultant needs considerably less time to calculate cross sections, which means more time for interpreting and analysing results and translating them into the design. This leads to great efficiency.
2. There is the possibility to perform sensitivity analyses in a simple manner with all kinds of starting points, so that a better insight is obtained which parameter influences the calculation result. This makes it possible to conduct targeted additional research quickly.
3. The calculations were adapted and carried out very quickly. While changes in the traditional design process can have major consequences for the interfaces of the design, this is no longer a problem due to all the connections built up in Wilma. Adjustments to the design or starting points can now be directly calculated for the entire route.

### Qualitatively better design
All this results in a qualitatively better design, whereby freedom is created in choosing a design solution based on the calculation results. It is therefore no longer necessary to funnel the output data in advance to compose a benchmark profile, because making the assessment is more extensive than designing an additional profile. In addition, the thinking for weighing up the various possible normative aspects is retained in the result of an additional design profile. The figure below shows this as an example through sketches and illustrations, in which the dike sections are the product of a normative cross section and the white line represents a possible design profile that, as is to be expected, more closely follows the soil structure found. Because the design profile of the white line has actually been calculated, it is possible to choose a more average design profile that fits better in the landscape. The robustness of the design is known at that time.

![The division into dike sections with a schematic representation of the design assignment.png](/uploads/The_division_into_dike_sections_with_a_schematic_representation_of_the_design_assignment_7ac20fa4a5.png)

*The division into dike sections with a schematic representation of the design assignment*

### Inclusion of additional soil research
An additional positive effect is that carrying out additional soil research now pays off because it can be processed more easily in the built-up subsurface model. With the traditional design method, additional soil investigation is often intended as a risk mitigation to verify the subsurface model. This advantage remains, however, with the design method with Wilma, the additional research is immediately included in the calculations and the design is adjusted.

## Quality assurance

### Processing results
Quality assurance of the design calculations is not formally included in Wilma. The role of the parametric design tool is to compile and start the calculations and to process the results. These design calculations are always performed with the original (and therefore validated) design software. For example, a stability calculation is performed in D-GeoStability, after which the files are also available, in such a way that it looks like a colleague has supplied the calculations. Each calculation is delivered separately from the tool and manually checked by the designer. This workflow of the calculation files also makes it possible to deliver and view the design without having Wilma.

### Centralized storage
The quality assurance of the design calculations has deliberately been left with the designer. However, the parametric design tool makes it easier for the designer to perform the checks. Firstly, because the process of illustrating through schematics, calculating and checking is almost continuous because the lead time for a design calculation is next to nothing. In addition, Wilma can compile overviews of the required control points. All basic principles and relationships important for the design can be checked because the results are stored centrally and are available to everyone.

An example of a simple check is a graphical representation of the stresses in the soil layers or the assignment of the rise height to soil layers. Such a control screen is shown in figure 5. The calculated values ​​are presented for each black-marked point in the design profile. The applied calculation values ​​can be checked at a glance because the assumptions and equations have been consistently and unambiguously applied by Wilma on the basis of the predefined protocol. There are no quality differences due to the preparation of cross sections by several consultants.

![Customer_case_calculations_with_cloud_computing_5](https://cms.viktor.ai/uploads/A_control_screen_in_Wilma_for_the_determination_of_the_boundary_voltages_7a07277148.png)


### Background testing
In order to properly verify Wilma’s work processes, various tests have been built into the Viktor platform during the development of the tool. This checks in the background whether the routines carried out by Wilma always run in accordance with the geotechnical specification. These tests roughly consist of three categories:

1. Rules of thumb; the obvious design rules are checked. Because Wilma applies standard rules, contradictions can arise, as a result of which the schematization steps are correct in accordance with the “design rules”, but the schematization as a whole is geotechnically incorrect. An example of such a test is the descending height to the hinterland.
2. Realistic modeling with fully elaborated schematics of calculations and links. When going through these tests, the routines must always give the same results.
3. Edge cases with exceptional cases to test the routines of the schematisation. During these tests, unrealistic situations are presented from a geotechnical and hydraulic engineering point of view. This ensures that the routines and rules of thumb are robust and that new exceptions are noticed.

By continuously testing with both realistic modeling that is expected within the project, and with edge cases, the behavior of the tool becomes predictable, so that the quality control focuses on exceptions. These exceptions in turn complement the design routines. The systematic elaboration of these exceptions in a design rule results in a more substantiated design methodology and the percentage of exceptional cases is further reduced. This continuous development of the parametric design tool with the insertion of exceptional cases has resulted in the design capacity increasing quadratically. This increase is based on the difference between the number of design profiles per consultant in the exploration phase and the plan elaboration phase.

## The next step
The tool is currently being further developed for more geotechnical functionalities and applications throughout the design process. The possible future expansion of the functionality of the tool can be sought in expanding the tool in the field of computing in the cloud, but also in adding IoT data from sensor technology in dikes. Both seem far away for now, but will sooner or later enrich the world of the civil industry.

See how you can [develop your own parametric design tools](https://www.viktor.ai/parametric-design-software).

[![CTA_start_building_PD_apps](https://cms.viktor.ai/uploads/Group_1_32a326f910.svg)](https://www.viktor.ai/blog/46/parametric-design-cloud-engineering-construction)


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Heijmans: “The luxury of having a tool that takes over 80% of the work, quickly becomes your standard”

Dike design automation tool leads to better solutions

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Lead Hydraulic Engineering - Heijmans

Jaap Wierenga

*This blog entry was written by BESIX*

In this blog, the proposed automation strategy for the ongoing design process of the tunnel and its benefit during the detailed design phase compared to traditional methods will be discussed. The present project forms the first application of [parametric design](https://www.viktor.ai/blog/46/parametric-design-cloud-engineering-construction) and automation of such magnitude being developed in-house at the BESIX Engineering Department. It reflects our ambition to use these techniques for tackling the ever increasing challenges within the construction industry and simultaneously boosting productivity and the quality of the final product.

## Programming for construction engineering
When encumbered by the limitations of existing software packages, engineering tasks can greatly benefit from customized and automated workflows enabled by custom tools. Though not new, the implementation of programming in construction engineering is rapidly rising. The demand grows due to the ever increasing requirements and complexity of construction projects. In parallel the possibilities increase due to growing computation power, improved availability of Application Programming Interfaces (API’s) and to the rise of visual programming environments that are supported by large online communities, such as Grasshopper or Dynamo.

