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





Maritime & Offshore

Civil

Structural

Water

SCIA

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

## 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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Customer_case_centralizing_data_faster_gravity_based_foundation_analysis_2


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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The most versatile way to create web apps from your Excel sheets

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Transform your Excel spreadsheets into interactive web applications without any coding involved

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Create your own Excel apps to automate calculations, communicate with external machines through macros, and more!

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Use your Excel sheets in combination with other design or engineers software, such as CAD or RFEM.

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Always work with the latest version, so your whole team can be sure to use the correct data at all times.

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You determine who gets to view and edit which parts of the project, so your IP is 100% secure. 

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VIKTOR empowers you to manage your team effectively with features like app variables, developer tokens, credentials, and app tags.

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## Excel to VIKTOR app Converter

Transform your Excel spreadsheet into a web app with a user-friendly converter. Simply upload your formatted Excel file, review the inputs, and then download the ready-to-use app code. 



<div style="padding:57.28% 0 0 0;position:relative;"><iframe src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/908206596?badge=0&amp;autopause=0&amp;player_id=0&amp;app_id=58479" frameborder="0" allow="autoplay; fullscreen; picture-in-picture" style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;" title="publishing_apps_EDITED_2"></iframe></div><script src="https://player.vimeo.com/api/player.js"></script>

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## Automating crane foundation design in a web app

VINCI used VIKTOR to compute crane foundation designs in just **15 minutes**, a task that typically takes **3 to 5 days**
The automation of crane foundation design calculations is a simple but exhaustive and repetitive process: large amounts of data are required that must all be processed through multiple third-party software packages, such as Excel and Autodesk Robot. At VINCI, they have dozens of engineers that work on designing up to 225 cranes in France every year. Because the design calculations are very similar but specific for every crane each time, this task is very well suited for [automation](https://www.viktor.ai/customer-cases/43/how-vinci-yearly-saves-300-days-calculating-crane-foundation-designs).


<iframe src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/805460142?h=35f0fa1693&title=0&byline=0&portrait=0" width="640" height="360" frameborder="0" allow="autoplay; fullscreen; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>
<p><a href="https://vimeo.com/805460142">VINCI - Crane foundation app</a> from <a href="https://vimeo.com/user75777479">VIKTOR platform</a> on <a href="https://vimeo.com">Vimeo</a>.</p>


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## Automating calculations by linking Excel sheets to SCIA

Many Excel sheets are used in construction to do calculations. A lot of time and energy has gone into developing the sheets, especially to get them verified and validated afterwards. Heijmans has linked their Excel sheet with reinforcement calculations for concrete cross-sections to SCIA in an application on the VIKTOR platform for the reinforcement of slabs. For example, fewer numbers now have to be copied, so that one can work more efficiently, and the risk of error is reduced.

[VIKTOR | Automating the calculation process by linking Excel sheets to SCIA](https://www.viktor.ai/customer-cases/18/web-application-automation-python-Excel-SCIA)


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## Beam calculations through an Excel web app

This web app functions as a single point of truth with a central database that always contains the latest version of your project (with version history) that all stakeholders can access. As you can see from the video, the process of automatically calculating a simple supported beam only consists of three steps: inserting the information, generating the results, and downloading the PDF report. 

<iframe src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/703176976?h=c6d27796c9&title=0&byline=0&portrait=0" width="640" height="360" frameborder="0" allow="autoplay; fullscreen; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>
<p><a href="https://vimeo.com/703176976">Automating calculations in Excel with Python in VIKTOR</a> from <a href="https://vimeo.com/user75777479">VIKTOR platform</a> on <a href="https://vimeo.com">Vimeo</a>.</p>

## Workflow automation with user-friendly web apps at WSP

At WSP Netherlands, they have enabled their engineers to build applications that their colleagues without any programming (Python) experience are able to use as well. For example, an application for [fender systems](https://www.viktor.ai/customer-cases/42/Python-engineering-Cloud-applications). 

