Category: Nieuws blog

Geplaatst op: 17 July 2024

Today, it is 10 years ago that the plane MH17 crashed, killing all 298 people on board. It is still an immeasurable loss for thousands of surviving relatives. The Stichting Nationaal Monument MH17 wanted to give a place to these feelings – an ambition that has been realised thanks to the efforts of many. Pelecon had the honour of making the structural calculation of the memorial.

The MH17 National Monument is a special landscape object that aims to keep the memory of the 298 victims alive. In the park-like oasis, 298 trees have been planted in a green ribbon in memory of the victims: one for each victim. A place that binds together and serves as an oasis of reflection, comfort, and hope. Surrounded by a wreath of sunflowers, with an intimate amphitheatre and an impressive memorial.

Would you like to know more about the monument or visit it? On the website of the Monument you will find more information.

Geplaatst op: 19 June 2024

And that, as far as we are concerned, is a good reason to celebrate. Therefore, last week we went ‘Beppen, Opscheppen & Steppen’ with colleagues through the heart of Amersfoort. In other words: we made a culinary scooter tour along all the unique places in Amersfoort.

Thank you Eelco, for the fine cooperation over the past 40 years. We hope to solve many more beautiful problems with your enormous constructive knowledge.

Want to know more about Senior Structural Engineer Eelco? Read the interview on our website.

 

 

Geplaatst op: 8 May 2024

We are proud of the publication in the magazine Logistiek Vastgoed Nederland. On pages 22 and 23 we tell more about our services where we elaborate on the sustainable building of timber structures using a beautiful project for the Danish client Bestseller. They are building the largest wooden logistics center in Europe in Lelystad.

Read the entire article in Logistiek Vastgoed Nederland 2024 here.

Impressions: Architect Henning Larsen

Geplaatst op: 16 April 2024

DESIGNING, MODELING, AND CALCULATING FOR BUILDING STRUCTURES IS OUR FORTE. WE PASS ON OUR ADVICE TO THE PARTY THAT EXECUTES IT. BUT THEN WE OFTEN ASK OURSELVES: ARE THE CONNECTIONS FROM OUR ADVICE EXECUTED CORRECTLY? WILL THE STEEL BE ASSEMBLED ACCORDING TO THE DRAWINGS? BECAUSE WE STAND FOR THE INVISIBLE STRENGTH OF A BUILDING, WE BELIEVE IT IS IMPORTANT TO ENSURE THAT THIS INVISIBLE STRENGTH IS ALSO SECURED. THAT IS WHY WE CARRY OUT INSPECTIONS ON THE CONSTRUCTION SITES OF OUR PROJECTS. NOT TO BE PEDANTIC AND TO KNOW BETTER, BUT SIMPLY TO GO FOR THE VERY BEST RESULT TOGETHER.

Therefore, we do not call our inspection a quality control of the construction work for nothing. It is something that is important to us, for the end user of our projects, but also for our client(s) and investor(s). We therefore visit the construction site more and more often on request, when there are problems, such as cracking in the masonry or foundation problems, for example. We don’t just visit once either. First before the foundation is poured to check the reinforcement, later when the floors/walls and or the steel structure is assembled. Steel inspections for commercial buildings we usually perform before all the installations are in, but after the facades and roof are assembled and the commercial floor is poured and cured. The commercial building is then easily accessible for an overall inspection using an aerial platform.

WHY
With these quality checks, we are already sorting out the new Quality Assurance Act (QAA), which will be phased in from January 1, 2024. In addition, the purpose of these checks is to ensure that the executing parties, particularly the steel suppliers, make and assemble the quality of their delivered product at the highest possible level. But designing parties, the constructors, and modelers of Pelecon, also learn a tremendous amount from these quality controls.

SPECIFIC CHECKS FOR NEW AND EXISTING BUILDINGS
Reinforcement of the foundations and floors of new buildings receives our attention, especially on points where the structural engineer has indicated beforehand that they need extra attention. Is the concrete cover good and how are the anchors for the steel construction? If we perform a steel inspection, we check the entire steel construction in random samples. Are all the bolts present, are the details correct, is the connection “open” and what is the quality of the welding?  We look at the profiles; is everything present and are we dealing with misalignment or are things warped? For this check, we keep our drawings and those of the steel company.

It also happens that there are problems with the construction of existing buildings. We then investigate on site, often in combination with an archive investigation at the municipality. This is necessary, together with the current situation, to draw up a well-thought-out report for remodeling or repairing the building.