## Parametric design and automation
About two years ago the in-house Engineering Department of BESIX –Belgium’s largest construction firm– started to explore the potential of [parametric design](https://www.viktor.ai/blog/46/parametric-design-cloud-engineering-construction) and automation to enhance engineering activities. 

### Parametric design for a new highway connection

BESIX is part of joint venture De Groene Boog that will design and construct a new highway connection in the North of Rotterdam for Dutch agency Rijkswaterstaat. The project comprises a 2.2 km long tunnel (excluding its entry ramps) of which the BESIX Engineering Department is currently conducting the structural design. Given the fact that repetition is key to ensure a large positive impact (both in terms of efficiency and quality) of any automation strategy, this tunnel design has from the start proven to be an ideal candidate to benefit from automation: it is a linear project with very repetitive geometry described by straightforward logic. In addition, a preliminary and detailed design phase of more than a year was foreseen, creating a risk for various design changes throughout the process that require rework. The project offered a unique opportunity for new developments thanks to this sufficient availability of time and to the high enthusiasm of all involved parties within the consortium for testing novel techniques. It forms the largest application of [parametric design](https://www.viktor.ai/blog/46/parametric-design-cloud-engineering-construction) and automation developed inhouse at our engineering department so far.

The scope of automation for the tunnel design at BESIX comprises three parts:

1. the construction of a 3D Building Information Model (BIM);
2. the extraction of 2D technical drawings from this model;
3. structural calculations of the piles and tunnel section.

## A parametric information model

For purposes of coordination, visualization and communication a Building Information Model (BIM) of the tunnel’s structure needed to be created. This model is in a later phase used as the single source for the extraction of technical drawings.

To benefit from the high degree of repetition, we decided to create the model through a series of custom programmes or scripts built upon and interconnecting multiple existing software applications. The model is composed of [parametric objects](https://www.viktor.ai/blog/46/parametric-design-cloud-engineering-construction) of which the parameters easily allow their geometry to adapt to the variations present in the tunnel. The scripts automatically place and update these objects together with their parameters and other information. The location of each object is computed from the central road axis (see picture below), which is delivered by an external party. Consequently, a change in road axis can swiftly be propagated to the entire BIM.

![Three steps in the automated creation of the BIM](/uploads/Three_steps_in_the_automated_creation_of_the_BIM_57af2b2ec8.png)

*Three steps in the automated creation of the BIM: external input, i.e. the road axis and top surfaces with cross fall (top); main lines of the linear geometry (middle); view from the resulting structural model (bottom); screenshots from Dynamo and Revit.*

### Spreadsheets

The key parameters that together with the road axis drive the geometry of the model are gathered and managed using a set of spreadsheets. These spreadsheets offer the advantages of ease of use and centralization. They simultaneously serve as the interface between the multiple software packages –each selected for its specific strengths– comprising the automation workflow. From this information, each corner of the linear structural components of the tunnel could accurately be computed. The resulting coordinates are stored into a new spreadsheet that forms the basis upon which the entire model is further constructed. Subsequent tools stepwise populate these numerous coordinates with the parametric objects of walls, floors, piles etc. Due to the vast number of coordinates and objects, the custom developed scripts are no longer merely handy, but become indispensable to ensure that this process can be done in an efficient and accurate manner. The entire workflow is illustrated at the end of the blog.

### A custom tool

It is important to note that various specialized commercial software packages exist for the modelling of linear infrastructure projects based on one or more road axes and a [parametric](https://www.viktor.ai/blog/46/parametric-design-cloud-engineering-construction) road or tunnel profile. The coordinates of each corner of each linear structural component can furthermore easily be extracted from these models. The development of a custom tool for this purpose was nevertheless necessitated by the specific segmented tunnel geometry of the present project. The existing software typically creates geometry by sweeping a vertical profile along the road axis. Hence horizontal dimensions are measured normal to the road axis. In contrast, the present project consists of 25m long tunnel segments comprising straight walls, where horizontal dimensions should be measured perpendicular to the walls. A mismatch hence exists at places where the road alignment is bent. Though the difference might be small and mostly fall within construction tolerances, for the detailed design phase (with a minimum requirement of LOD300) we have nevertheless chosen to create a model that accurately corresponds to the design.

## Designing the tunnel

### Workflow automation

Developing the automation workflow for the creation of the [parametric](https://www.viktor.ai/blog/46/parametric-design-cloud-engineering-construction) BIM of the tunnel has proven to be a time-consuming act. Multiple iterations of trial and error were required to find a workflow that offers sufficient flexibility to include all design variations throughout the process from model setup to drawing production. Consequently, an initial manual creation of the model within the existing software applications will probably have been faster. Nevertheless, multiple design changes have already taken place throughout the design process that likely have shifted the balance. The lessons learnt will additionally lead to faster developments on future linear construction projects.

### Accuracy, less errors, and flexibility

Apart from time spent or won, the custom workflow improves accuracy and reduces risk of errors during manual actions. Most importantly is the gain in flexibility. Indeed, even a drastic change such as altering the road axis can now be quite efficiently dealt with by rerunning the various scripts. Nevertheless, the adaptability enabled by the developed tools is not infinite, but confined to a predefined design scope. It is important to consider which design changes should be allowed and included at the start of the modelling process, as changes surpassing the foreseen logic are more difficult to incorporate. The reality of a design project of this magnitude has unfortunately proven that this foresight is not always possible, making some rework inevitable.

### Automated drawings

From the information model over 2000 of similar, yet not quite identical 2D drawings need to be extracted. This equals one unique set of drawings for each of the 89 tunnel segments. Automation is imperative to ensure an efficient production process and should furthermore ease the handling of late design changes.

Modern BIM tools greatly facilitate the extraction of drawings from a 3D model. The drawings are views from the 3D model, meaning that a change in the model is directly reflected in any related drawing. Nevertheless, setting up these drawings requires numerous manual actions. The average drawing sheet can easily take up to 8 hours for an experienced draftsman to complete. We have therefore opted to first create a single unique set of drawings of the tunnel to be approved within the project team, which would then serve as an example to be replicated as well as possible through automated procedures.