> “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



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## Centralized data for gravity-based foundation analysis

BAM automates the design of gravity-based foundations from  **5 days to just 4 hour .**  The gravity-based foundation is a concrete platform on the seabed (approximately 30 meters in diameter) which is used for wind turbine foundations. The problem with the gravity based foundation was that it was determined or calculated using a number of separate Excel sheets. 

Among other things, investigation was done on the stability during floating and sinking, the natural frequencies and the strength of the design by different disciplines, each using their own Excel sheet. [This meant that making a complete design took 5 up to 10 days.](https://www.viktor.ai/customer-cases/21/web-application-Excel-python-gravity-based-foundationsThis) 
Then, the calculations made in Excel where transferred to a VIKTOR web app that ensures that everyone works with the same input parameters at the same time, without having to manually pass on and adjust them. Everyone is also working on the same version of the design, so no miscommunications or misunderstandings can arise. This is something that can easily happen with separate Excel sheets: several different versions can easily be made.



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 Spreadsheets

Turn any spreadsheet into a customized web app

**Spreadsheets are widely used in engineering, but they can become inefficient and confusing when dealing with multiple versions and access permissions. A centralized platform for engineering data management can address these challenges, providing a single source of truth and streamlined collaboration.**

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## Connectivity

When Alexandre’s team found VIKTOR, they already had a specific use case in mind: the automation of crane foundation design calculations. A quite simple but tedious and repetitive process: large amounts of data are required that must all be processed through multiple third-party software packages, such as Excel and Autodesk Robot. Ideally, they were searching for a way to connect everything, without developing the infrastructure themselves. Alexandre: “VIKTOR is the only product we know of that allows us to do exactly that.” 

<div style="padding:56.25% 0 0 0;position:relative;"><iframe src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/805460142?h=35f0fa1693&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="VINCI - Crane foundation app"></iframe></div><script src="https://player.vimeo.com/api/player.js"></script>

</br>

## Design automation

At VINCI Construction in France, they have dozens of engineers that work on designing up to 225 cranes in France every year. Because the design calculations are very similar but specific for every crane each time, this task is very well suited for automation. 

Alexandre expects VINCI will be able to use the application on around 70% of their crane foundation designs. The other 30% are more unique cases because of, for example, their location or the characteristics of the soil.

> “If we succeed in automating 200 crane foundations per year, we can avoid roughly 300 days of work.” – Alexandre Cousin, Head of Generative design at VINCI Construction in France.

![3D_view of crane](https://cms.viktor.ai/uploads/3_D_view_of_crane_08f97e338b.png)
*3D view of a crane foundation geometry in VIKTOR*

</br>


## Tools for efficiency

According to Alexandre, the goal is for all VINCI Construction teams in France to start using the application to save time and increase efficiency. Consequently, teams will have more time to devote to other technical matters. 

Alexandre: “Although essential, crane foundations are not the most exciting part of an engineer’s job. Our app shows how automating a small process ultimately makes a specific task so much easier and more efficient.”

![3D_view_reinforcement.png](https://cms.viktor.ai/uploads/3_D_view_reinforcement_81a80f41c5.png)
*3D view of final crane foundation reinforcement design in VIKTOR*

</br>

![formwork_plan.png](https://cms.viktor.ai/uploads/formwork_plan_431078d5ce.png)
*And the accompanying formwork plan*

</br>

## Enabling instead of replacing

“As engineers, we must be efficient every day. That is why it is important to provide the right tools for our teams that contribute to this cause,” says Alexandre. To some engineers, the thought of their work being automated might feel like a threat. However, increasingly more people are starting to see this differently. It’s not about replacing the engineer – they are the brains of the project, after all – but about enabling them to do their work better and faster. 

Alexandre envisions a future in which all these small but exhaustive parts of a job are automated to make time for more interesting and complex challenges: “In 20 years, every engineer will know Python, and every engineering team will be developing their own tools. That’s what is needed to keep up with high demands, whilst also making repetitive work less boring. Automate what can be automated, so there is more time to engineer the awesome!”

