Prefabricated walkways and scaffolding for Selective Withdrawal

Commissioned by Beens Groep, Nauta Heeg is producing all steel structures of the three footbridges and scaffolding for the Selective Withdrawal project at the IJmuiden Lock Complex. Constructions that are prefabricated as much as possible to minimize the work outside. The company from Heeg is part of GB Steel Group and knows like no other how to conform to the high demands placed on constructions in this environment.

Nauta Heeg was already in the race for this project through another party. "However, the project was awarded to another party," begins Harold Booi, director of Nauta Heeg. "Not much later, we were approached by Beens Groep to take on the production of the walkways and scaffolding structure." Nauta Heeg specializes in structural hydraulic engineering and in that capacity produces components for bridges, locks and the energy sector. We are NEN-EN 1090 certified to the highest execution class 4 and are used to working together with parties such as the Department of Public Works, governments and grid managers, which means that we are perfectly capable of fulfilling this both on paper and in the workshop. That gives confidence."

Frame elements

The three footbridges, each 25 meters long and 1.5 meters wide, have already been produced at an earlier stage by Nauta Heeg and form the connection between the new mooring place and the mainland. The jetty construction, on the other hand, is currently being finalized. "The jetty will soon be 80 meters long and consists of fifteen frame elements (sections) of 10 meters by 4.5 meters," Harold explains. "There is also provision for a platform on which a truck-mounted crane can align. The frame elements are constructed from HE profiles that interlock, as it were, to form a slender structure. Incidentally, the design came from Beens Groep, which we translated into workshop drawings in a 3D model. A conscious choice was made to prefabricate the frame elements in as large a format as possible in order to keep the work outside to a minimum. They are delivered to site virtually plug-and-play as a numbered construction kit, including railing, grid floor and wooden finish."

Maritime conservation

The same quality requirements are imposed on the jetty as those of Sea Lock IJmuiden and the Selective Withdrawal. "That is also one of the reasons why Beens Group approached us," says Harold. "We are used to working with such parties, know what is required and can conform to those high demands with, in this case, also a maritime preservation." The scaffolding structure is currently being assembled on site by a team from Nauta Heeg and Beens Groep. "In the process, Beens is also providing the deployment of the floating equipment, such as a pontoon and a working vessel, and has previously laid the foundation by installing the tubular piles. Incidentally, the tubular piles were also produced in Nauta Heeg's workshop."

Harold is proud of the fact that Nauta Heeg is part of such a wonderful hydraulic engineering project. "The Selective Withdrawal is one of the most appealing hydraulic engineering projects in the Netherlands today. Nice that we can contribute to it."