Design disciplines
Foundation engineering and site excavation
Solid foundations are a good start for any construction project. So correct cost/risk assessment of the different foundation and excavation types is an important part of the structural design process where Pieters also considers possible alternatives. Thanks to our long-standing experience, we have the knowledge and expertise required to weigh up the advantages and disadvantages of each individual foundation technique and the associated risks for the area immediately surrounding the site.
Concrete structures
At Pieters, we have all the knowledge and skills required for designing and producing concrete buildings, (parking) basements, homes, offices, bridges, etc. available to us in-house; both as cast-in-situ structures and prefab structures, and based on the use of traditionally reinforced concrete as well as prestressed concrete. Ranging from foundations to high-rise buildings, and also including slimline prefab balconies (Hi-Con) and ultra-thin bridges. We regularly apply proven, pioneering methods and are a frontrunner in designing and engineering projects in (fibre-reinforced) UHSC. We are also expert in renovating older concrete buildings by integrating new reinforced concrete elements. Read more about our innovative designs using UHSC.
Steel structures
Designing steel structures and calculating their strength is a basic skill for our structural engineers. We have the knowledge and experience required for successful project completion, regardless of whether the work involves large and heavy composite structures for bridges and buildings, or extremely compact and slender structures for façades and other applications. Our range of capabilities includes standard steel grades, high-strength steel grades and cable-based structures.
Aluminium structures
Most of our work with aluminium structures is associated with façade construction. However, there are also other applications where aluminium is the best solution for the load-bearing structure. The advantages of aluminium are its limited susceptibility to corrosion and the light weight of structures made from this material. At Pieters, we have all the expertise required to design and calculate the strength of aluminium structures, and advise you on the potential uses of this material.
Masonry structures
Masonry is used in a broad range of structures based on an interaction between structural strength, building physics and aesthetics. Load-bearing walls for example, and façade structures based on a combination of bricks/stone, anchors, lintels and façade supports. Not to mention expansion joints and moisture management. In order to shape that interaction optimally, a thorough knowledge of building physics and load-bearing structures is required, in addition to a good knowledge of materials. At Pieters, we have this knowledge available in-house and have provided consultancy services in this area for several years.
Timber structures
The use of timber as a structural material has taken off in recent years. This trend has its roots in increasingly severe sustainability requirements and the availability of new and innovative timber products, such as walls and floors made from Cross Laminated Timber (CLT) and high-quality laminated timber beams and columns. These new products make it possible to build multi-storey structures completely from timber. Pieters has been involved in innovative applications of timber from the time of their introduction and offers all the expertise required for building timber structures, ranging from the overall design to detailed working drawings. Read more about our innovative designs using timber.
Prefab concrete
Designing and building with precast concrete requires a different approach to that used for casting concrete in situ. Because we are expert in the building practices, work sequences and production techniques for prefab concrete, we are capable of producing optimal prefab concrete designs. UHSC structures are among the prefab concrete applications we offer, however these structures can only be produced in a factory due to the high quality requirements that apply to the concrete.
Prestressed concrete
An active internal force can be created in a structure using prestressing techniques. Positive cross-sectional use of this force makes slender structures possible when bridging large spans. When in use, the active force in a prestressed structure also results in a high load capacity and the resulting high stiffness minimises deformation. The structures also score better in terms of sustainability because less material is used. Pieters has extensive experience in both prestressed floor and beam structures and prestressed balcony anchors.
Plastic and glass
The desire to build increasingly transparent structures and make optimal use of daylight makes glass a more or less automatic choice as a construction material. At Pieters, we are capable of using this versatile material in a variety of ways in structures. Our smart glass designs are also characterised by high structural safety with sufficient redundancy. Furthermore, by making geometrically appropriate choices, we are capable of creating extremely strong and stiff structures, such as fully transparent façades and large spans. Read more about our innovative designs using glass.
In addition to the use of glass, we also have experience with working with plastics such as acrylate and polycarbonate through our participation in a number of studies. A number of our employees specialise in this field and can support you when creating designs and exploring the possibilities of this material.
Supervision and quality control
Due to increasing complexity in construction, quality assurance has been the primary area of focus at Pieters for several years. Nonconformities must be identified and registered in good time - this applies to both preparation and realisation. Furthermore, not only does the construction work on site have to be monitored for compliance with the drawings, the design itself also needs to be checked to ensure regulatory compliance. So it is important to have extensive technical knowledge and knowledge of the construction process and regulations, particularly the aspects covered by the Dutch Buildings Decree. Pieters has all the necessary knowledge and skills available in-house and can offer you various forms of quality assurance, ranging from a Buildings Decree compliance assessment, (daily) supervision and attending site meetings to carrying out audits.
Parking solutions
Space is at a premium in the Netherlands. Because public spaces are increasingly crowded, parking facilities often have to be provided at a company’s own site. So parking facilities have become an integral part of the design process for buildings. When building a structure above a parking facility, consideration must be given at an early stage to the standard modular dimensions used for parking solutions, which are often incompatible with the residential, office and/or retail functions located above them. Avoiding or optimising costly load transfer structures is one of our specialisms. We have extensive experience with both multi-storey car parks above ground level (up to 8 storeys) and multi-story car parks below ground level and the associated excavation works, including pouring concrete foundations underwater if required. In short: at Pieters, we guarantee you a suitable solution for each and every specific parking problem.
High-rise construction
Pieters has extensive experience with designing high-rise towers in the Netherlands. We have carried out feasibility studies for tower blocks in Rotterdam up to 300 m high and were involved in the designs for the ongoing construction projects for Post Rotterdam (150 m), CasaNova (110 m) and Zeelandtoren (100 m), which are among the highest tower blocks in the Netherlands.
In high-rise buildings, extra attention must be given to stability, the foundations, building dynamics and building methods in order to quickly complete the building shell. We have developed sophisticated design methods that allow us to immediately specify structural features, such as the required dimensions for stabilising cores. We also produce a variants study at the outset to assess optimisation options based on tube-in-tube structures and outriggers.
Foundation investigation and repair
Many of our assignments involve building transformations. In the case of buildings supported on timber piles, we investigate the quality of the pile foundations in order to estimate their remaining life span and load-bearing capacity. We have significant experience with investigations of this type and can accurately indicate what (extra) load the foundations are capable of supporting. In many cases, rotten piles, or plans to add a heavy extra load on buildings (e.g. adding extra floors) mean that the foundations have to be repaired. We have extensive experience in designing foundation repair structures and with building methods for deepening, jacking up, or creating engineered stresses in foundations for other reasons.