## Why VIKTOR? 

Even though crane foundation design is a well-mastered process, it requires a lot of time due to safety reasons. 

Alexandre: “We don’t want a crane falling over. With VIKTOR, we can calculate large amounts of data through integrations with multiple third-party software packages in an instance. The results are then also immediately checked for errors to ensure safety. VIKTOR is the only product that allows us to connect everything like this. We can develop anything we want on the platform.”

> “For me, this type of technology is the future for engineering teams.”

## What’s next?

As Alexandre mentioned before, it’s automating the small parts which ultimately makes the work of an engineer a lot easier. At VINCI, they have many projects that, for example, include repetitive calculations in Excel. Alexandre: “We can start by making these Excel sheets more exciting and user-friendly by turning them into an app.”

“But first, we want to make more people within VINCI aware of these benefits and have other teams developing tools with VIKTOR as well.” Luckily, this seems to be going quite well so far: four other VINCI departments have shown interest in picking up development with VIKTOR, and one of these is already rounding up their first tests now! 

## 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






VINCI construction crane.jpg

VINCI uses VIKTOR to automate the calculation of over 200 crane foundation designs yearly. Read more.

How VINCI yearly saves 300 days calculating crane foundation designs

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Head of generative design in VINCI

Alexandre Cousin

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## Collecting everything in one place

Roland Snelders has been involved in the development of the concrete slab reinforcement application for Heijmans. “We could read the internal moments from a SCIA file and these were collected in the report, usually in a table. Then those moments could be entered in Excel and the reinforcement was determined and tested in an iterative process. That calculation was therefore copied to the report. ” This way of working could be done more efficiently. It would be easy if copying numbers is no longer necessary, because everything is collected in one place.

### No more copy + paste

That's exactly what the application they created does. Snelders: “From SCIA we can now export an XML file and read it into the application on the VIKTOR platform. The Excel sheet is also linked to this. After selecting the concrete cross-section data and various reinforcement options, I get a picture with colors that indicate where the reinforcement should be.” This ensures that you go directly from the SCIA file with a once-off data entry to a visualisation of the results that come from the Excel sheet, without having to copy anything.

### Centralizing data

The Excel sheet has not been completely transferred into the application, but rather has been linked to it. This has the advantage that it does not have to be recreated, which would then have to be validated. In addition, all manufacturers know how to make a calculation in Excel, you can still continue to do that. “The application ensures that everyone now works with the same Excel sheet, since it can only be opened centrally,” says Snelders. This significantly reduces the risk of errors.

## General use of the application

The application can be used in any construction that contains a slab, for example a floor, a wall, a roof or a bridge. “Initially, only rectangular slabs could be calculated and analysed, which was a major limitation,” says Snelders, “This has now been improved to allow for all types of slab shapes to be calculated.” The application is made by developers of VIKTOR, because Heijmans did not yet have the required knowledge to do it themselves.

![Excel and SCIA connected.png](/uploads/Excel_and_SCIA_connected_c24d123297.png)


## Partial automation for now

This is the beginning in terms of automation. "For the time being it is not going to be possible to calculate entire constructions completely, because there is a lot of variation in every project." Snelders explains, "But it is very useful to have components of that construction automatically calculated." There is less variation in the components themselves, so they can be calculated perfectly with an application. This allows the structural engineer to have more time for the more complex and challenging aspects of his/her work.

## More space left for challenging work

Snelders: “The application makes work more fun. I do not find completing an Excel sheet challenging work. ” When filling in cells and copying data, a structural engineer adds little knowledge to the process. Where they do add knowledge is during the schematisation of the construction and the making of a calculation model, in order to subsequently arrive at an optimal and practical choice of reinforcement. "That work still remains, we have mainly automated the repetitive calculations."

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In construction, calculations are often done in Excel sheets that need a lot of developing. Because Heijmans has linked these sheets to SCIA on the VIKTOR platform, automating parts of the process.

