EngD in Designing a framework for the digitalization of condition-based maintenance for Lock Complexes of RWS (Case of Hengelo)

The transition to digital CBM is vital for asset owners as they face challenges such as labour shortages and aging infrastructure. Traditional CBM still relies heavily on information coming from manual inspections, analysis, and planning. While generic digital tools exist, they often fail to deliver efficiency gains for complex and specialized assets like navigation locks.

Navigation locks are made up of many structural and mechanical components, each with unique degradation mechanisms. These can be detected and structural condition indicators drawn when changes in certain parameters are detected/triggered. Understanding these “triggers” is essential for building a digital CBM ecosystem that truly works. By identifying and clustering triggers, and deploying sensors optimally, we can create a Structural Health Monitoring (SHM) system that offers reliable, real-time insights into the condition of a lock complex.

The aim of this project is to design a framework for the SHM system of the Hengelo Lock Complex. You will investigate how the condition of the lock is currently assessed and identify triggers that allow for automated, continuous SHM with minimal human interventions.

Your research will cover:
Analysis of structural and mechanical behaviour of lock components.
Review of relevant national, regional, and organizational regulations and guidelines.
Evaluation of current practices and feasible structural health monitoring technologies.
Cost–benefit assessment of sensor deployment and measurement interpretation strategies.