News and updates40, spring 2012

Successful collaboration with the German army

Local authorities get a grip on groundwater

The importance of archaeological soil research

Unique underground sewer study

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Mehmet Seyman, Project Leader Civil Works at the local authority of De Bilt, explains the Water Innovation Network project, in short WINNET: ‘For the De Bilt local authority, the duty of care was the reason to start the WINNET project because by 2013, all of the local authorities in the Netherlands must have a groundwater and rainwater vision.’

Importance of reliable data‘However, there were other reasons. Prior to this project, monitoring wells had only been occasionally installed in De Bilt even though we received many questions about the groundwater levels. For instance for planting trees or disconnecting rainwater discharge from the drainage system. Furthermore, the municipality is located in the middle of a drinking water extraction area. At the end of the 1960's, the water company started to extract water from a depth of 100 metres. In the following period, numerous beech trees died. A link between these two events has never been physically shown. We can now address these discussions by using reliable data from the monitoring network.

The De Bilt municipality lies in an unusual area. It borders the Utrechtse Heuvelrug, a range of hills, on the one side and a peat polder on the other. The groundwater collects here in a sort of funnel. If you examine the groundwater levels from the last decades using the information provided by the DINOLoket portal, you will see that sometimes there is more than a metre difference between the summer and winter levels. For us as the local authority it is extremely important to know when the rainwater can be disconnected from the drainage system and what system should be used to do so. This is normally a perforated pipe, or put another way, a drainage pipe. However, when the groundwater level is high, this type of pipe works exactly the other way round. You will then start to drain off groundwater, something you don't want to do.’ European invitation to tenderThe WINNET project concerned not only the installation and equipping of the monitoring networks, but also the establishment of the monitoring and maintenance of the system and the implementation of the complete monitoring system at the various clients. Because the value of the project exceeded € 200,000, it had to be put out to tender in accordance with the European regulations.

Local authorities get a grip on groundwaterNowadays, local authorities have a duty of care with respect to urban groundwater. A Higher Water Board is responsible for establishing a Desired Groundwater and Surface Water Regime.  The Utrecht local authorities of De Bilt, Woerden, Zeist, Houten and the Higher Water Board 'De Stichtse Rijnlanden' therefore sought a company that could install and manage a groundwater monitoring network. A European invitation to tender followed and was eventually won by Eijkelkamp Agrisearch Equipment. Now more than 200 survey points have been installed that Eijkelkamp will manage.

‘The De Bilt municipality is enclosed by peat polders and the range of hills

called the Utrechtse Heuvelrug.’

Project leader Mehmet Seyman: ‘Eijkelkamp gives you what they promise

to give you.’

‘In the near future, we want to have a

user-friendly website containing clear information.’

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‘Six companies submitted a tender and the outcome was based on a

list of criteria. The criterion ‘price’ received a certain number of points,

as did ‘data management quality’ and ‘sustainability’. Eijkelkamp, as

one of the tender companies, scored the highest points in practically

all areas. The project is now running and everything that was promised

is happening. I am extremely satisfied with Eijkelkamp. The project is

running smoothly and project leader Norbert Peters is always available

if you need him. The work is done in an extremely disciplined way and

exactly according to plan.’

Multifunctional online environment‘We are currently busy with the online environment. We want to have a

citizen-friendly website that clearly explains what is being monitored and

how. No complex graphs that no one understands. Just clear information.

We are going to great lengths to inform citizens about this. Of course, the

website must also be user-friendly for us and other departments within

the local authority, such as Spatial Planning.

Every local authority has its own ideas about what is relevant. It would

be nice if in the near future there could be a website that is used by

everyone and to which local authorities in the management area of the

water board could easily link up. This could make the WINNET project

an even greater success. At the moment there are four other local

authorities that are interested.’

Eijkelkamp employees monitor the groundwater before installing the Diver

‘Contributing to the growth of Eijkelkamp through collaboration.’In 1976 professor dr. ir. Leo Stroosnijder gains his PhD at the Wageningen University. At the time, there is already a strong interaction between Eijkelkamp Agrisearch Equipment and the university. Leo Stroosnijder also gets to know the field and laboratory equipment produced in Giesbeek which results in a very fruitful collaboration. After more than 45 years, Leo Stroosnijder is now taking his leave of the university.

When will you officially retire?1 May 2012. I will then have been associated with the Wageningen University for more than 45 years. I started in the soil physics field were I mainly focused on physical measurements. The last two decades I was involved in Agricultural Engineering of the Tropics.

Why do you attach so much importance to good equipment and measuring methods?To measure is to know. Measurements lead to theoretical insight and developments. They are essential for the calibration and validation of models.

How do you look back on the collaboration with Eijkelkamp?Formally, this collaboration has existed for 18 years. In all those years, I have enjoyed the cross fertilisation resulting from my more 'free' thinking and the necessary business approach of Eijkelkamp. I think that through this collaboration, I have contributed to the growth of the company and therefore to that of 'BV Nederland'.

What will you miss the most?For the answer to this question and the remainder of the interview, go to the news section on www.eijkelkamp.com.