Automating the calculation process by linking Excel sheets to SCIA

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Chief structural engineer at Heijmans

Roland Snelders

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[Source:](https://fd.nl/weekend/1358248/nieuwe-rekenwijze-voor-sterkere-dijken-levert-honderden-miljoenen-op)

## Strenthening the pumping stations

The HWBP is a joint investment program of Rijkswaterstaat and the water boards. Since the start of the program in 2014, € 100m has been invested in innovations, which has already yielded at least € 180m in savings. “We expect that the new knowledge will yield a multiple of that in savings in the coming years.” Are the savings heading towards € 1 billion? “I would not dare to take on a saving of 1 billion, but it would be inspiring for society if that succeeds.” Because the risk of a dike breach according to safety standards must not be greater than once every five to ten thousand years, until 2050, at least 1,300 kilometers of sea and river dikes and 500 locks, weirs and pumping stations must be strengthened. To this end, a budget of € 7.4 billion has been agreed up to 2028, which must be jointly raised by the central government and the water boards.

## Custom work for dike improvement

One of the promising innovations is custom work for dike improvement. In other words: not starting from a high water scenario with one water level with different conservative assumptions and factors, as before, but calculating many thousands of scenarios based on an extensive database and the specific characteristics of a dike section. In order to arrive at the most likely scenario of strength and failure for each individual stretch of dike. This customization can mean that in 80% of the cases the dike improvement job in the Netherlands can be reduced and in 20% of the cases must be enlarged, says Willems. “A considerable part of the dikes can be built slimmer and less high. Which means that the balance tends to make the total program cheaper. “That does not mean that the budgeted amount of € 7.4 billion can be reduced. “Even when the agreements for the HWBP were made in 2013-2014, it was clear that the financial agreements were not sufficient,” says Willems. “That was a conscious choice to ensure efficiency in the HWBP by means of innovation and knowledge development at the front. “Extra jobs are also coming up. “Rijkswaterstaat and the water boards are assessing all dikes. They do this once every twelve years, a kind of periodic MOT. They will be working on that until 2023, when dikes will emerge that need to be strengthened. 

## Parametric design and digital transformation
[Read here](https://www.viktor.ai/blog/26/parametric-design-python-dike-improvement) how our clients innovate with [parametric design](https://www.viktor.ai/blog/46/parametric-design-cloud-engineering-construction) and accelerate their digital transformation on dike projects.

![calculating dike.png](/uploads/calculating_dike_0580c2c558.png)

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


Parametric design and digital transformation for stronger dikes yields “hundreds of millions” - resize.jpg

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Parametric design for stronger dikes yields “hundreds of millions”

Lead Engineer Waterbouw Heijmans Infra

Jaap Wierenga 

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## Project 1: A web-based application for automation and optimization of sheet pile design  

### The project 

Designing and optimizing sheet piles is a complex and time-consuming process with many iterations. In collaboration with VIKTOR, Voorbij Funderingstechniek has developed an application that centralizes all data to automatically calculate constructions, which reduces time, money, errors, CO2 emissions, and leaves more time for engineers to create the awesome! 

### Digital transformation 

Compared to other industries, the Engineering and Construction industry is lagging regarding the adoption of new technologies. This is not strange, since projects within this sector are often restricted with very strong deadlines, both budget- and timewise. There are however a lot of opportunities within the E&C industry when it comes to applying tech in the work field.  

Voorbij Funderingstechniek has used the VIKTOR platform to take on the transformation to explore the possibilities of digitization by automating and optimizing parts of their workflow in the design of sheet piles.  

### Process analyses 

Before the digital transformation could start, process analyses had to be conducted to determine what parts of the workflow would benefit most from being automated. For Voorbij, this seemed to be the design and calculation of sheet piles: A workflow that consists of many intense, repetitive, and time-consuming processes that always had to be conducted manually.  