Our previous experiences have shown that due to repetitive work connected to drawing production greatly gains in time, standardization and accuracy can be made using custom tools with a short development time, reducing a draftsman’s work from an average of 8 hours to 1 hour per drawing sheet. Our goal for the present project is to further minimize the manual post-processing needed by draftsmen and to entirely eliminate this need for 80% of the drawings.

In a first step we automatically produce and manage the creation of drawing sheets and title blocks from a spreadsheet. The spreadsheet containing all drawing sheet information that is needed as input for this automated production is in general readily available for planning purposes. It can hence be efficiently reused for the actual creation of the drawing sheets. During the process, non-textual information can be added to the drawing sheets as well, e.g. QR codes providing a link to the online data management system.

#### Views and scripts

Once the drawing sheets have been prepared, views are created in the model and arranged on the drawing sheets. This process is straightforward to automate when the arrangement has been well considered in advance. Creating scripts to add dimensions to the 2D drawings has in contrast proven to be elaborate. In search for a generic approach to place context-specific annotation, we have opted to add coded markers to the [parametric model](https://www.viktor.ai/blog/46/parametric-design-cloud-engineering-construction) objects (inspired by the work of jointventure-partner Mobilis on project RijnlandRoute). Instead of directly dimensioning the objects, their markers are dimensioned, where each marker represents one point in space. The form of annotation is managed in the marker codes, which group points to be added to the same dimension line and define this line’s orientation and relative position. For example markers with a similar code for property X will be added to a linear dimension line for all views oriented along direction Y. Annotation can hence be managed and customized within the modelling environment instead of the scripting environment. Since we have more modellers available than programmers, this is a beneficial feature.

### Promising tests

Though the actual results are due later this year and the drawing automation workflow is still under development, first tests are promising. Numerous drawing sheets and views can be produced in no time and in a highly standardized manner. Full automation has not yet been reached for any drawing set, where particularly the post-processing of annotation remains crucial. We will continue extending the automated actions where the BIM application’s API makes it possible and the potential time gain versus the required development time of the scripts makes it sensible to do so. For indeed, full automation of all drawings will surely not be useful as most unique technical details will simply be more efficient to produce manually using the standard toolset provided by the BIM application.

## Design automation

The present project equally entails repetitive work for the structural design of the tunnel that could be improved through automation. Several small tools are developed in-house to facilitate geotechnical analysis of the foundation and sheet piles. For the design of the reinforced concrete tunnel structure a tool has been developed together with an external partner on a Cloud-based platform (VIKTOR).

### Geotechnical design

Over 6000 foundation piles and 4000 sheet piles are to be designed for the tunnel. First, hundreds of CPT measurements need to be interpreted and matched to the piles for calculation. A spreadsheet has been set up for a custom interpretation of the CPT measurements and a VBA routine to run this process in batch.

For the calculation of the piles, the tools typically used in the Dutch market are straightforward to use, though they do not allow to create [parametric calculation models](https://www.viktor.ai/blog/46/parametric-design-cloud-engineering-construction). To avoid the need to manually change the model input for each unique set of soil and loading conditions along the tunnel, we created another spreadsheet to mimic parametric behaviour. The desired parameters of each individual calculation model are assembled in a single spreadsheet. As the calculation model can be easily read and edited through a text editor, we then use string manipulation to edit the textual contents of the model and create a unique calculation model for each unique set of parameters. These are in a following step computed in batch and the results automatically gathered – again in a spreadsheet– for post-processing.

### Structural design

For the structural design of the concrete floors, walls and roofs, we have collaborated with an external partner from the Netherlands, VIKTOR. Together we have developed a tailored design tool on their cloud-based platform by combining our engineering expertise with their development skills. This tool in a first step assists in setting up the structural models along the entire length of the tunnel for two different structural analysis software packages: a first to compute the internal forces of the tunnel sections and a second to design the structural reinforcement. The models are defined [parametrically](https://www.viktor.ai/blog/46/parametric-design-cloud-engineering-construction) to easily set and change the design, while varying loads due to a variable tunnel depth are automatically introduced. The tool subsequently enables batch calculating all models and, most interestingly, afterwards gathers the results from both structural analysis packages and overlays them in a single visual representation (Figure 2). Aside from simply reducing the manual work, the tool hence processes and presents information in new manners providing swift insight for better-informed design decisions.

### Quicker calculations

To assist the geotechnical design, several small tools have been developed in-house based on spreadsheets. These tools are a typical example of a short development time combined with rapid results and great time savings. Of course spreadsheets have long been widely used in engineering. It is important to be aware of their added strength once they are connected to external files and applications.

For the design of the tunnel’s reinforced concrete structure, the developed Cloud-based VIKTOR application drastically speeds up the calculation process and thus allows a change in design approach. Where one would traditionally calculate only a handful of representative tunnel sections, this tool allows calculating hundreds within the same time frame. The tool is hence beneficial to achieve higher precision results and improved insight, which enable fine-tuning the design and reducing material costs.

![design and production automation a16 tunnel rotterdam.png](/uploads/design_and_production_automation_a16_tunnel_rotterdam_36c4f26735.png)
*Visual output of the custom application based on the Viktor platform: single cross-section with bending moments (blue and red) and unity checks (yellow/green lines) (top figure); contour plot visualizing the unity check of the floor along the entire tunnel (results for 8 different segments are shown; bottom figure).*

## Technical or organizational challenge?

Due to its straightforward, repetitive geometry and its scale, the presented tunnel project offered various opportunities to develop customized tools for automation. Simple and accessible tools such as spreadsheets often play an important role, particularly as interface between existing software applications for an improved interoperability. The interactions between the individual workflows and tools could be further improved (e.g. by using the same centrally-stored geometric parameters for all applications; flowchart below). The variety of actors, information requirements, responsibilities and schedules however make this an organizational challenge rather than a technical challenge.

