John’s Challenge: better results thanks to good collaboration
The Amsterdam Houthavens area has become a special, restricted traffic area for high-quality living along the IJ waterfront, thanks to the Spaarndammertunnel. The brand-new, 800-metre long tunnel, of which 470 metres is covered, has ensured that eighty percent of the daily 22,000 vehicle movements passes underground. The tunnel creates space above ground for greenery, bicycle and walking tracks as well as public transport, and connects the new residential area with the city centre. The connection of the tunnel’s technical installations was realized through the collective efforts of a collaboration that came about in an unexpected manner, but which turned out to be very successful.
Together you go a long way
The Amsterdam Municipality awarded the entire contract for the construction of the Spaarndammertunnel to Max Bögl. This company then subcontracted the technical installation to OSMO, an experienced German installation company. “However, both parties had not taken into account that the Dutch legal requirements with regard to the design and test process are different from those in Germany. Which led to
the fact that they realised that they lacked specific knowhow well before the actual work started. And this is why they contacted us for advice,” says project manager John Voeten as he explains the role of ICT Group in the project.
Added value
ICT Group’s expertise soon proved its added value in the domain of designing and programming. Voeten: “You discuss issues and you help each other, also at times when things are not progressing as smoothly as one would hope. By working together we started to reinforce each other, in several ways.” We kept exploring and pushing the limits of what was feasible, always within the agreed framework and in constant mutual consultation. “Constantly making use and benefiting from each other’s expertise, that’s what resulted in the best possible solutions in the end. For instance, the possibility of predicting when installations or systems are going to break down or when they require maintenance.” What was also appreciated was the fact that ICT thoroughly investigated which tests were critical and which were not. “Our experience allowed us to analyse this in a reliable and accurate manner. As a result, we could achieve a substantial reduction in the total number of tests, in a transparent manner and while remaining in full compliance with the requirements of the Amsterdam tunnel standards as imposed upon the project.”
“If it were up to me, we would work together more often. And as far as that’s concerned, I’m also not the only one.”
Address issues immediately
ICT used the V-model for the testing activities. “The basic principle of this model is that you only pass onto the next phase once the previous phase has been tested and approved. This forces you to pay systematic attention to development and verification. Anything that is not fully correct become clear in a timely manner and can be addressed immediately.” A method with proven results, says Voeten. Participating in the thought process, advising and initiating optimisation measures, both during the design and the testing phase, has accelerated and simplified the process. Resulting in substantial savings of both time and money.
Communicate continuously
The Spaarndammertunnel was opened for traffic during the spring of 2018. And with results I’m proud of, says Voeten. “And I’m not the only one who is entitled to be proud! This project is a prime example of the results you can achieve when you collaborate effectively. As long as you communicate continuously and work together, you can raise a project like the Spaarndammertunnel to a higher level.”
Do you want to work on challenging projects like John?
Take a look at our website: www.ict.eu/jobs.