To come up with the first design of a sheet pile, a lot of data needs to be gathered and put together. For example, the soil layout, measurements, and environmental factors. Unfortunately, it happens more often than not that one of the dimensions on which your design depends suddenly changes. When this happens, your entire design needs to be redone since all design elements rely on each other, which is a very time-consuming task. If automated, not only a lot of time, but also a lot of additional efforts could be spared.  

### Parametric design for automation and optimization 

This is where [parametric design methods](https://www.viktor.ai/blog/46/parametric-design-cloud-engineering-construction) come in. By digitalizing traditional design methods, repetitive tasks that previously had to be done manually can be automated. If you change a parameter (length, material, thickness) in a parametric design model, an online application will automatically calculate a new design for you with just the push of a button, meaning no more manual calculations are involved. 

Before the implication of parametric models, projects most of the time used a ‘normative’ design to start building from. This makes for fast design of the actual project, but made it almost impossible to create the optimal design. With [parametric models](https://www.viktor.ai/blog/46/parametric-design-cloud-engineering-construction) you can easily calculate all possible designs witin moments of time and the optimal design will always be found. 

Not only is the chance of errors zero, but engineers will have much more time left to apply their specialist knowledge to create awesome things! 

### A web-based application 

 Voorbij has created an easily accessible web-based application on the VIKTOR platform that uses these [parametric design methods](https://www.viktor.ai/blog/46/parametric-design-cloud-engineering-construction) to automate the calculation processes of sheet pile design. Once automation was implemented, optimization followed.  

If you want to be able to optimize your design, you first need to know what goal you want to reach. Less CO2 emissions? Cost reduction? Saving time? Easy execution? With the application it is possible to set conditions for all of these goals. Based on those conditions you can variate input to find the optimal design outcome. 

For example, if the goal of the design is to save more money, you can easily adjust that setting. Then, the application calculates ways to create a cheaper design, for example by replacing the sheet pile for a lighter and therefore cheaper material. 

## Project 2: Design and improvement of canal banks 

### The project 

Ballast Nedam won a tender to improve over 50 km of canal banks in Twente, which included the placement of new sheet piles. To know what type of sheet piles needed to be placed, calculations had to be done every so many meters.  

Calculations are done based on soil layout information that from geotechnicians. For every kilometre, about 100 soil samples are taken. Based on those samples you are able to determine where the weakest point is and what kind of sheet pile needs to be placed there to maintain a good canal bank. 

If you only have little time, which is often the case in construction projects, you do these calculations around every 1000 meters. However, if you determine the weakest point for every kilometre, your calculations are very global. It is possible that 200 meters ahead from the weakest point, the soil is very different and because of that the calculations are off for that area. Therefore, it is beneficial for not only your budget but also the future-proofness of the project if you are somehow able to do more calculations so you can base what type of sheet piles need to be placed more accurately. 

### A web-based application 

Luckily, there is a solution to this problem. With a web-based application, you can easily perform all these calculations in an instant. This not only saves budget and provides for a more future-proof canal bank, but also speeds up the project significantly, since you won’t have to spend so much time on manual calculations anymore. 

The VIKTOR platform can be used to create an application like this. If you have a soil sample for every 50 meters, you can simply tell the computer to calculate what type of sheet pile is needed every 50 meters as well. The only thing you have to do, is feed the system information about the soil, the CPT (a gef-file), the type of sheet pile you want to place (thickness, flexibility, material), and cross sections of the canal bed in that area (depth, width, etc.).  

![20210603_sondering.png](/uploads/20210603_sondering_7c9066e0dd.png)

*Visualization of soil samples in the VIKTOR application* 

Furthermore, there are a lot of additional details that can be taken into account and therefore you have to provide the application with a basic formula (D-sheet) which is used to determine what details are relevant and should be included in the final calculations. Then, the VIKTOR application verifies if your selected sheet pile qualifies all criteria or not, which can be seen in clear visualizations.  