![Flowchart of the automation workflows](/uploads/Flowchart_of_the_automation_workflows_01f11c97e3.png)
*Flowchart of the automation workflows discussed in the present paper. The road axis is input shared by all workflows. Other input parameters -such as dimensions of the tunnel geometry- are of course equally shared, though they are entered in different formats and at different locations due to the varying information requirements. The dynamic links between the workflows should be improved in future projects.*

## Deciding automation

Developing the automated setup of the information model has taken longer than expected, largely due to the incorporation of exceptions on the overall geometrical logic. It should hence always be carefully considered whether these exceptions should be automated in the first place. Once the effort has been made, a huge flexibility for coping with design changes is nevertheless obtained. The various developments for drawing production and geotechnical calculations moreover demonstrated the potential of small tools to have a large profitable effect on time, effort, accuracy and standardisation.

Our enthusiasm about the added value of [parametric design and automation](https://www.viktor.ai/blog/46/parametric-design-cloud-engineering-construction) is high and likewise are our ambitions for the present project. Multiple developments are still ongoing and several tools still need to be tested. Their true added value remains to be evaluated to maximally benefit from the present developments in future projects.

See how you can apply [parametric design solutions](https://www.viktor.ai/parametric-design-software) to your projects too. 

### References

“Parametrisch ontwerpen,” Cement: vakblak over betonconstructies, vol. 70, no. 6, pp 4-55, 2018.
Level Of Development (LOD) Specification Part I & Commentary, BIM Forum, 2019, available on https://bimforum.org/lod/

K. Roovers and F. Snoeck, “Parametric Design and Automation for Contracting,” in Proceedings of the IASS Symposium 2018, C. Mueller and S. Adriaenssens, Eds. Boston: MIT, 2018.

Bron: 2019 IABSE congress New York City


Geotechnical

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Digital models were set up parametrically to produce a numerous drawings detailed 3D model of the A16 tunnel in Rotterdam, and effectively cope with possible design changes.

Parametric design and product automation for Rotterdam's A16 tunnel

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



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Parametric design is a design approach that uses flexible models that can be adjusted and solved quickly. The goal is to see the effect of specific choices on your design by just changing the input variables. 

The benefits are:

- **Flexibility:** Parametric design allows you to react quickly to changes at a low cost. Always generate the best solution for your project no matter the time pressure.

- **Better decisions:** Automatically calculate thousands of different solutions, get deep insight, and mitigate risks. Make better decisions and provide more added value to clients.

- **Digital Assets:** Create models and data that are reusable in new projects. Improve them over time, building up digital capital

This white paper is for engineers, architects, project leaders, and innovation and business managers. You will learn how collaborative parametric design in the cloud helps organizations get better results with real study cases such as a billion-euro infrastructure project.
 
Additionally, we talk about how you can transform Python, Dynamo and Grasshopper scripts into user-friendly web apps and significantly impact your organization performance. 

Learn how collaborative parametric design models allow you to work together for better solutions.

Download the white paper and get INSPIRED

This white paper is for engineers, project leaders, and innovation and business managers that want to learn more about what collaborative parametric design can mean for them. Discover more about this new way of working in which stakeholders collaborate to find the best solution for a project.

The Future of Parametric Design is COLLABORATION

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Unleash the power of BIM with VIKTOR - the intelligent platform that streamlines your workflow and maximizes your efficiency. With web-based apps to interoperate different software integrations and utilize the BIM innovations.

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Utilize various software integrations, let different software speak to each other without data-loss

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VIKTOR helps in BIM 7th dimension of facility management, by controlling Digital twins and harvesting data from sensors.

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 VIKTOR empowers BIM professionals to optimize their designs in the early stages, taking into account financial, environmental, and design analysis factors

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Engineers are meant for awesome tasks only. All repetitive and boring tasks should be automated. VIKTOR has been used by engineers in automating reporting, calculation and generative design optimization.

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# Interoperability


VIKTOR enables all users to thoroughly exploit the whole BIM ecosystem. Therefore, VIKTOR empowers users to harness the full potential of the BIM ecosystem, building upon the principles of parametric design. By promoting interoperability and seamless data exchange across various platforms, VIKTOR ensures that all users can effectively leverage the BIM ecosystem's capabilities. Python plays a vital role in achieving this goal by providing a common medium for data translation and minimizing data loss. VIKTOR can integrate data with various platforms individually and channel the data between them, making it possible to integrate with any software that allows for external integration.

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# Digital Twins

VIKTOR provides BIM professionals with the ability to create a digital twin of a physical building, which can be used for simulation, analysis, and optimization. With data integration from various sources such as sensors, BIM models, and IoT devices, VIKTOR enables the creation of a virtual replica of the building and its operations, allowing for efficient building maintenance and management. By providing a platform for hosting information from sensors and automatic failure detection, VIKTOR offers an alternative to periodical maintenance visits, increasing the overall effectiveness and accuracy of the maintenance process.

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# Early-stage Design Optimization

To ensure effective BIM management right from the start, early-stage design optimization is critical. BIM LOD 100 plays a crucial role in this by offering a framework for developing detailed building models, enabling architects, engineers, and construction professionals to streamline workflows and make informed decisions. With the integration of powerful Python packages like Topologic, and Ladybug Tools, AEC professionals can analyze cost estimates, energy modeling, and thermal comfort analysis, facilitating the identification of areas for improvement from the early stages! eventually, guaranteeing successful project outcomes.

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# Automation


VIKTOR is a powerful platform for BIM professionals that offers automation capabilities to streamline workflows. With VIKTOR, BIM data can be automatically extracted and analyzed, allowing for early-stage design optimization and informed decision-making. The platform's automation features also eliminate the need for manual data entry, reducing the risk of errors, saving time and most importantly exploring a vast amount of generated solutions in a few clicks. By leveraging VIKTOR's automation capabilities, AEC professionals can focus on more complex tasks and drive innovation in their projects.

Effortlessly integrate with industry-leading software, the Python Ecosystem, and modern development tools.

Why VIKTOR for BIM

VIKTOR’s software solutions are designed to support BIM methods, providing engineers and other domain experts with an array of benefits that help streamline the design process, reduce waste, and cut down on costs. 

BIM & VIKTOR: Unlock your full engineering potential

[Building Information Modeling (BIM)](https://www.viktor.ai/blog/100/how-BIM-innovations-transform-AEC) has redefined the way professionals in the Architecture, Engineering, and Construction (AEC) industry approach the design, construction, and management of buildings and infrastructure. VIKTOR’s software solutions are designed to support BIM methods, providing engineers and other domain experts with an array of benefits that help streamline the design process, reduce waste, and cut down on costs. 

