{"id":4380,"date":"2024-09-18T15:21:58","date_gmt":"2024-09-18T15:21:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.buildsoft.eu\/?post_type=reference-project&p=4380"},"modified":"2026-07-29T13:04:28","modified_gmt":"2026-07-29T13:04:28","slug":"simac-ict-hq","status":"publish","type":"reference-project","link":"https:\/\/www.buildsoft.eu\/en\/reference-projects\/simac-ict-hq\/","title":{"rendered":"Simac ICT HQ"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

For the new Simac ICT Belgium headquarters in Haasrode, designed by Architects in Motion and built by Vanhout, Vestad modelled the raised, open concrete structure (a core, limited shear walls, and 40cm slabs on columns with no intermediate beams) in Diamonds, getting first results in under a day. The team relied heavily on Diamonds’ practical reinforcement visualization, color-coding floor slabs to show at a glance where assigned reinforcement was sufficient and where more was needed, then checked crack widths and cracked deflections, accounting for concrete creep and load timing, before sharing reaction forces with the pile foundation team through Diamonds’ reporting tools.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The project<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

According to head of Vestad’s structural engineering department Patrick Jordaens, the new Simac ICT Belgium headquarters in the Haasrode Research Park is typical of many Vestad projects. As Patrick explains, “this building was designed by Architects in Motion<\/strong><\/a>, while Vanhout<\/strong><\/a> is responsible for its realisation. The new 30-metre by 60-metre building has three floors: a car park on level -1 with two office floors and a warehouse above ground level.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The most remarkable thing about the architectural design is that this building seems to be floating in space. Two factors are at play here. On the one hand, the superstructure is raised about one and a half metres above ground level, with parking space for cars available underneath. On the other hand, the concrete load-bearing structure has an open appearance. Apart from a concrete core and a limited number of shear walls (which together ensure the transfer of horizontal loads), this load-bearing structure consists solely of 40cm-thick slab floors supported directly (without any intermediate beams) by concrete columns. In combination with the raised superstructure, the open structure of the semi-underground car park creates the illusion of a floating building.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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New Simac ICT Belgium headquarters in Haasrode (\u00e3 Architects in Motion)<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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Diamonds structural analysis model of the new Simac ICT office building\u2019s load-bearing structure<\/em>figcaption><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Building the analysis model in under a day<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In this project, Vestad was entirely focused on the structural design of the office building\u2019s concrete structure. The 300 m2<\/sup> warehouse was constructed with precast concrete elements and was introduced as a permanent load in the Diamonds structural analysis model. That analysis model thus contains all the structural elements we just discussed: the concrete core, shear walls, floor slabs and columns – supplemented by a limited number of edge beams where the columns are very close to the floor slab edges.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of the many advantages of using Diamonds is that it takes very little time to arrive at the first results: it took us less than 1 day to work out the structural analysis model and get the analysis results. As an aside, we see this confirmed again and again every time a new colleague joins our team. Newcomers do not need more than a week, or a week and a half at most, to become very efficient with Diamonds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Visual feedback for a practical reinforcement plan<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

But above all, Diamonds offers an excellent mix of ease-of-use and advanced analysis capabilities that make life easier for any structural engineer. In this project, we heavily used Diamonds’ concrete design capabilities. We are not talking so much about the calculation of reinforcement sections (which Diamonds takes care of perfectly) but mainly about what you can do once those reinforcement sections have been calculated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To start with, you can very easily assign practical reinforcement quantities to any floor slab. Then, wherever the assigned practical reinforcement quantities are sufficient, the floor slab is visualized in a neutral colour. Finally, a colour scale indicates how much additional reinforcement is required in all other areas. Thanks to this visual feedback, it’s straightforward to work out a practical reinforcement plan quickly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Practical reinforcement quantities being assigned to floor slabs of the new Simac ICT office building in Haasrode<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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Overview of areas where additional reinforcement is required<\/em><\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Checking crack widths and deflections, accounting for creep and load timing<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Moreover, this practical reinforcement is taken into account in various checks. These include, first and foremost, the verification of crack widths (here, too, you can see at a glance the areas where crack width exceeds a limit value of 0.3 mm, for example) and cracked deflection. On top of that, Diamonds offers the possibility to account for the impact of creep when calculating cracked deflections and crack widths, or even to consider the timing of applying specific service loads.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Cracked deflection of floor slabs for the new Simac ICT office building in Haasrode<\/em><\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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Crack width of floor slabs for the new Simac ICT office building in Haasrode<\/em>
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Sharing results with the rest of the building team<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In a project such as the new Simac ICT Belgium headquarters, we must work closely with all partners involved in the building process. It is, therefore, vital for us that we can easily share the results of our structural analyses when needed. Thanks to Diamonds’ extensive reporting capabilities, for example, it becomes straightforward to share reaction forces with the team responsible for the design and realisation of the pile foundation. For us, Diamonds is a tool that allows us to play our full role as a partner in the building process.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

FAQ<\/h2>\n\n\n