CAREFUL RECORDING
It is a good thing that our colleagues who perform the checks have a sharp eye, because most of the checks are done with the naked eye. But we also use ED-Controls, which we use to take photos on location to record everything we see. Cracks and misalignment are measured with a level, and joints are checked by hand and/or tools.

We find it important that our findings are recorded in a report. For this we have a checklist that we carefully tick off, often accompanied by a proposal for repair. We share the report internally with the structural engineer, externally with the client and possibly with the party that will perform the repair work.

WHO HAS THAT KEEN EYE?
That is a small group within Pelecon including Structural Modeler Eric Noorduin. Together they have built up so much knowledge and experience in recent years that they can quickly see if repairs are necessary. And that is unfortunately still sometimes the case, after all, construction remains human work! That is why we are happy to have colleagues like Eric and we can always ensure the safety of the users of the buildings and can continue to say that we stand for that #invisiblepower.

Geplaatst op: 11 March 2024

LAST THURSDAY THE FIRST PILE WAS DRIVEN FOR DSV, A LOGISTICS SERVICE PROVIDER FOR THOUSANDS OF NATIONALLY AND INTERNATIONALLY OPERATING COMPANIES. THE LARGEST LINKED DISTRIBUTION CENTRE IN THE NETHERLANDS WITH MORE THAN 200,000 M2 OF HIGH-QUALITY STORAGE AND DISTRIBUTION WILL BE BUILT ON THE MOERDIJK LOGISTICS PARK, RIGHT NEXT TO THE A17 MOTORWAY, ON A TOTAL PLOT OF MORE THAN 34 HECTARES. PELECON WAS INVOLVED IN THIS PROJECT BY CONSTRUCTION COMPANY VROLIJK TO DEVELOP THE FINAL CONSTRUCTION DESIGN INTO A FEASIBLE PLAN. TOGETHER WITH ALL CONSTRUCTION PARTNERS, WE OPTIMISED THE MANY STEEL KILOS AND CONCRETE VOLUMES IN THE FOUNDATIONS REQUIRED TO BUILD THIS MEGA-BUILDING.

For the roof slope plan, we opted to design all sub-rafter sections of about 22.5 metres long as a roof with 2-sided slope. The extra HWA and NO. lines required for this did not outweigh the kilos of steel we saved this way. These trusses are made in Vrolijk Staalconcepten’s new production facility, which will fully automatically weld the trusses. The detailed engineering and production drawings were done in close cooperation with ADS Ertner.

STABILITY
The lower roof section above the mezzanine floor is a parking deck for luxury cars for 80% of the warehouses. The mezzanine floor and parking deck are 24.0 metres deep and, with their disc action, also have a large share in the stability of the 10 different warehouses.

CHALLENGES
During the development of Hall H, the request was made to also incorporate PGS storage areas in one of the warehouses. This resulted in five stand-alone building structures with a maximum floor area of 2,000 m2. Another challenge was the 17-metre high pseudo-gable façade that was laid down in the image quality plan. This false facade is partly freestanding and partly made against the facade. By making clever use of lattice columns, the kilos of steel have been used as much as possible. The office has a round shape, but has a similar structural design as the warehouses, steel construction combined with hollow-core slabs. The office stairwells are extra-secure escape routes and are therefore constructed in precast concrete walls.

FOUNDATION DESIGN
The foundation is a Vibro-pile system over which foundation beams and piles are made. The fixed foundation is a sand package, but packed loose over a greater depth. The engineers from Pelecon, Vrolijk, Be-Smart and Vroom worked together to develop the most optimal pile plan and foundation design. Each party has its input and checks each other. After all, such a large project requires a lot of attention, with the basis having to be absolutely right! Some piling plans are still under development, but the first warehouses and the office are final and ready for execution. Vroom will carry out the piling work here and expects to drive some 3,500 piles into the ground with four scaffoldings.

THE INS AND OUTS OF THIS PROJECT
So this is the largest contiguous warehouse in the Netherlands and is the first development of four at the new Logistics Park Moerdijk. The building has a floor area of 198,300 m2 complemented by a 38,600 m2 mezzanine, 136 docks, 5 offices and a ramp for the more than 1,000 luxury car parking spaces on the roof. The warehouses are composed of 10 stand-alone structures and 1 cross-dock hall. The offices comprise approximately 4,915 m2 GLA, distributed over three floors with a walkway to the parking deck. In short: the new DC at the logistics park ensures that DSV can continue to grow and serve their customers well into the future.

