Building future-proof bridges with digitalisation

Digital collaboration

Sweco consultants are using Building Information Modelling (BIM) in the IJburg projects and are seeing the advantages of using the digital collaboration tool in their work.

The strength of BIM is found in working together from one uniform information model; it’s a ‘must’ for parties working from different countries, cities and in different organisations –  Frits Groot, Project Manager Civil Construction, Sweco.

In the IJburg project, Sweco’s experts provide advice and services in design, engineering, procurement assistance and contract management in an integrated project team working together with the Municipality of Amsterdam’s Ingenieursbureau and Urban Planning teams.

“The virtual BIM environment makes it possible to work together efficiently, and to deliver demonstrable quality. We can find design errors much earlier too,” Groot explains.

“We can also scan the digital health of a project to find where the process is not working as hoped or planned. In doing so, we can find and repair process errors before they become an issue, to help run a project more smoothly,” he says. “Even if you aren’t a modeler, with BIM you can look at what you want to see in the project as a team member and can easily access the model, for instance to find space for signage or additional lighting,” adds Frits Groot.

The three bridges being built to connect Haveneiland, Centrumeiland and Strandeiland are of crucial importance for the accessibility to the area: for the traffic flow of cars, trams, cyclists and pedestrians and the transport of utilities to the islands.

In addition to their importance for accessibility the bridges; designed by London-based architectural firm Grimshaw, have become cultural works of art in the district due to their striking appearance with their characteristic wavy steel and lines.