Transformation lead at WSP

Design Leader at Heijmans

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## Automating the design process

The [parametric design](https://www.viktor.ai/blog/46/parametric-design-cloud-engineering-construction) tool allows J.P. van Eesteren to generate the optimal designs of residential towers: As high as possible while using as little surface as possible. Visualizations of the parametric models are shown on a standard map in which all kinds of elements, such as apartments, elevators, and staircases can be seen as well. It is easy to adjust aspects such as dimensions or to add elements like additional walls by simply changing the input for the parameters. The impact of the design changes is immediately shown on the map. 

See here how engineers at J.P. van Eesteren use the application to create the optimal design for residential towers:

<div style="padding:56.25% 0 0 0;position:relative;"><iframe src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/670120716?autoplay=1&loop=1&autopause=0"h=7298f72eb4&amp;badge=0&amp;autopause=0&amp;player_id=0&amp;app_id=58479" frameborder="0" allow="autoplay; fullscreen; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;" title="J.P. van Eesteren - LinkedIn demo (1 min 25 sec)"></iframe></div><script src="https://player.vimeo.com/api/player.js"></script>

> “It is a design tool that can be used to draw and calculate simultaneously. Regularly, we come up with an idea from which the architect creates a design. Naturally, this is not immediately sufficient. So we start calculating again, and again, and go on. With our application, we can combine drawings and calculations, which means we can iterate much faster and cheaper!” – Max de Vries, Project Developer at J.P. van Eesteren

## Securing rules in Python

How did they establish the parametrization of residential towers? The answer is: By securing rules. According to Max, digitizing is all about rules: “These days, there are many requirements and rules that need to be tended to. What we need is a system to secure them. When we developed our tool, we started looking for ways to incorporate all of these rules, both written and unwritten. If we were not able to program them, we were not being sharp enough.”

For each project, a residential tower is put together in the same way. Nevertheless, there is an entire design process that precedes the construction every time, and every time it ends with the same result. That is why engineers at J.P. van Eesteren figured that securing rules for the automation of this process was the most logical thing to do. Now, their work starts with a result: The design of a residential tower. What follows is the optimization of these designs.

## Unique designs

A lot of people think that standardization leads to the mass production of a lot of identical-looking residential towers. However, J.P. van Eesteren has a whole other opinion about it: 

> “Every person is unique. There is a certain structure in every body that contains a skeleton, heart, liver, and go on. These are all kept in logical places for a good reason. If we start shuffling them around, something will go wrong. The same goes for residential towers. There are certain parts of a them that are unique, the same as with a person: The length of the arms and legs, hair and eye color, these all grow differently and can be changed if needed". - Max de Vries, Project developer at J.P. van Eesteren

With their application, J.P. van Eesteren has found a way to secure certain parts (the skeleton, organs) while also having the freedom to change other aspects (height, hair and eye colour).
 
## Transparancy

For the engineers at J.P. van Eesteren who use the application, it's important that their tool is transparent. Instead of using a black box that simply tells them whether a design is feasible or not after inserting certain parameters, they want to be able to know the ‘why’ behind it all. 

> “We have specifically chosen that the person who is using the application is also the one that is really behind the steering wheel.” – Max de Vries, Project Developer at J.P. van Eesteren

Because their application is so transparent, engineers can guide the project in the right directions where and whenever needed and decide for themselves what the best alternative would be in certain situations. This way, they can first tell the architect about their rational approach, only after that he starts making it into a fancy residential tower. 

Max: “Once we combine our rational approach and their design approach, we can review whether the tower can be made into a feasible design. Because the architect doesn’t have to think about the rational approach anymore, we gain a lot of time. The building is like a body: We make sure that the organs are there and in the right place and the architect decides on the length, eye- and hair color.”

## Realistic environments

A nice addition to the application, is that J.P. van Eesteren is not only able to quickly visualize the design of their own projects but of the surrounding environment as well. First, they place a building on the map by selecting a location and defining the area. Then, they can select the surrounding buildings and visualize these as well by using data from the open-source data model [3D BAG](https://www.viktor.ai/blog/48/open-source-data-building-visualization), by the TU Delft. This way, they are able to [create realistic environments](https://www.viktor.ai/blog/48/open-source-data-building-visualization) to match their realistic-looking residential towers within the app.  

![parametric design residential tower realistic environment](https://cms.viktor.ai/uploads/CC_JP_van_Eesteren_3_D_Bag_fef59394d3.png)


> “Building our own parametric design tool enabled us to generate the most efficient design for the available space, and save a considerable amount of time while doing so.​" - Martijn de Rog, BIM director at J.P. van Eesteren

For example, we were able to re-calculate the design for a  residential tower that could host the same fascilities, only with two floors less!”​ - Martijn Rog, BIM Director, J.P. van Eesteren​


Find out more about [Cloud-based parametric design](https://www.viktor.ai/parametric-design-software) on the VIKTOR platform. 

[![CTA_try_for_free](https://cms.viktor.ai/uploads/CTA_try_for_free_6af1b46cf2.svg)](https://m.viktor.ai/free_version)

## About VIKTOR

You've just read one of the many use cases of the VIKTOR platform. I hope you found it an interesting read! However, there is much more to the VIKTOR platform than only this specific case. Let me tell you more about us:

VIKTOR is a low-code application development platform that empowers engineers and other domain experts to revolutionize their workflow by effortlessly creating user-friendly web applications with nothing more than Python. The VIKTOR platform consists of the following pillars:

1. The VIKTOR SDK: Application development is time-consuming and not the core business of many engineers, but web applications are truly an amazing asset. With the VIKTOR SDK, you can build your own Python-based web apps. The SDK takes care of the back-end, front-end, and hosting, so you can easily transform your Python scripts into any web app and start automating the boring.
 
2. The Workers: VIKTOR allows for seamless integration with other third-party software packages, such as Revit, Dynamo, ETABS, Grasshopper, and many more. The VIKTOR workers allow you to easily connect your app to these software packages by pushing and pulling data to and from them, eliminating the boring manual work. This way, you can create a whole new level of interoperability, all within a single app, making your VIKTOR app the single point of truth.
 
