How can all the work on our infra be done smarter?

Prominent role at InfraTech for renovating and replacing artworks

It is one of the biggest challenges facing the Dutch infrastructure sector in the coming decades. Not for nothing does the theme 'Replacement and Renovation' occupy a prominent place on the exhibition floor during InfraTech 2025. Various knowledge sessions, workshops and lectures will focus on how all these engineering works can be tackled on time. Because the situation is threatening to become dire. 

Infrastructure in the Netherlands is aging rapidly. The province of North Holland alone faces an enormous challenge: the replacement and renovation of 14,500 bridges and viaducts. Without a smart approach, this project would cost the province 15 to 20 billion euros, which is practically unfeasible given the limited budget and shortage of personnel. Therefore, an innovative approach is essential to keep infrastructure affordable and future-proof.

"Above all, it has to be smarter and more efficient," argues Patrick Bakhuizen of engineering firm Fugro. "We have known for some time that we can make huge savings using sensors and monitoring, because the data can show that complete replacement of infrastructure is not always necessary."

InfraTech 2025

With over 450 exhibitors and more than 200 knowledge sessions, InfraTech 2025 offers plenty of networking opportunities and inspiration. Register now for free access via www.infratech.nl.

With an extensive program focused on current themes in the sector, InfraTech 2025 provides a platform where professionals, companies and governments come together to discuss the future of infrastructure. This year, including "Replacement and Renovation," InfraTech is focusing on six main themes. The other five are: Underground Infra, Mobility and Logistics, Digitalization, Climate and Sustainability and Human Capital. View the full knowledge program on the website.

A good example of this new approach can be found in Amsterdam, where the municipality uses sensors to continuously monitor the condition of bridges. The data analysis shows that complete replacement is often unnecessary. Where initially dozens of bridges would need to be replaced, after close monitoring, fewer than 10 turned out to need to be addressed immediately. These insights enable governments to postpone or even avoid costly replacement projects. Examples like these demonstrate the power of data-driven infrastructure management.

Innovative technology is also being used in Rotterdam. The subway tunnel is continuously monitored by sensors, minimizing costly inspections and disruptions to train traffic. These systems ensure that emerging problems are detected early and can be solved preventively. This prevents inconvenience to passengers and provides significant cost savings in the long run.

Award ceremony during InfraTech 2025
The finalists will present their projects on Dec. 13, 2024, after which the winners will be
will be announced on Jan. 15, 2025, during InfraTech in Rotterdam Ahoy.
Infrastructure and Water Management Minister Barry Madlener will present the awards at the Rijkswaterstaat Pavilion.

Data-driven asset management

"With data-driven management and monitoring, governments can make sustainable and financially responsible choices while ensuring the safety of infrastructure," Patrick explains. "In this context, we are working with a number of partners in the Future-proof Living Environment program of the Top Consortium Knowledge and Innovation (TKI). This program promotes innovative projects and methods that help governments and other stakeholders realize the transition to data-driven asset management. Clients can join this and use grants from the National Growth Fund." 

Rijkswaterstaat is also committed to data-driven asset management. Not for nothing did the government department submit this method for the InfraTech Innovation Award. Data-driven asset management gives Rijkswaterstaat the opportunity to get a better picture of the condition and lifespan of its assets, to manage them differently, to make maintenance predictable and thus more affordable. Data-driven work is becoming part of asset management work. Rijkswaterstaat's Data-Driven Asset Management Program is ensuring that this way of working is successfully introduced. Experience has been gained in a number of pilots for wet structures, movable bridges and tunnels, testing management and maintenance using actual data, artificial intelligence and dashboarding at national and regional level. The key question here was 'does it work?' The next period focuses on the 'unification phase.' In this phase, Rijkswaterstaat is creating the organizational, process and technical preconditions to do data-driven asset management throughout the organization for wet structures, movable bridges and tunnels. The key question in this phase is 'how do we as Rijkswaterstaat work with it?'

Renovating smarter together

Another important initiative in this context is 'Samen Slimmer Renoveren en Vervangen' (SSRV), a collaboration between the province of North Holland, Rijkswaterstaat, ProRail, the Amsterdam Transport Region and several municipalities. This partnership focuses on managing and renovating the existing infrastructure more efficiently through data, standardization and cooperation.

