"Incredibly cool what we can do with new technology"

He is also the "spiritual father" of the Smart Bridge concept: works of art that predict their own residual life. A much-needed innovation. Erik: "The replacement task demands smart solutions more than ever."

"Working on roads and bridges. That seemed wonderful even as a little boy. So it was only to be expected that I would study engineering. It became Civil Engineering in Zwolle. I then graduated from Antea Group (then called Oranjewoud Consulting and Engineering Firm) and stayed there. I started as an Inspector of Artworks."

In full development

"I was able to develop myself beautifully in sixteen years. From project leader and project manager to consulting group manager. And always with a focus on management and maintenance. In that period, the field has changed enormously. More and more attention was paid to the systematic management of structures and infrastructure. This prompted Antea Group to set up an Asset Management advisory group. I am allowed to lead this group. Since this year, I have also been manager of the Works Advisory Group." This new Asset Management advisory group is there for a reason, by the way: "As a society, we are facing a huge replacement task. In the decades after World War II, an awful lot of highways, bridges and locks were built. These are now coming to the end of their lifespan. Technically, but also in terms of functionality. Many structures need to be replaced or renewed. This involves decades of work. This requires an investment of many billions of euros." 

Aging artwork and specialists alike

Not only are our bridges and viaducts aging; so are the people who have the technical knowledge for them. Designers, structural engineers and inspectors: the entire sector is losing valuable knowledge. "This is perhaps the biggest challenge: we will soon have to do more with fewer people. This requires smart cooperation and smart solutions. At Antea Group, we are addressing this in various ways," Erik outlines. "For example, we see a growing demand among managers for strategic asset management. What ambitions and risks do we want to manage? What does this mean for our area? By making choices together as policy makers, users and managers, you will be able to deploy money and capacity smarter and prioritize better. We help to establish these strategic frameworks and to translate them into concrete programs."

Talking assets

In addition, technology plays a key role. Erik explains, "Take our Smart Bridge concept: a form of predictive maintenance. We apply this concept to the Stephenson Viaduct (1963) in Leeuwarden. According to theory, this viaduct can last until 2043. But we know that in practice, many engineering structures are subjected to lower loads than those included in the standards. To substantiate this, we have equipped the viaduct with dozens of sensors. These measure the effect of traffic on the structure 24/7. We process and analyze this data with self-programmed algorithms. Then the viaduct itself predicts its remaining life span. Every year that the viaduct can be maintained longer, the municipality saves considerable amounts of money. We are now extending this concept to movable bridges together with the municipality of Haarlem."

Image recognition, print bridges ánd drones

"In terms of innovation, we are in a state of flux. For example, in January we will open the first 3D printed bridge in Steenwijk. This ensures a faster design process and more sustainable solutions. The use of Augmented Reality, automatic image recognition and inspection drones are also going to help us. It's cool to see what you can do with new technology. And I hope this will also allow us to touch the hearts of youth. Because, in addition to new applications, their knowledge remains much needed."