3. The Company environment: VIKTOR comes with a company environment, giving you the ability to provide access to users within and outside your company to use your apps. The company environment is a hub where all developed apps are stored and can be used, much like a library. To top that, end-users do not need to install any third-party tools that integrate with a VIKTOR app to be able to use them. The user management system lets you fine-tune user rights within applications (which have their own user management and database), while also providing valuable insights into app usage. This enables you to measure the adoption of the digital tools developed.

You can build any application you can imagine on the VIKTOR platform. Automating the boring tasks with ease, so engineers can fully focus on their engineering work again.
 
If this sounds interesting to you or your company, let's have a chat, you can reach me via: swolters@viktor.ai





Cloud-based parametric design tool optimizes residential towers

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Discover how real estate firm J.P. van Eesteren build their own parametric design building generator tool on VIKTOR.ai

Parametric design app for optimized building | VIKTOR.ai

Parametric design tool generates the optimal residential tower 

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BIM Director at J.P. van Eesteren

Martijn Rog

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## Giant potential

The idea to create the Building Structural Design tool came to life about one and a half years ago following Arcadis’ strategy to excel in the design of industrial buildings. Due to the increased request for constructions such as gigafactories, warehouses, and data centers quickly being erected all around us, Arcadis saw giant potential in the development of an application for the automation of structural building designs. 

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## Go global!

Since technologies in different regions are essentially not much different from one another, and the knowledge about structural engineering is also similar, Arcadis decided to approach this development on a global scale. Thus, an application was created that can be used by all Arcadis regions worldwide. “Thanks to our active group of stakeholders and end users all over the world, we have been able to make the application accessible to everyone working in the realm of structural engineering within Arcadis,” says Michael van Telgen, Design Automation Specialist at Arcadis. “Structural engineers and consultants in different Arcadis regions are picking up the tooling and applying it to their work.”

## Preliminary and conceptual design

Built specifically for structural engineers and consultants, the Building Structural Design tool is intended for usage in the conceptual and preliminary stages of a design and focuses mainly on aspects like cost and sustainability. The purpose is to help engineers quickly create a design using input from the architect about a building’s dimensions. According to Igor Pecanac, Specialist Engineer at Arcadis: “Most of our work lies within the conceptual and preliminary stages of a design, so those are the areas we want to focus on. These are also the areas where most commercial tooling is lacking.” 

In the app, engineers can enter basic information about the building dimensions and sustainability requirements and try different grid options to automatically calculate required element sizes for, for example, columns, beams, and floors. Depending on their region, engineers can choose the correct design code before proceeding to determine loads and choose material types. Pecanac adds: “The app automatically generates the structure for you. This would normally be done by a structural engineer themselves. Instead, the app does this in just 4 seconds.”

![BSD tool frame design.png](https://cms.viktor.ai/uploads/BSD_tool_frame_design_c6dff359cc.png)

*Building Structural Design tool: Frame design*

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![BSD tool elements design.png](https://cms.viktor.ai/uploads/BSD_tool_elements_design_841c64990d.png)

*Building Structural Design tool: Elements design*

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## Sustainability and resources

 Using the tool, engineers and consultants can now design buildings and analyze them in 90 to 100% less time than before. This has an enormous impact on productivity, as engineers can now look at anywhere from 100 to 500 variants of a design whereas this number was previously only 2 to 3. The tool also allows engineers to make better and more well-informed decisions regarding costs and sustainability. This allows for more informed discussions with clients about their different options, helping them make balanced choices that lead to the most optimal cost-to-CO2 emission ratio. 

“Clients are requesting more information in less time, and engineers need to take more factors into account in the design process,” says Pecanac, “which is only possible if you have tools like this to your avail. The impact on productivity is simply enormous.”

![BSD tool calculation report.png](https://cms.viktor.ai/uploads/BSD_tool_calculation_report_069eafb274.png)

*Building Structural Design tool: Calculation report*

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## Tool suite

The Building Structural Design tool is actually not one application, but a suite of multiple different apps on the VIKTOR platform, such as for the calculation of foundations, floors, and wind loads. The Building Structural Design tool is at the heart of it all with a focus on creating a general building design. The other apps can be used to further expand upon and specify information regarding the different elements inside a building. “We purposely separated these design choices from the main application,” says Pecanac. “We don’t want to overwhelm people by presenting 100 options to use at once.”

## The future of (structural) engineering

The Building Structural Design tool is just one of many developments Arcadis has been working on on the VIKTOR platform. In 2021, they started the development of their first app for the design of underwater concrete floors. By now, this tool has been used on several large projects, such as the design of the underpass and aqueduct in the N247 highway in the Netherlands. 
It is clear that automation software can be used in all kinds of engineering disciplines to increase productivity, and specifically in the field of structural engineering. “If you don’t do anything with automation in this area, you risk losing to your competitors,” says van Telgen. “New technologies like VIKTOR help democratize, standardize, and reuse a lot of knowledge to increase efficiency, productivity, and overall quality of work.”

## About VIKTOR

You've just read one of the many use cases of the VIKTOR platform. I hope you found it an interesting read! However, there is much more to the VIKTOR platform than only this specific case. Let me tell you more about us:

VIKTOR is a low-code application development platform that empowers engineers and other domain experts to revolutionize their workflow by effortlessly creating user-friendly web applications with nothing more than Python. The VIKTOR platform consists of the following pillars:

1. The VIKTOR SDK: Application development is time-consuming and not the core business of many engineers, but web applications are truly an amazing asset. With the VIKTOR SDK, you can build your own Python-based web apps. The SDK takes care of the back-end, front-end, and hosting, so you can easily transform your Python scripts into any web app and start automating the boring.
 
2. The Workers: VIKTOR allows for seamless integration with other third-party software packages, such as Revit, Dynamo, ETABS, Grasshopper, and many more. The VIKTOR workers allow you to easily connect your app to these software packages by pushing and pulling data to and from them, eliminating the boring manual work. This way, you can create a whole new level of interoperability, all within a single app, making your VIKTOR app the single point of truth.
 