![20210603_rekenresultaat_kaart.png](/uploads/20210603_rekenresultaat_kaart_08a378de69.png)

*Visualization of sheet pile qualifications (green qualifies, red does not qualify) in the VIKTOR application* 

Additionally, you can group parts of the canal into sections, so the calculating process runs smoothly. Geotechnical data cannot be gathered all at once but you don’t want to wait until all data is gathered before you can start your project. By dividing the canal into sections, you can easily start calculating for the parts that you already received geotechnical data about, so the project can already start before all data is gathered.  

Data and results can easily be viewed within the application itself. However, you can also download reports into Excel sheets if you like to. Results are presented in tables, graphs, and maps. Tables present the actual calculation for each section combined with the D-sheet (basic formula), gef-file for the indicated area, and cross sections of the canal in each part of that area. Graphs and map views provide an easy and quick visual overview of every sheet pile and show for each one whether they meet the requirements or not. 

![20210603_rekenresultaat_excel_download.png](/uploads/20210603_rekenresultaat_excel_download_c3fd915e25.png)

*Exported calculation results in an Excel sheet* 

 ![20210603_rekenresultaat_selecteer_visualisatie.png](/uploads/20210603_rekenresultaat_selecteer_visualisatie_245d642639.png)

*Visualization of calculation results in a graph in the VIKTOR application*

## Project 3: Design of the A16 tunnel 

### The project 

Together with joint venture de Groene Boog, BESIX designed the 2.2 kilometre long A16 tunnel through Rotterdam. This tunnel consists of many similar tunnel sections, thousands of foundations and sheet piles, a detailed 3D BIM model, and numerous technical drawings.  

The project focusses on the automation of repetitive work for the structural design of the tunnel to improve the process.  To do this, 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. 

## Sheet pile design automation 

Over 4000 sheet piles were to be designed for the tunnel. First, hundreds of CPT measurements needed to be interpreted and matched to the piles for calculation. For this, a spreadsheet had 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. 

## Automate the boring. Engineer the awesome

VIKTOR is on a mission to unleash the world’s real engineering potential. We are developing a platform where engineers can build their own web-based applications. We work closely together with engineering, construction and manufacturing companies and help them boost their digital transformation. We would love to hear your feedback on our ideas, try out the platform, and help us create the perfect tools that enables you to **automate the boring and engineer the awesome!**

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



Customer_case_parametric_design_python_pile_core_1

BESIX and de Groene Boog, Ballast Nedam, and Voorbij FT have used the VIKTOR platform to work on the development of several parametric tools that enable the automated design of pile sheets in three project.

Parametric tools for pile core design automation

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Computational Design Engineer at BESIX

Kelvin Roovers

## Automation in the offshore sector

While a lot of automation is already taking place in the automotive and aviation sector, the offshore sector is still lagging behind. According to Maas Hoogeveen, Technology Director at Mocean Offshore and developer of Calypso, this is because the offshore industry is a highly conservative market. “Everybody works on their own projects and has their own reasons for sticking to the old principles. But we are working on applications with automated calculations that will reduce the time and money spent on a project.”

### No more manual tasks

In the jack-up industry, there are still many repetitive tasks performed by engineers. This is partially due to the complexity of the frameworks laid down in ISO 19905. However, it is not commercially viable for the experts to fully perform the extensive calculations manually; they have to use conservative shortcuts. Hoogeveen: “We use algorithms and parametric models, so that shortcuts no longer need to be used and calculations can be done faster and more specific.”

>“The best way to share knowledge is by making it available through a web application.” - Maas Hoogeveen

## Looking for the right digital tools

Maas has spoken with many market parties about making his application available online via a web interface. “It would be a costly enterprise to even create a Minimal Viable Product. Then I came into contact with VIKTOR, which was a great fit. The interface was exactly what I envisioned. It meets the wishes of various stakeholders. A sales manager, for instance, may want to use Calypso as a means of communication with which he or she can generate clear images, whereas an engineer may want to perform in-depth calculations and optimize the use of a platform. Calypso’s interface caters to many different users, which is made possible by the versatility of the powerful VIKTOR platform. Another big advantage is that the costs are much lower.”