The approach includes collecting data on existing bridges and viaducts, clustering similar structures into "families," and developing standard monitoring methods and standardized construction components. This approach allows the replacement and renovation task to be carried out more efficiently, with less cost, manpower and less impact on the environment.

The SSRV initiative aims not only to manage infrastructure more efficiently, but also to strengthen cooperation between various parties. Delegate Jeroen Olthof recently emphasized the importance of this: "We have to organize the task differently. If this fails, North Holland has a very big problem to stay connected and accessible in the future." The cooperation should ensure that infrastructure managers get to know each other better, exchange knowledge and take joint responsibility for the safety and accessibility of the region. In addition, SSRV is also working on the "areal approach," in which structures are viewed as a whole and work is tendered in groups. This ensures a more structured and efficient planning of work, with the aim of minimizing the impact on the accessibility of the province. This innovative approach should result in more sustainable and financially responsible infrastructure management.

The working group of the collaborative SSRV initiative now includes employees of the municipalities of Alkmaar, Amstelveen/Aalsmeer, Amsterdam, Den Helder, Haarlem, Purmerend and Zaanstad, Rijkswaterstaat, ProRail, Transport Region Amsterdam and the province of North Holland. The municipalities of Edam-Volendam, Hilversum, Medemblik, Schagen, Waterland and Wijdemeren are also actively collaborating on parts of the initiative.

Innovative view

The challenges facing not only the province of North Holland, but the entire infrastructure sector, require innovative thinking and a concerted effort from all parties involved. The success of initiatives such as data-driven asset management and SSRV could be the key to ensuring the safety, sustainability and accessibility of the Dutch infrastructure, without the costs spiraling out of control. Sensors and data analytics play a crucial role in this, ensuring that maintenance and renovation take place exactly where it is needed, and no more than that. During InfraTech 2025, all initiatives and innovations will be discussed in detail.    

Nominees InfraTech Innovation Award

The nine nominees for the prestigious InfraTech Innovation Award 2025 have been announced. From nearly fifty entries, the jury selected the most innovative projects, divided into three categories: Product Innovations, Process Innovations and Sustainable Cooperation. The nominees stand out for their innovative approach to sustainability, efficiency and cooperation within the infrastructure sector. Especially in the Product and Process Innovations categories, competition was strong and the choices were challenging.

Nominees by category

Product Innovations

• Boskalis Nederland B.V. - Buoycrete stabilization: A sustainable concrete solution that reinforces quays and extends lifespan by 30 years.
  
• Neolithic B.V. - On-demand 3D printed wells: 3D printed custom wells that respond quickly, sustainably and efficiently to manpower shortages and resource savings.
  
• Beens Group - Floating Hydrogen Charging Station: An emission-free, modular energy solution for electric machines on water and land.

Process innovations

• BAM Infra Netherlands - Smart Grid Charging: An open-source solution that charges fleets of vehicles with their own green power, even in the event of grid congestion.
  
• Dura Vermeer & Heijmans - The Nature Ladder: Promotes biodiversity and climate resilience in construction projects through behavioral change and leadership.
  
• Lhoist - Lime in clay: A sustainable method for dike reinforcement with lime treatment of clay, increasing safety and reducing CO2 emissions.

Sustainable Cooperation

• Province of Gelderland - Asphalt Recycling Train: A solution for circular road maintenance by reusing old asphalt layers on site, in line with the 2030 climate and circular goals.
  
• DuSpot and BAM Infra Nederland - Matching tool for circular construction materials: The first independent marketplace for circular construction materials, focused on cost reduction, CO2 emission reduction and efficient material flows.
  
• Buyer Group Grondstromen - Working smarter together with valuable soil: Public and private parties are working together to reuse soil in a circular and cost-effective way through data-driven collaboration.

Jurors

The jury consists of jury chairman Arno Visser (Koninklijke Bouwend Nederland),
Joop Polfliet (Municipality of Rotterdam), Diana Beuting (Rijkswaterstaat), Marcel Hertogh
(TU Delft and Erasmus University Rotterdam), ir. D'tasha Demmerer (Witteveen+Bos),
and Doekle Terpstra (Techniek Nederland).