Geotechnical engineering
Our geotechnical engineers deal with daily challenges related to foundation techniques, underground structure, infrastructure, and water safety. Key questions include: Which foundation method is most suitable, considering factors such as soil conditions, environment, availability of construction materials, environmental impact, feasibility, and costs? They also address issues like: How can we improve the stability of water barriers to meet safety standards, while considering spatial quality for residents, flora, and fauna?
Having our own in-house geotechnical experts at ABT allows us to create integrated designs where geotechnical aspects are considered right from the start of a project. The strong collaboration between our geotechnical and structural teams ensures effective communication and understanding of the implications of design choices.
Foundation techniques and underground construction
As urban space becomes scarcer, we not only build taller structures but also need to utilize underground space. However, underground construction involves significant concrete usage, leading to environmental impact. To address this, we perform quick scans early in the design phase to choose optimal foundation and basement designs. These scans consider factors such as space utilization, environmental impact, sustainability (including material use), and costs.
Our expertise in foundation techniques and underground construction also plays a crucial role in infrastructure projects, including the foundations of traffic bridges, railway bridges, and the design of underpasses and road tunnels.
Sustainability and automation
At Windbase, an ABT subsidiary, we utilize internally developed software to design wind turbine foundations. This allows us to quickly analyze hundreds of design variants during the preliminary design phase, considering different foundation block dimensions and various piling systems and configurations. By integrating data from the geomaterial database, we can select cost-effective and sustainable foundation solutions early in the process.
Automation is also a key focus within ABT for designing water barriers, industrial floors, and rail track foundations for overhead line support structures and sound barriers.
Image © Luuk Kramer
Projects
Amphia Hospital
Amphia Hospital
The Amphia Hospital in Breda received the key to the new building location at Molengracht in 2021. ABT advised on the construction, foundation, and excavation, and monitored the structural construction costs.
Amsterdam Court
Amsterdam Court
The new court in Amsterdam merges three worlds, which at the same time are to operate strictly separated: the judiciary, the detainees and the visitors. As partner of consortium NACH (New Amsterdam Court House), ABT signed on to design, build, finance, maintain and operate this imposing building on Parnassusweg in Amsterdam. It takes partnership to build an icon!
Center for nature and cultural history De Bastei
Center for nature and cultural history De Bastei
At the Nijmegen Waalkade, five partners, together with the municipality of Nijmegen, realized the Center for Nature and Cultural History De Bastei. The project was part of the revitalization of the Waalkade. The eye-catcher of the project is a large cantilevered fully glass bay window.
Dike reinforcement City of Tiel
Dike reinforcement City of Tiel
A puzzle of piles, anchors, and forces! This is how you can describe the sheet pile wall construction of section 3B (DT3B) in the City of Tiel. To better protect the city of Tiel against high water, the dike between the Amsterdam-Rhine Canal and the Inundation Canal is being structurally reinforced. On behalf of FPH Ploegmakers, ABT developed the engineering of this project into an implementation design.
Dike reinforcement Kinderdijk-Schoonhovenseveer
Dike reinforcement Kinderdijk-Schoonhovenseveer
Going through a comprehensive dike reinforcement from tender to completion: a unique experience that ABT gained during the dike reinforcement between Kinderdijk and Schoonhovenseveer. ABT was responsible for high-quality geotechnical calculations, verification and validation of the entire design process, risk management, and execution supervision. Our focus was on the interaction between structures and the dike.
DOMunder
DOMunder
In the heart of Utrecht, the remains of 2000 years of Dutch history are hidden beneath the Domplein. The new underground visitor center DOMunder offers visitors the chance to experience the fascinating history of Utrecht underground. Archaeological remains are visible and even touchable. This unique place opened its doors on June 2, 2014.
Fenixloodsen Rotterdam Katendrecht
Fenixloodsen Rotterdam Katendrecht
In the Rotterdam district of Katendrecht, along the Rijnhaven, you’ll find the Fenixloodsen. Around 1920, these were the largest harbor storage warehouses in the world. On behalf of Heijmans Vastgoed B.V., Mei architects and planners developed a mixed program of residential units, educational facilities, retail, and a parking garage within and above Fenixloodsen.
Forum Groningen
Forum Groningen
Forum Groningen is an iconic cultural complex consisting of eleven floors. Below the building is a five basement parking garage consisting of approximately four hundred parking spaces and 1,500 bicycle parking spaces. ABT played an important role in realizing the principles of the architectural concept.
Franciscus Gasthuis & Vlietland
Franciscus Gasthuis & Vlietland
Franciscus Gasthuis & Vlietland has started the construction of a new, sustainable, and energy-efficient hospital building next to the current Franciscus Gasthuis. The new building, which will open in 2026, facilitates healthcare innovation and is more compact, flexible, and sustainable. ABT is involved in many areas as an advisor: in geotechnics, structures, project management, building physics and acoustics, and coordination of monitoring.
