Standardization in automation: blueprint for the future

During the renovation of the movable section of the Haringvliet Bridge, Croonwolter&dros and Soltegro are not only once again demonstrating their extensive expertise. The project commissioned by Rijkswaterstaat (the Directorate-General for Public Works and Water Management) also gives both companies the opportunity to further develop the design and automation techniques applied towards future (hydraulic engineering) assignments. At the same time, the assignment counts as a promising pilot with portfolio approach as mentioned in the Innovation Agenda 2030 of Rijkswaterstaat. 

The design and renovation work that the Mobilis Croonwolter&dros (CMCH) combination is carrying out on the movable section of the Haringvliet Bridge until the autumn of 2023 is very comprehensive. For example, the program includes the replacement of the bridge valve, the drive and movement mechanism, the joint transitions, the concrete structures and all technical systems. To this end, a standardized system for the future operation, control and monitoring of the 1,220-meter-long bridge between Numansdorp and Willemstad will be installed in the form of four building blocks supplied by the Department of Public Works. This system, which must meet the system-technical cybersecurity requirements specified in the Rijkswaterstaat Cybersecurity Implementation Guideline Objects (CSIR version 2.4), consists, as it were, of four large Lego blocks that fit into each bridge structure. The largest building block here is the 3BB building block, which was used for the first time in the Wantij Bridge. CMCH is responsible here for integrating these building blocks into the whole and connecting them to the LFVs (subsystems) to be realized. Rijkswaterstaat's goal is to eventually use this standard for all its bridges. 

Lightning fast throughput

Regarding the design of the entire system and the system integration of the building blocks, Technical Manager Yvo van de Klundert and System Integration Manager Mark Croonenberg were closely involved in the project on behalf of Croonwolter&dros and Soltegro, respectively. "At the beginning of the process, we determined together how we could arrive at the best integrated, repeatable system solution as effectively as possible through the various design phases and within the framework of the portfolio approach," Croonenberg reflects. "By using a standard approach for the creation of the overall design (Preliminary, Final and Execution Design) and the associated document generation, we were able to achieve considerable efficiency gains. This puts us in position for possible follow-up assignments." On behalf of Croonwolter&dros, Van de Klundert is also very satisfied with the approach used, the mutual cooperation and the result. "Soltegro is very strong in the design phase, especially when it comes to establishing standardizations within a model-based design. This combined with the substantive expertise of the bridge installations that we as Croonwolter&dros possess, makes this an ideal collaboration. In April 2022, we were awarded the contract. Since then we have started to go through the Preliminary, Final and Execution design in record time. You can only do that if you collaborate with a party that manages these kinds of design techniques to perfection and also has a standard available for this."

Integrality

For system design, Soltegro uses the widely used SysML design language and Enterprise Architect modeling tools. "These tools ensure optimal integrality between system components," Croonenberg says. "The advantage is that when you define an interface between two systems, everything in the model is fixed in one central place and can be understood by everyone. From Soltegro, we even went a step further by also building a documentation module. This pulls the information from the modeling tool and thus generates the required documentation for the client." 

Blueprint 

Both project managers regard the method used and the model generated as a perfect blueprint for bridge-related follow-up assignments. "We have realized a model for the Haringvliet Bridge project that can be reused very well in basic terms for other, similar assignments," explains Van de Klundert. "So there is no need to reinvent the wheel each time. This is not only to our advantage, it also fits in perfectly with the portfolio approach envisaged by Rijkswaterstaat, which is committed to long-term partnerships with market parties. It also links in perfectly with the Innovation Agenda 2030, with which Rijkswaterstaat focuses on targeted innovation together with others. So we are killing several birds with one stone."