3. The Company environment: VIKTOR comes with a company environment, giving you the ability to provide access to users within and outside your company to use your apps. The company environment is a hub where all developed apps are stored and can be used, much like a library. To top that, end-users do not need to install any third-party tools that integrate with a VIKTOR app to be able to use them. The user management system lets you fine-tune user rights within applications (which have their own user management and database), while also providing valuable insights into app usage. This enables you to measure the adoption of the digital tools developed.

You can build any application you can imagine on the VIKTOR platform. Automating the boring tasks with ease, so engineers can fully focus on their engineering work again.
 
If this sounds interesting to you or your company, let's have a chat, you can reach me via: swolters@viktor.ai





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Leading design, engineering, and management consulting firm Arcadis develops its own structural engineering tools to increase productivity and sustainability and save resources. Read more on VIKTOR.ai!

How Arcadis develops next gen structural engineering tools with VIKTOR

Arcadis develops next gen structural engineering tools with VIKTOR

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Designer Engineer in Arcadis

Igor Pecanac

## Custom truss constructions

The truss constructions at large music stages become bigger and more complex. Festivals want to have their own unique stage, with a custom truss construction. These constructions are very expensive if they have to be custom made, or you have to deal with a limited set of standard shapes with existing products. 

![Truss construction design in the analyze one](/uploads/Truss_constructions_in_the_analyze_one_3bfe986172.jpg)


### Software and building blocks

FrameFlux is offering an affordable option for creating your custom construction. Yufe Wong, cofounder of Frameflux: “We invented an adjustable, reusable building block, with which you can create any shape structure you want, with the same level of form-freedom as a snake!” Besides the physical product they also developed in-house [parametric design](https://www.viktor.ai/blog/46/parametric-design-cloud-engineering-construction) and analysis software tools to rapidly design these custom shapes and analyse them. “You can perform a structural feasibility check in seconds on an unlimited set of forms, including the conventional shapes.” This removes a barrier to the use of the truss, since it would be difficult to engineer and design some of the complex structural shapes that become feasible.

![Truss construction design](/uploads/Truss_construction_design_56c25ff136.jpg)


## Hitting the market

After demonstrating the software tools to customers and receiving a lot of enthusiasm, FrameFlux wanted to take the next step. After an elaborate vendor selection, FrameFlux partnered with VIKTOR for their experience and integration with Grasshopper and Python, along with a user-friendly interface to suit the needs. Since March 2020, the two companies have been collaborating to deliver this software product, named Antalyze One. This application allows integration with SCAD Re-Event, a popular 3D CAD program for the Dutch event industry. Now a super-fast workflow for design of standard truss beams is realized: users can create a design in SCAD Re-Event, export the data to the web-based VIKTOR platform, and then instantly run a Grasshopper-powered structural feasibility check. It is also possible to make changes in VIKTOR and re-import these back into SCAD Re-Event. VIKTOR’s fine grain data management systems, for user information and technical data, allow for such automation when coupled with Grasshopper. In future, integrations with other CAD programs will be possible.

![Data mangement systems for truss constructions](/uploads/Data_management_system_8043c8a027.png)


## A user-friendly interface

“With VIKTOR we’ve got a friendly user interface and a good integration with our existing Grasshopper model, instead of starting over again.” In the web-application an event designer can also upload their design and other relevant inputs whenever and wherever they want. As before, this information is sent to the Grasshopper model in which the analysis is done. The results of this analyses are sent back to the web-application and visualized for the event designer.

![Visualizations of truss construction designs](/uploads/Truss_construction_visualizations_deb241cb3c.jpg)


## The 'Antalyze Two'?
The decision to automate this process is an easy one according to Yufe “A designer can now create, develop and get a structural feasibility check on their preliminary designs of loaded straight beams without hours of spreadsheet work or consultation.” There are already plans for a potential ‘Antalyze Two’, which will be able to process a much greater variety of structural shapes. “Especially for custom-made constructions it could take weeks before a design was analysed by a consultant. With our software and the web-application made on the VIKTOR platform, a check could be run on squares, circles and snake-like structures… in only a matter of seconds!”

Interested in developing web-applications as well? Check out our [parametric design solutions](https://www.viktor.ai/parametric-design-software)!

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It is now possible to analyse structures with a user-friendly web application quicker than ever before!

Analyse any truss construction design within seconds

## Designing a sustainable future

Stefan Schoenmakers, design leader Civil Realisation Substructure of the Theemsweg route at Wagemaker explains that the Calandbrug will have reached its technical lifespan in 10 years. It was built around 1970 and provides road and freight traffic. By removing freight traffic, the lifespan is extended and at the same time the with new rail viaduct, the train traffic does not experience interference of opening and closing the bridge for shipping. The new route is designed for the next 100 years. “We have to look and think far ahead, because mobility issues may change over this period of time. This makes it a very interesting project”.

## Many parts to a mega project

Wagemaker designs almost all the foundations for this project. Wagemaker is part of SaVe, a construction consortium consisting of Besix, Dura Vermeer and Mobilis that is responsible for the design and realisation. “We work with a design team of 12 people at Wagemaker, where my job as design manager is to ensure that our product, drawings and calculations are finished on time and distributed within the organisation of SaVe. We look at implementation, manufacturability, optimisations, alignments with the road design team, with provisions for lighting, making certain parts prefab, and much more. Our constructors and modellers work on all these things simultaneously”, says Schoenmakers. A mega project.

## Complexity and diversity

Not only the size is a challenge; the route is 4 km in length, but also the complexity. “You come across different types of soil situations. In some places the foundation is in water, in other places you have to build across an existing lock, or you have to deal with a very poor soil structure, or a soil structure in which inserting piles is a challenge. It is very diverse.”, says Schoenmakers. In addition, we are dealing with the fact that almost every location is very specific regarding the number of cables and pipes in the ground. Wagemaker looked for an effective way of analysing the foundation supports. “In principle we have 100 support points, some of which are identical, but the situation is different due to the soil composition. Initially, we wanted to make a certain design choice based on a comparison between support points that are similar and then calculate only one”, which is not optimal. Due to previous collaboration on another project, they ended up at VIKTOR. “We worked on the TenneT project, of Heijmans. You were involved in that project as well, and we then saw what was possible and we also want to stimulate development. So we said right away, we are going to do it together with VIKTOR!”.

