Advanced technology & research

Clients facing major technical challenges relating to industry and buildings profit from fast, practical solutions from our specialist research centre.
Advanced technology & research

Safety and comfort are guaranteed in our advanced building solutions

Iconic architecture, violent new weather patterns, high-tech materials and challenging environments. These are among the drivers for innovative and technically advanced solutions to guarantee the comfort and safety of new and existing structures. Whatever the challenge, your plans will be realised safely and efficiently using state-of-the-art solutions from our Advanced Technology & Research Centre.

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Make better decisions with increased insight from realistic simulations

We use structural analysis and advanced computational tools to investigate causes, consequences and the impact of mitigations on risks and hazards facing your structure. With this information you can make better decisions to ensure complete safety and structural integrity while optimising expenditure.

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Get there first with quicker, smarter solutions
As a research group within a market-oriented company, we drive solutions forward in a proven, structured process applying computational design methods and automated tools. It enables us to scale quickly and means you can rely on a rapid route to market.
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Benefit from practical solutions underpinned by scientific research and analyses
Our expert teams work at the cutting edge of scientific discovery. We focus on transforming new knowledge into efficient and workable solutions so you benefit from advanced practical approaches based on solid scientific models and analyses.
Advanced-technology-wind-comfortWhite paper

Pedestrian wind comfort and safety for a pleasant living environment

Advanced-technology-blast-engineeringWhite paper

Using blast engineering to ensure safety of sites and occupants

Advanced-technology-forensic-engineeringWhite paper

The history behind forensic engineering and recent innovations

Wind and fluid engineering

Issues are identified before they arise with our analyses of the movement of wind, air and fluids.
Analyses of the movement of wind, air and fluids at an early stage of the design process can identify issues before they arise and lead to cost-effective modifications that increase safety, comfort and operational efficiency. Computational fluid dynamic (CFD) simulations enable flows to be explored and modelled to generate reliable options at the conceptual stage. Once a structure has been built, solutions are typically more limited and more costly.

Wind flow analysis is particularly useful for large or tall buildings and their impact on nearby structures. Dispersion analysis can predict the spread and decay of toxic compound emission from industry, pipe leakage, off-shore vents or chimneys. Air flow analyses are useful to identify how to efficiently regulate indoor climates and guarantee clean and healthy internal environments. In data centres, we can model the thermal dispersion from the rooftop chillers to maximise their performance or optimise the setup of thermal buffer vessels during a chiller shutdown. Fluid engineering is also used in assessing fluid flow hazards from a rupture of a silo or storage tank.
Advanced Technology - Wind-Fluid-engineering

Timely and accurate wind comfort studies to keep your project on track

Developers and engineers benefit from our comprehensive wind investigations to support permit applications (NEN8100) and ensure the comfort and safety of users and communities. Advanced digital technologies including dynamic 3D simulations, transient CFD, 3D BIM and parametric modelling provide more insight and better solutions. They give you the flexibility to explore alternatives and can be quickly adapted as your plans change.

When you’re facing competitive pressures to deliver on schedule, our short lead times and quick, in-depth explorations smooth the permitting process and minimise the risk of bottlenecks. Issues raised in the wind analysis are easily addressed drawing on our wide-ranging expertise across disciplines including structural design, building physics and more. Keep your projects on track and stay ahead with our quick, accurate wind comfort studies.
Advanced Technology - Blast-Impact-engineering

Blast and impact engineering

Operational sites are protected against potential impacts with our high-advanced solutions.
Ensuring structures can withstand potential explosion, vehicle or plane crash, missile or terrorist attack is a specialist field in which we have considerable expertise.

Our advanced simulations provide realistic predictions of behaviour during impact so we can test and design interventions for structures to ensure they retain structural integrity. This type of work can extend the life of existing buildings through modifications to keep employees safe.

The advantage for clients is that our analyses provide more clarity which can lead to relatively small reinforcements, where less-advanced approaches might demand higher-cost solutions or even demolition.

Earthquake engineering

Complex issues are solved that go beyond the scope of conventional earthquake engineering expertise.
We have unrivalled experience in assessing and identifying measures enabling existing buildings and structures to withstand earthquakes. We also provide expert input into design measures for new buildings and structures, including nuclear facilities and reactors.

A combination of linear, non-linear, static and dynamic analyses enables us to create real-time simulations and solve complex issues that are beyond the scope of conventional earthquake engineering expertise.

Our experience and insight ensure peace of mind for clients investing in sites and structures in areas where seismic activity occurs. In addition, where existing buildings need to be made safe, the advanced analysis we provide, including the latest finite element reliability methods, can pinpoint solutions where less advanced analysis might indicate safety margins could not be met.

Advanced Technology - Earthquake-engineering
Advanced Technology - Vibration-Engineering

Vibration engineering

Safety and comfort are guaranteed in our advanced building solutions.
Problems created by vibrations range from nuisance all the way to structural failure. Vibrations can arise from people’s activity, machines, vehicles and more. Some environments, such as specialist laboratories and medical facilities, need to be fully isolated from vibration.

We can map the dynamic behaviour of existing and potential structures to analyse the effect of vibrations and identify design interventions or measures to minimise nuisance, maximise safety and provide dampening for critical environments.

These solutions improve operations for our clients and increase the comfort and safety of their buildings. We can also enable projects to proceed where they might have appeared impossible, for example siting a hospital intensive care unit above a car park.

 

Forensic engineering

Be assured of quick, independent and objective research in case of damage or structural failure. 
When a structure collapses or fails, forensic engineering identifies what has gone wrong.

The strength of our service is that we investigate the reason for the failure while also helping our client get safely up and running as soon as possible. Alongside our initial analysis, we can quickly set up a project management team to implement a quick fix while forensic investigation continues into the cause and longer-term solutions. Clients are assured of a quick, independent and objective response.

Advanced Technology - Forensic-engineering
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