> “The web application was developed within 40 hours. The iterations that have been done were also implemented quickly. This offers enormous opportunities because time and budget are the bottleneck.”

## What is Calypso?

### Site-specific assessment

Calypso is a tool for performing site-specific assessments on any jack-up platform. This determines whether you can install wind turbines with a light or a heavy platform. The tool can be used even before you start a tender. Maas Hoogeveen explains: “We specialize in analysis of jack-ups. The knowledge and calculation methods contained in Calypso are an implementation of the jack-up engineering standard ISO 19905-1:2016. With this application, every engineer can perform a site-specific assessment (SSA).”

Check out how you can analyze offshore wind turbine installation platforms without being expert with Calypso and VIKTOR:

<div style="padding:56.25% 0 0 0;position:relative;"><iframe src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/584895866?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="Calypso-Tutorial-Jack-up-SSA"></iframe></div><script src="https://player.vimeo.com/api/player.js"></script>

### Automated calculations

In addition, the calculations are automated, but an engineer can still look deep inside the system to check all steps and calculations. “This is what we call the glass box paradigm, as opposed to the black box”, Hoogeveen explains.

### Capitalizing knowledge and skill

The main objective of Calypso is to capitalize upon knowledge and skills regarding jack-up engineering by making these available to the offshore industry. Running it as a VIKTOR application is a great way to achieve this: “VIKTOR matched perfectly with our vision of what the interface should be. The way parameters are set and how the model is directly visualised is how we imagined it,” Hoogeveen explains. The web-based application can be used independently by clients, so they can make calculations on their own data and problems.

![Web-based VIKTOR Calypso application.png](/uploads/Web_based_VIKTOR_Calypso_application_3bdaa727dc.png)

## Fast development is not impossible!

The development of a web interface to an application doesn’t have to take months, it can be realized in just a week. Maas Hoogeveen: “We developed a headless application, containing the algorithms and parametric models. With this basis and the assistance of VIKTOR developers we build the Calypso application in only 40 hours. The extensive possibilities of the VIKTOR platform are inspiring. With their help, Calypso is as accessible and user-friendly as we imagined.”

![Calyps and VIKTOR platform.png](/uploads/Calyps_and_VIKTOR_platform_302aedac81.png)

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With Calypso you can analyse offshore wind turbine installation platforms without being a jack-up engineering expert!

Everyone can analyse offshore wind turbine installation platforms

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

## More time to solve complex problems

Previously, many calculations for fender systems were done with rules of thumb. This is no longer possible, due to the stricter new standards. The calculations now have to be done in more detail, which creates a lot of extra work for the engineers. Calculating all options manually one by one is laborious, so it was decided to automate these calculations. Louis: “The calculation of constructions will be increasingly automated. The time gained from this can then be used to solve complex problems.”

### Computers are taking over repetitive calculating 

Peltenburg explains: “Repetitive elements are very suitable for programming, and so can be calculated using an application.” With repetitive elements, the same calculation must always be performed, something that an application on the computer can do much faster than a structural engineer by hand. “Once the repetition is found in a construction, letting a computer do that calculation allows one to save a lot of time,” says Peltenburg.

## An application for automation

### An interface between REFM and VIKTOR
MH Poly uses the calculation software RFEM to calculate the fender systems. Louis was very interested in creating an application for fender systems and asked Peltenburg to work on this together. The application they created contains an interface between the RFEM software and the VIKTOR platform. Peltenburg: “We offer an API to all our customers, on which applications can be made. This was the first time that it has been taken on in a professional manner.”

### Possibilities in a changing sector

In the fall, the application will be presented on the MSc Engineering customer day. “We want to show our customers that the sector is changing and what possibilities there are in terms of automation.” Peltenburg says. Louis, “This application is a pilot to see how it goes, but it is my intention to collaborate more if everything goes well.” You can still register for the customer day via this link.

