a Smarter Bridge

MX3D 3D printed a 12 meter long stainless steel pedestrian bridge, and is now placed and crossing one of the Amsterdam’s canals in the old city center since 2021. We have teamed up with a consortium of mathematicians, IoT specialists and e to develop a smart sensor network to monitor the bridge’s health in real time. A great example of data centric engineering.

The partners joining the MX3D project include: Autodesk, The Alan Turing Institute and the Amsterdam Institute for Advanced Metropolitan Solutions (AMS).

The team from The Alan Turing Institute is responsible for designing and installing a sensor network on the bridge. These sensors will collect structural measurements such as strain, displacement and vibration, and will measure environmental factors such as air quality and temperature, enabling engineers to measure the bridge’s health in real time and monitor how it changes over its lifespan. This data will also allow us to “teach” the bridge to understand what is happening on it, how many people are crossing it and how quickly.

The data from the sensors will be input into a ‘digital twin’ of the bridge, a living computer model that will reflect the physical bridge with growing accuracy in real time as the data comes in. The performance and behaviour of the physical bridge can be tested against its digital twin, which will provide valuable insights to inform designs for future 3D printed metallic structures. It will also enable the current 3D bridge to be modified to suit any required changes in use, ensuring it is safe for pedestrians under all conditions.

Autodesk is supplying the cloud services that will power the bridge’s data collection and processing. Autodesk is also working with The Alan Turing Institute researchers to develop machine learning algorithms that will enable the bridge to interpret and to react intelligently to its environment. AMS will be implementing new ways to use, visualize and connect the bridge’s data to other sources of environmental data in the Metropolitan Area of Amsterdam.

www.smartbridgeamsterdam.com

TIMELINE

Smart Bridge

2023
2021
2019

PASSED THE FINAL LOAD TEST!

The MX3D Bridge has gone through its first testing fase at UT Twente and we have passed! Imperial College has tested the bridge its strenght with a 20 ton load test. We are on to the next fase where UT Twente in collaboration with Autodesk are going to add sensors to the MX3D Bridge to collect usage and material data.

 

https://www.utwente.nl/nieuws/!/2019/9/511264/eerste-3d-geprinte-metalen-brug-ter-wereld-komt-voor-testfase-naar-ut-campus

FINAL TESTING AT UT TWENTE WITH IMPERIAL COLLEGE

The MX3D bridge is going to be tested at the University of Twente. They will test the Bridge under a 20 ton load. Imperial College London has the lead for  the testing which will take approximately one month. After that, the Bridge will stay for another two months at the University’s Campus in Twente to install and test the smart sensor system under the bridge.

 

https://www.utwente.nl/nieuws/!/2019/9/511264/eerste-3d-geprinte-metalen-brug-ter-wereld-komt-voor-testfase-naar-ut-campus

2018

PRESENTING THE SMART BRIDGE SENSOR NETWORK

In addition to its unique construction, the bridge is also a living laboratory for data scientists. It is instrumented by Autodesk, Force Technology, Imperial College London, Lenovo & HBM with an innovative sensor network.

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SHOW THE MX3D BRIDGE TO THE WORLD

The MX3D Bridge, designed by Joris Laarman Lab, with Arup as lead engineering partner is now ready to be installed at its final location, but will first be on display at the Dutch Design Week (DDW) in Eindhoven, from October 20th till 28th 2018!

Read more!

PUBLIC AWARD DUTCH DESIGN WEEK

Dutch Design Award 2018

 

Very proud that we are one of the winners of the Dutch Design Award 2018 in the category Design Research!

The jury: “The form and material freedom achieved by Laarman and MX3D hint at almost unimaginable scenarios.”

 

https://www.ddw.nl/en/news/234/mx3d-bridge-wins-public-award-at-dutch-design-awards-2018

STARTS PRIZE 2018

STARTS PRIZE 2018

MX3D Bridge has been awarded the STARTS Prize 2018!

The jury: “This is the beginning of a great urban transformation. There are many large-scale 3D-printing projects happening all round the world but this project has built something that works for people living in a large European city and is leading the way”

Read more!

 

DUTCH DESIGN AWARD – DESIGN RESEARCH

Very proud that we are one of the winners of the Dutch Design Award 2018 in the category Design Research!

The jury: “The form and material freedom achieved by Laarman and MX3D hint at almost unimaginable scenarios.”

 

WE ARE FINISHED

The full span of the bridge is finalized!

WE WON THE 3D PIONEERS CHALLENGE

We are happy to announce that MX3D has won the 3D Pioneers Challenge for the digital category!

The jury: „Symbolic for the award – Pushing the boundaries and connecting them!“

 

2017

KICK-OFF SMART BRIDGE

In addition to its unique construction, the bridge is also a living laboratory for data scientists. It is instrumented by Autodesk, Force Technology, Imperial College London, Lenovo & HBM with an innovative sensor network.

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