About the project
Beyond its primary function, the project also includes four rolling gates for the lock, two bascule bridges for road traffic, a service port, quays, mooring facilities, guide structures and other auxiliary structures. This case study focuses on the guide structures, essential for directing inbound ships safely toward the lock.
These guide structures are composed of robust horizontal tubular sections, joined through precision-engineered bolted connections. They play a critical role in ensuring the efficiency and safety of maritime operations within this vital infrastructure.
By enabling precise verification and efficient communication with clients, IDEA StatiCa became an indispensable part of the approval process.
Rob Vinks
Structural Engineer – DEME Infra
Países Bajos
Engineering Challenges
Designing the bolted connection between the large-diameter horizontal tubular sections posed several challenges.
Chief among them was achieving a balance between flange stiffness, overall structural stiffness, and bolt capacity.
The software’s adaptability, particularly in adjusting wall and plate thicknesses, ensured our design could respond swiftly to evolving project needs.
Rob Vinks
Structural engineer – DEME Infra
Países Bajos
Moreover, importing a comprehensive load dataset from SCIA Engineer introduced complexity due to the variety of load combinations.
The ability to seamlessly import complex load combinations from SCIA Engineer into IDEA StatiCa saved us significant time during the design phase.
Rob Vinks
Structural Engineer – DEME Infra
Países Bajos
An additional complication arose from the large diameter of the tubular sections. This occasionally caused instability in the computational model, leading to convergence issues during the analysis phase.
Solutions and Results
The engineering team employed a combination of tools to overcome these challenges. Internal forces were initially calculated using SCIA Engineer. An analytical spreadsheet was then used to determine a preliminary connection design. Subsequently, IDEA StatiCa was utilized to model the connection and execute iterative refinements.
The user-friendly interface and visualization capabilities of IDEA StatiCa allowed engineers to quickly assess and adjust parameters such as wall thickness, plate dimensions, and stiffener placements. This iterative process, in which several options were calculated, streamlined the optimization of the connection design.
IDEA StatiCa's user-friendly interface and flexible modeling tools allowed us to adapt quickly to execution constraints and finalize an optimal design.
Rob Vinks
Structural Engineer – DEME Infra
Países Bajos
About DEME Group
DEME Group is a global leader in dredging, marine engineering and environmental remediation. With expertise spanning infrastructure projects such as submerged tunnels, bored tunnels, lock complexes, and quay walls, DEME Infra exemplifies engineering excellence. The New Lock Terneuzen project highlights their commitment to innovation and precision in marine infrastructure.
About the Engineer
Rob Vinks, a seasoned structural engineer with a Master’s in Structural Engineering, has over 18 years of experience in marine infrastructure design. With five years at Public Works Rotterdam and over a decade at DEME, Rob specializes in designing and managing complex infrastructural projects. His expertise was pivotal in addressing the challenges of the New Lock Terneuzen project and delivering a robust, code-compliant solution.
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