“The biggest advantage of using VIKTOR is to initiate a change in thinking amongst engineers. There is still a lot of traditional thinking, which has to change to a way that makes better use of ICT developments in the field of engineering”, says Louis. Peltenburg adds, “The nice thing is that you don’t know what will happen in the future. There are so many options it can be used for:  [artificial intelligence](https://www.viktor.ai/blog/40/artificial-intelligence-machine-learning-engineering-construction), [Parametric Design](https://www.viktor.ai/blog/46/parametric-design-cloud-engineering-construction), Machine Learning.”

![Integrating REFM analysis systems with the VIKTOR platform](https://cms.viktor.ai/uploads/Dlubal_and_VIKTOR_1a12a7cef7.jpg)


*MH Poly is an engineering company that has been using the computational analysis software RFEM from Dlubal for years. This software is provided by MSc Engineering. Emiel Peltenburg is a specialist at MSc Engineering and distributor of the software RFEM and IDEA StatiCa.*

RFEM

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Advantages of linking RFEM calculation software to an online platform

The problem with the gravity based foundation (at BAM) was that it was determined or calculated using a number of separate Excel sheets. Among other things, investigation was done on the stability during floating and sinking, the natural frequencies and the strength of the design. You can imagine that this was not done very efficiently.

## The issue of centralization

All members of the project team were working on the same design, but each within their own discipline. So everyone used their own sheets. This caused problems, because if someone changed the input parameters, each team member had to be notified, which would result in everyone updating their own sheets. Making a complete design and calculating all sheets properly therefore took 5 to 10 days. There was this idea that it could be done better, so a tool has been developed to be able to perform these analyses at the same time.

## Bringing it together

For this, all calculations made in Excel have been transferred to an application on the VIKTOR platform. The calculations have been translated into Python code, so some methods had to be changed. The end results have of course remained the same. The advantage of the VIKTOR platform compared to only Python code is the interface (where the input and output parameters are centrally controlled), data management and version control.

This ensures that everyone works with the same input parameters at the same time, without having to manually pass on and adjust them. Everyone is also working on the same version of the design, so no miscommunications or misunderstandings can arise. This is something that can easily happen with separate Excel sheets: several different versions can easily be made.

## More designs, faster!

An analysis now takes a few hours instead of a few days. That is a huge difference, which makes it possible to design faster and make more designs with the same people. A number of designs have already been made, so a new design similar to this is relatively quick. If you make a completely new or large design, it will take a little longer. But is is certainly much quicker to use the application than by the old methods.

This application is made specifically for BAM. It is entirely based on internal documents and tools of BAM. Copying this application to another company is therefore not easy.

![Analysis of gravity-based foundations on the VIKTOR web application](/uploads/gravity_based_foundation_application_59047b4c08.png)

*Analyses of gravity-based foundations in on the VIKTOR web application*

## A building block for future use

What can be re-used is the method used to create the application. Combining different disciplines is a (generic) process, which can be a useful tool for almost all companies. Having separate programs for different parts of a design creates far more misunderstandings than having all data centralized.

## Thus...

In other words, the application for the gravity based foundation ensures that all data is centrally stored and that everyone works with the same version of the design. For example, there are no misunderstandings due to changes in Excel sheets. It is now also easier to make a design together, since the inputs are centrally controlled and everything is done using the same input, so the calculations are more central and clear. “You go from a design in 5 days to a design in 4 hours.”

Geotechnical

Excel

BAM: “From 5 days to 4 hours”, huge time savings with the gravity based foundation application made with VIKTOR!

Centralizing data for faster gravity-based foundation analysis

## 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.

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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

## 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!

Customer cases

WSP builds engineering apps for colleagues without Python experience

Everyone can analyse offshore wind turbine installation platforms

Advantages of linking RFEM calculation software to an online platform

Centralizing data for faster gravity-based foundation analysis

Customer cases

WSP builds engineering apps for colleagues without Python experience

Everyone can analyse offshore wind turbine installation platforms

Advantages of linking RFEM calculation software to an online platform

Centralizing data for faster gravity-based foundation analysis

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