Photocreditsl: Pelecon structural engineers
Drawings: Palazzo

AN ORIGINAL NEW HALL FOR JAN FAST

Geplaatst op: 6 March 2024

THE GROWTH OF THE DAIWA HOUSING GROUP MEANT THAT THEY WERE LOOKING FOR A NEW HOME FOR MODULAR FLEX BUILDER JAN SNEL, PART OF THE GROUP. THEY HAVE NOW LEFT THEIR PERMANENT PREMISES IN MONTFOORT AND MOVED INTO THEIR BRAND NEW ACCOMMODATION IN BUNNIK. COMMISSIONED BY JAN SNEL, PELECON WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE STRUCTURAL ISSUE OF THE NEW PRODUCTION HALL WITH STORAGE AREA AND OFFICE SPACE. IS THIS PROJECT UNIQUE? THE SHORT TIME SPAN IN WHICH THIS PROJECT WAS REALISED!

Because in just six months, the entire building stood, from the first pen mark on paper to the last brick being laid. A challenge for us as structural engineers, because we had to make a recommendation that could actually be realised quickly. And that is by no means the case with all structural solutions. That is why, for instance, beams instead of trusses were chosen for the roof.

THE DIFFERENCE
With our construction advice, we were able to make a difference for Jan Snel in terms of ease of use. The architect’s first design used double columns in the hall. By adding main beams, we were able to halve the number of columns, allowing Jan Snel to divide the hall more freely. The initial design for the hall was also fairly simple, but the building regulations required that the hall should fit in more with its surroundings. This resulted in sloping roofs on the hall, which could actually be realised safely thanks to appropriate construction advice.

OUR PROUD
The speed with which we realised the plan is something we are really proud of! And then also according to the requirements of the building regulations. It was frustrating for a while that these requirements were so strict, because it caused some delays. But when we visit Jan Snel now, we are happy with the original hall that is there!

📷 De Vries en Verburg Bouw B.V.

Must also be done

Geplaatst op: 12 February 2024

This time it was not a building that needed our attention, but the chimney of UCC Coffee’s production site in Bolsward. Pelecon checked the reinforcement for the 30-meter high chimney with a diameter of 2,500 mm.

UCC Coffee is where the best people in the coffee industry work to develop, produce and deliver great coffee from here. You can understand that our visit last week started with a delicious cup of coffee! Our colleague Eelco Kingma went to Bolsward on behalf of Bos Nieuwerkerk, the supplier of the industrial chimney, to check the reinforcement for the new chimney.

A useful visit, as Eelco checked that the construction execution was in accordance with PELECON’s drawings. Bos Nieuwekerk can now complete the job so that UCC Coffee can safely produce their coffee in the future with peace of mind.

Structural modeller Moutaz tells…..

Geplaatst op: 8 February 2024

A classic example of an ambitious hard worker; that is our newest colleague Moutaz Bellah Ajjan. Over nine months ago, he started at our Gouda office in the role of structural modeler. A job that was tailor-made for him after completing his civil engineering studies at the Hogeschool Rotterdam. Together with our structural engineers, Moutaz ensures that drawings, models and calculations for various phases within projects can be delivered at Pelecon.

Moutaz came to the Netherlands in 2015 with a huge ambition to become a successful engineer. In doing so, he says: “falling is a new opportunity to stand up. Every time life frustrated me, I discovered that I had become stronger. I am a highly motivated person with great perseverance, someone with the will to get the best out of myself and succeed at all costs in everything I do.” How wonderful it is that we were able to add such a motivated colleague to our team!

The first period as a ‘Peleconner’
Moutaz explains that he was fully inducted into Pelecon in a short time. “My learning speed was helped by the experienced colleagues. The friendly atmosphere and helpfulness of all colleagues, combined with the informal corporate culture really appeal to me within Pelecon.”

The work of Moutaz
As an entry-level modeller, Moutaz works on all projects; after all, you gain experience by simply doing! Moutaz says he has developed a special interest in modelling distribution centres and steel structures. He also wants to delve more into that and we give him every opportunity to do so. Why Moutaz finds it so inspiring to work for such assignments? “Developing large distribution centres in a model is very challenging. It requires me to maintain an overview, both for myself and for my colleagues and our clients. Although; concrete structures are more complex and challenging, especially when it comes to the reinforcement of the structure (beams, floors, columns).”

Pride
“My pride is project Hall 6 for the Technische Unie in Alphen aan den Rijn. It was my first major project at Pelecon in which I was involved. We had to build a new hall to an existing hall. This project taught me an enormous amount about the entire project process; from A to Z.”

