Case Study: Zonneveld ingenieurs achieves earthquake‑resistant, cost‑effective and sound‑proof buildings with Dassault Systèmes (Abaqus/SIMULIA)

Zonneveld ingenieurs - Customer Case Study

Zonneveld ingenieurs, a Rotterdam structural engineering firm specializing in load-bearing steel and concrete structures, faced the challenge of making buildings both earthquake-resistant and cost‑effective on the Netherlands’ soft, gas‑extraction‑affected soils. To tackle this, the team adopted Abaqus Unified Finite Element Analysis (FEA) from SIMULIA, the Dassault Systèmes brand, to model soil behavior and seismic loading for complex urban projects like the Merckt mixed‑use building in Groningen.

Using Dassault Systèmes’ Abaqus, Zonneveld simulated seven normative earthquake signals and detailed soil‑structure interaction to redesign foundations and implement a base‑isolation solution of double‑curved sliders topped with CDM acoustic isolators. The simulations guided optimal slider sizing/location, thicker basement walls, and targeted beam reinforcements, producing a combined seismic and acoustic mitigation strategy that lowered investment costs, increased design confidence, and made the firm more efficient and flexible in delivering complex earthquake‑resistant buildings.

Zonneveld ingenieurs

Mark Slotboom

Structural Engineer