‘Private archive of L. Stroosnijder’

Leo Stroosnijder in Ethiopia, 1968‘Private archive of L. Stroosnijder’

Local authorities get a grip on groundwater

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Discover the importance of archaeological soil research through a new courseEijkelkamp Training & Consultancy introduces a new course. As of April 2012, Archaeological soil research will be one of the courses on offer. This one-day course addresses all facets of archaeological soil research.

The importance of archaeological research, key concepts and the geology of the Netherlands will all be addressed. Guest lecturer, senior archaeologist Eric van der Kuijl, will direct course participants to perform analyses using archaeological source maps and policy recommendation maps. These analyses show the probability of the presence of archaeologically valuable sites. Furthermore, Eric will outline the relevant legislation, tasks and responsibilities of municipalities, the operational possibilities of archaeological soil research and the role that the course participants will play therein.

For everyone with a (commercial) interest in archaeologyThe course is intended for people who are or will be working in the archaeological field or who, for work reasons, are regularly involved in archaeological research, for instance, in their position as commissioning party, supervisor or enforcer of the regulations. It is also an ideal way of getting to know the discipline. It enables the course participants to be deployed as field assistant or to globally assess research protocols and reports. Finally, the training is useful for anyone who is involved in the details of the latest directives

and standards and works in associated disciplines including the environment, spatial planning, landscape development and town and country planning.

Course data and enrolment

The course will be held in the spring and autumn. Would you like to know the dates or would you like to enrol immediately? Please contact the course coordinator Diny Kock-Roelofs on +31 313 880 262 or via d.kock@eijkelkamp.com. Of course, you can also enrol via www.eijkelkamp.com.

Research into prehistoric graves in Zelhem

Training subjects and standardsDuring the course, senior archaeologist and guest lecturer Eric van der Kuijl will address: • Prevailingstandardsandguidelines;• Structureandpreparationofdeskandsoilresearch;• Methodsandtechniquesofarchaeologicalsoilresearch

(drillingandexcavating);• Recognisinganddatingarchaeologicalmaterial;• Traceinterpretationandsampletaking;• Conservationandrestoration;• Reportsandexhibitions.

The course is given in accordance with the following standards and directives: NEN 5104, ASB, BRL Foundation Infrastructure for Quality Assurance of Soil Management (SIKB) 40000, protocols 4002, 4003, 4004 and the Kwaliteitsnorm Nederlandse Archeologie (KNA - Quality standard for Dutch archaeology, version 3.2).

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Eijkelkamp Agrisearch Equipment is ISO-9001 certified. The company is subject to an annual audit to renew the certificate. For the third time running, Eijkelkamp managed to renew the certificate without a single shortcoming.

‘Eijkelkamp became ISO-9001 certified for the first time in 1996. Since then the certificate has been renewed every year, with in the last three years not even a single remark. A

great achievement, to which all of the employees contribute’, according to Eelco van den Bogaard, Logistics Assistant and Quality Assurance Official at Eijkelkamp.

‘ISO-9001 is an international quality management standard. It is used to assess whether an organisation meets the requirements of the customer, relevant legislation and regulations

and the requirements of the organisation itself. ISO-9001 is therefore also sometimes said to mean: say what you do, do what you say and prove it. We can prove this with the certificate.’

Control from order input to invoicing ‘For us, the certification applies to the development, production, purchasing and selling of equipment for research into soil, water, plant, climate, residues and land surveying equipment. It also applies to the giving of courses in the area of environmental research, agricultural engineering and water management. The latter is mainly of interest

for the Belgian market where a certificate is required.

During the two-day audit, the entire operational process is checked. The first day is always dedicated to the primary order process, in other words the inputting of an order through to its invoicing. On the second day, it is the turn of other departments including Personnel & Organisation and Research & Development. The holding of performance and assessment interviews but also the development of a good product using a controllable production process is also extremely important for responsible business operations.’

‘Say what you do, do what you say and prove it.’

Once more, Eijkelkamp comes through with flying colours for quality control

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Successful collaboration with the German army

Penetrologger CBR ensures that aircraft can land safely

What the German Federal Defence Force has to say

Eijkelkamp Agrisearch Equipment has a long tradition of close collaboration, for example in 1950, we provided all of the equipment for the 'Landbouw Hogeschool' (the current Wageningen University). Our products were used by students who, in return, thought about possible design improvements. A clear win-win situation. A current example is the interesting collaboration with the German Federal Defence Force that has led to the development of a new Penetrologger.

Three years ago, Eijkelkamp started a project together with the German Federal Defence Force to develop a new type of Penetrologger. The German army required a Penetrologger for its ground troops who search for, among other things, suitable locations that can serve as landing strips. Here it is essential to determine the load-bearing capacity of the ground and using the simple-to-operate Penetrologger, it is possible to measure the load-bearing capacity to a depth of 60 centimetres.

With respect to the existing Penetrologger, the new type, the Penetrologger CBR, is lighter and more compact (for instance, the handles can be removed). This makes it possible to simply transport the new Penetrologger CBR along with existing equipment. Special batteries and specifically developed software are used. In addition the measuring unit is that required by the California Bearing Ratio (CBR).