## The role of the VIKTOR platform

With VIKTOR, the substructure of the route has been parametrically designed and calculated. This was done, among other things, by means of integrations with geotechnical and structural calculation software such as the finite element program SCIA. Schoenmakers: “By using your tool, we were able to generate parametric models with corresponding load cases for all supports and foundations. This made it easy to analyse internal force distributions, pile reactions and other calculation results. We ultimately opted for 5 to 6 basic foundations. They were all defined in the database of the tool and we could attach foundation characteristics, such as soil properties. Actually, this is in reverse order to the normal process, enabling us to much better determine where optimisations are present”.

Using the tool resulted in making the design process and reporting more efficient. The VIKTOR platform has been very valuable not only in the field of calculations, but also towards the client and testing authorities: “This has enabled us to demonstrate that we have been able to design and analyse all support points properly,” says Schoenmakers.

## Wagemaker focuses on digitisation

Wagemaker clearly focuses on the digitisation of engineering; A few years ago, a Virtual Design department was established to keep up with the developments. Of the 8 people there are 2 dedicated programmers employed. “If we can save time on projects by doing things [smarter](https://www.viktor.ai/blog/40/artificial-intelligence-machine-learning-engineering-construction), we have more time for complex projects where we cannot automate or parametrise anything. You became an engineer for the complex thinking involved, thereby empowering people. You don’t want to do the same thing 10 times. It may be nice the first time, and second time as well, but then it stops. It is very time consuming and if you have to do the same thing 10 times over, the chance of errors will also increase”. VIKTOR has provided a clear solution for this. Wagemaker recently participated in a few technical sessions at VIKTOR, in which three engineers are now learning to develop their own tool in the VIKTOR platform. Not participating in this development is not an option for Wagemaker. “We try to stay ahead, because the moment you can do something that someone else cannot do, it strengthens our market position.”

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The Theemsweg route is a new railway viaduct, which allows uninterrupted train traffic on the first part of the Betuwelijn, without having to stop for ships. A challenging project for VIKTOR and Wagemaker, who is responsible for the engineering of the substructure of the route!

Parametric models to design the structure of the Theemsweg route

## No replacement, but renovation!

The developed system makes it possible to place a new pipe in the old pipe without excavating the street. Thanks to the coupling supplied by CODURE, the system can be directly connected to the rest of the network. Each coupling is specifically designed and made for the project. With the help of VIKTOR, an application has been developed that, in addition to the dimensions and structural calculations, also generates the code to control the CNC machines and keeps track of the quality control.

## Easy coupling with CODURE

Anande Bergman, Chief Technology Officer at CODURE, explains: “CODURE has developed a patented coupling specifically to repair pressure lines using Cured-in-Place-Pipes (CIPP).” CIPP is a method to repair existing underground pipes without having to excavate the whole street: a new pipe within the old pipe. A fiberglass sleeve is placed and cured within the old pipe that has a coupling at each end. The coupling has a special inner surface that ensures adhesion to the sleeve during curing, so the sleeve and coupling form a whole. Thanks to the coupling piece, the CIPP sleeves can easily be connected to the rest of the network.

## Different coupling designs

Unfortunately, existing pipelines are not the same everywhere and the required couplings are often unique. We are talking about old pipes with varying sizes that do not correspond to the current standards. The pressure on the pipe also differs per situation. As a result, every project is slightly different and a new coupling must be designed every time. Bergman: “It is a time-consuming task to design a coupling piece every time in a traditional way. Due to the complexity of the product, we always have to do this, even to just create a simple quotation. ”

## An automated application to the rescue 

That is why an application has been created together with VIKTOR to be able to perform those calculations automatically. “Before using VIKTOR, one of our engineers had to do a strength calculation for each coupling design. We did this with FEM, because thick-walled glass fiber products are complex to calculate. That took a few hours per design”, says Bergman. With the help of the application, a complete design can now be made quickly and easily. This not only saves time, but also money. “Even small orders are now commercially attractive.”


![codure.PNG](https://cms.viktor.ai/uploads/codure_1cb13314b4.PNG)



## The possibilities of centralized and automated data

“The application can do much more,” says Bergman. Quotes, drawings and data sheets with all relevant information can be generated for each coupling design. This is not done via manual calculations or individual Excel models, but rather all data is collected and generated centrally and automatically in the application. Due to the central storage of the designs, no previous versions are lost. Bergman: “It is important that we can quickly compare multiple options, so that we can always discuss with the customer and offer the best solution. So it’s also great that we can easily view older designs and track why certain changes were made to the project and by whom. ”

> “With the help of the application, a complete design can now be made quickly and easily. This not only saves time, but also money. ” - Anande Bergman CTO of CODURE

## From design to product

CODURE not only makes the designs, but is also responsible for the production of the couplings and their quality control. CODURE has developed special CNC machines for production to be able to make the coupling pieces. The final design is converted in the application into a G-code with which these machines can be controlled. Bergman explains: “Now we no longer have to translate a geometry into the instructions for the machine, now we can produce the desired coupling with the click of a button.” Production is thus greatly simplified and accelerated, and the probability of errors is much smaller.

## Quality control

After the production of a coupling, quality checks must be done. Due to its use in drinking water pipes, CODURE must adhere to strict regulations. Quality control is also supported in this application. Amongst other things, the following information is tracked per coupling piece: which materials have been used, who has worked on it, whether all sizes are correct and whether all quality requirements have been met. “Everything is stored in a well-organised way and it is easy to trace what happened to that specific coupling piece,” says Bergman.

## Advantages of the application

The entire process, from initial design and quotation to actual production and quality control, is thus centralised in one application. This not only saves CODURE a lot of time in designing, calculating, entering and updating everything that is involved in making a coupling piece; but it also ensures that processes are simplified and the risk of errors is reduced. By automating the entire process, CODURE is left with time that they can now use to improve and optimize the product.

Bergman: “It is simple. Anyone can use the application. All the knowledge behind the design, which was previously only in the hands of the specialists, has now been made accessible to the entire organisation. ” So in addition to the centralisation of data and time savings, CODURE can store and always use their knowledge.

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Replacement or renovation of deteriorated pipes is required to provide clean drinking water. CODURE and their partners have now developed a new system that allows for simple renovation!

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