Hilton Amsterdam Airport Hotel
Hilton Amsterdam Airport Hotel
In 2016, the new construction of the Hilton Amsterdam Airport Hotel was completed. It includes 433 hotel rooms, a restaurant, a spa and fitness center, and a conference center. Beneath the hotel, there is a single-level parking garage, and through a walkway, the hotel has a direct connection to Schiphol. The new Hilton also connects to the WTC.
Montevideo
Montevideo
One of the tallest residential and office towers in the Netherlands has been constructed on the Wilhelminapier. The building consists of 44 floors and contains 192 apartments with 54 different types of residences. ABT was responsible for the main load-bearing structure and geotechnical consulting.
New University Building VU Amsterdam
New University Building VU Amsterdam
Since the end of 2017, the New University Building has been the beating heart of the VU campus in Amsterdam. Here, the two major universities of Amsterdam, VU and UvA, work together towards a better future. The flexible and sustainable building houses spaces where education, research, and culture alternate. ABT provided integral expertise in the fields of architecture, construction, geotechnics, and construction management.
Rabobank Utrecht
Rabobank Utrecht
The headquarters of Rabobank in Utrecht has undergone extensive renovation and sustainability improvements. Originally, the building consisted of two practically independent towers that were to be connected only by a few walkways. From a structural point of view, this proved to be impractical. In both towers, a lot of space would be lost to the necessary additional stabilizing elements.
Renovation of the Binnenhof
Renovation of the Binnenhof
The large-scale renovation of the Binnenhof, home of the Dutch parliament is underway. The heart of our democracy is being adapted to the demands of the new era. Commissioned by the Central Government Real Estate Agency, ABT is providing the structural, geotechnical and engineering design for the building parts of the Council of State, and the structural and geotechnical design for the building parts of the Senate.
Schiphol Terminal
Schiphol Terminal
In 2017, Schiphol presented the question of what a new terminal, fully integrated into the existing airport, could look like. The 'One Terminal concept' was the central idea; the airport not as a collection of more or less stand-alone terminals, but as a compact unit housing all facilities under one roof. The design is to contribute to a good travel experience, an excellent travel process, sustainability and is future-proof.
Sportcampus Zuiderpark
Sportcampus Zuiderpark
On the site of the former ADO Den Haag football stadium, the Sportcampus Zuiderpark has been built. The building includes, among other things, a top sports hall, a double-width sports hall, a gymnastics hall, and classrooms for The Hague University of Applied Sciences and ROC Mondriaan.
The Mauritshuis
The Mauritshuis
The Mauritshuis, with its paintings such as Johannes Vermeer’s Girl with a Pearl Earring and Rembrandt’s The Anatomy Lesson, is a major tourist attraction in The Hague. Commissioned by the Royal Cabinet of Paintings Mauritshuis The Hague Foundation, Hans van Heeswijk Architects designed a spacious underground entrance hall that connects the Mauritshuis with the building opposite on the Plein.
Wisperweide
Wisperweide
A design that fulfills exceptionally high sustainability ambitions. This is the newly to be developed Wisperweide in Weesp, the first school to be realized within the Innovation Partnership School Buildings Amsterdam. The school building is Paris Proof, detachable, and biobased. It is an example of the circular ambitions of the municipality of Amsterdam. ABT was closely involved in the development of the applied HoutKern Construction Method.
Ziggo Dome
Ziggo Dome
The Ziggo Dome, named after the national provider of media and communication services, attracts 700,000 to one million visitors annually. The goal during its realization? The Ziggo Dome had to embody music in every aspect and offer the perfect live experience to visitors. ABT was responsible for the construction and geotechnics during this project.
Entrance building of Rijnstate Hospital
Entrance building of Rijnstate Hospital
The showpiece: that’s how we can confidently describe the new entrance of Rijnstate Hospital. Additionally, it serves as a beautiful introduction to timber constructions for the general public. Despite its modest size, the project showcases all aspects of successful timber construction: beauty, sustainability, and craftsmanship come together here. ABT provided the structural advice.
Renewal of the Climate Greenhouse at the Hortus Botanicus
Renewal of the Climate Greenhouse at the Hortus Botanicus
The Three Climates Greenhouse at the Hortus in Amsterdam is being renewed and made more sustainable! It will become the first fully sustainable, climate-neutral greenhouse, telling the story of biodiversity and its relationship with the climate. ABT is involved as a structural advisor, just as it was during the original realization in 1993. A special project for us indeed!