Want to know more about this project? Read the whole article on our news page.

GREAT ADVICE FOR SMALL QUESTIONS

Geplaatst op: 5 February 2024

REMODELLING AN OLD HOME IS A DREAM FOR MANY PEOPLE. BUT EMBRACING THE CHARM AND CHARACTER OF A HOUSE OFTEN BRINGS CONSTRUCTIVE CHALLENGES. GOOD CONSTRUCTION ADVICE IS INDISPENSABLE FOR SUCH A RENOVATION TO GO SMOOTHLY. WE LIKE TO THINK ALONG IN SUCH PROCESSES, WITH SUSTAINABILITY ALWAYS BEING AN IMPORTANT CONSIDERATION. BECAUSE EVEN IF IT SEEMS LIKE WE ONLY LEAVE OUR BED FOR MAJOR CONSTRUCTION ISSUES. THESE SMALL ISSUES ARE JUST AS INSPIRING TO US AS LARGE ISSUES FOR OFFICES AND DISTRIBUTION CENTRES.

Old houses may have hidden defects that come to light during a renovation. We always recommend having a thorough inspection done beforehand to assess the overall condition of the house. All parts of the structure are covered in this process. This includes all load-bearing parts such as the foundation, joists, load-bearing walls, metal structures and wooden caps and are therefore essential for stability. Identifying and addressing problems in these load-bearing parts before conversion and even purchase can prevent later complications.

CONSTRUCTION ADVICE FOR CONVERSION
In addition to checking the current status of the house, construction advice is also advisable for the future status. That is, after the remodelling. If a permit is required for the renovation, a constrtuction calculation should also be legally required. In fact, a construction calculation is a mandatory part of an application for the Environment Act. The construction calculation is used to check whether the house meets the safety requirements. However, many people do not know that in many permit-free cases, you are also obliged to have a structural calculation made. This is the case when you make adjustments to the load-bearing structure, such as removing a load-bearing wall, creating an extension such as a bay window, when making a dormer or roof extension and to calculate how many solar panels your roof can support.

THE INVISIBLE FORCE
Are you about to buy and/or renovate an old residential property? If so, do not hesitate to hire a structural engineer. Pelecon will be happy to help you realise a safe home situation. After all, that is what our work guarantees.

First pile for DC Technical Union

Geplaatst op: 2 February 2024

In Alpen aan de Rijn, Technische Unie, a wholesaler of technical solutions for installation and industry, has driven the first pile for the expansion of their DC. On the same site, additional buildings have been added over the years, but the current expansion is unique because of  the 7,700 square meters! A beautiful, sustainable building with the necessary challenges in which we were able to make a big difference with our construction advice.

This manifests itself in fire safety. Because when we started the project there was a preliminary design for fire safety reasons with a hybrid construction consisting of concrete columns and steel roof trusses. After consultation with the architect and contractor, it was decided to make the hall entirely of steel. This was the better solution both in terms of execution and financially and did not compromise fire safety. Because of the first floor at 14.4 meters, Extra Secured Escape routes (EBV) are required, the two present stairwells are therefore completely separate structures with a fire separation of 60 minutes between the stairwell and the hall.

CHALLENGES ARE THERE TO BE MET
The adjacent existing hall 4 also contains an automated system with the server room on the side of the expansion hall 6. The equipment in this room is sensitive to vibration. A vibration prognosis study was conducted for this purpose. In the end, traditional prefabricated piles were chosen, with the first pile being driven on a Saturday. At the time of the piling, the servers were switched off and vibration meters were installed to closely monitor vibrations caused by the piling. In the end, the vibrations were well within acceptable limits and did not cause any obstructions. So that means a safe future for the Technische Unie and the owner of the building; parent company Sonepar Nederland Vastgoed BV.

PREPARED FOR THE FUTURE
In the hall there is a first floor with office spaces at a height of 14.4 meters. Part of the hall will be equipped with an automated storage system with three levels of built-in floors. In the remaining part of the hall, traditional racking will be installed, but expansion of the automated system should also be possible. User-friendly and expandable, but also sustainable. Because the entire roof of the distribution center is suitable for installing PV panels; the steel structure takes into account the extra weight of these panels and required ballast.

AND BY….
So the piling has started, now it’s up to the contractor. We will remain involved until delivery to monitor the construction and act as advisors when questions arise during construction. And that’s the fun part of our job: seeing our drawings become reality.