The ratio was developed by the California State Highway Department to determine the load-bearing capacity of the ground. The United States Army Corps of engineers has used this test since the 1940's. This method is now used throughout the world to easily determine the load-bearing capacity of ground and foundation material. The

Penetrologger CBR is therefore extremely suitable for both military and civil applications.

Highlights of the Penetrologger CBR• Shownin%CBR• Compactkitinbag• Removablehandles• Bayonetconnectionwith3-partprobingrods• Batterypowered• User-friendlysoftware• Adjustableuserrights

‘I want to thank the employees

of Eijkelkamp for their pleasant

and constructive cooperation.

It was certainly not always

easy to meet our requirements.

However, it was the continual

dedication and willingness to do

so that has contributed to the rapid

development and implementation.

This has made a major contribution

to the success of the project.’

Klaus Seus - German Federal

Department of Defence, Technology

and Procurement

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Special drill saves the German Federal Defence Force time and money

Almost at the same time as the request from the German Federal Defence Force to develop the new type of Penetrologger, advances were made to SonicSampDrill. The ‘Technical Centre for Engineering and General Field Equipment’ of the German army sought a multi-purpose drill for geological research. The German Federal Defence Force now has a unique MidSonic drill that can be operated by a single person.

For limited drilling depths, the army used to drill by hand. In difficult geology or to reach greater depths they were assisted by an external drilling company. To save time and money, the German Federal Defence Force sought an alternative. With the MidSonic drill, it is possible to drill and sample in soft and rocky soils to a depth of 150 metres.

Unique in its typeThe unique thing about this 30-tonne MidSonic tracked drill is that two different sizes of casing can be used automatically at the same time without human intervention or the use of external equipment. Moreover, it can be radio controlled by a single person.

The machine also features an extendable track system to distribute the weight. It is also built in such a way that it can be used in both hot and cold climates and can therefore be deployed throughout the world.

In addition to the drilling machine, SonicSampDrill supplied a Mercedes-Benz truck with off-road capabilities and the associated low-loader. The low-loader is equipped with a wide range of features including an illuminated workshop equipped with a power supply and all of the required tools. Where other suppliers require 15 to 20 containers, the entire SonicSampDrill equipment is so mobile and self-supporting that it is unique in its type.

The complete equipment: mobile and self-supporting

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Unique underground study for sewer optimisationThe local authority of Bergen in North Holland wants to limit the management costs of the sewer system. The transport of sediment through a sewer system plays an important role here. Tauw consultancy is investigating the build-up of sediment in a sewer in Schoorl and is doing so in a very special way.

Eric Kraak, a Civil Engineering student at the Amsterdam Academy who specialises in Water Management, is performing the project: ‘The managers of the sewer system in Bergen wanted to gain more insight into the manner in which sediment builds up in a sewer. The local authority forwarded this question to the Tauw consultancy agency and I was then asked to investigate this question in the form of a graduation assignment – I was very enthusiastic to take part.’

Transparent sewer pipe‘Sediment is present in every water system. You can subject it to many calculations. For managers it is important to know the degree to which sediment influences the hydraulic operation of, for instance, a waterway and to know where sedimentation and erosion occurs. The behaviour of sediment in a sewer is influenced by many processes of which little is known. The result is that there is no clear insight into the behaviour of sediment in sewers. What is the reason for this?

A sewer is considered to be a type of dumping place, people defecate into it and also use it to dispose of their food residues and other small items of waste. Therefore, it is difficult to determine the properties of the material in a sewer. So it is impossible to know how it develops. In addition, research is more difficult as the sewer is below ground. Therefore, a test rig in a laboratory normally employs artificially created sewer water or water from a real sewer.’

‘We addressed the problem completely differently and made a 3-metre deep pit from where a camera focused on a 1.5-metre long transparent acrylic sewer pipe. This pipe is connected to a mixed sewer system. At 15-minute intervals, the camera takes a photo of the pipe and therefore of the sediment. This has never been done before and allows us to investigate how sediment becomes deposited on the bottom of a pipe. Does a lot of rain flush out the sediment or does the sediment accumulate? Is there a seasonal influence or one from the daily peaks caused by the connected households? The results of this research will give us considerable insight into what happens in a sewer.’

‘Of course, you hope to obtain a layer of sediment. It had

accumulated within a week.’

Eric Kraak during the creation of the pit

The transparent sewer pipe that is being monitored

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Successful start 'At the start of February the monitoring rig was installed and the first camera images analysed. What you hope for is sediment in the pipe and that is exactly what was observed. It also seems to be developing ridges, like those on the bed of a waterway – very interesting. The first part of the project, the execution, is already successful. The results of the camera images, ultrasonic level measurements and flow rate measurements are still to be correlated. Finally, I want to write scientific articles about this research and publish them in various professional magazines.’

A comment from the municipality of BergenGeorge Stockell, Civil Engineer at the municipality of Bergen: ‘We want to try to limit our management costs. Therefore, we need to know how our sewer system operates. We can use the outcome of this research in the future to optimise our sewer policy. Moreover, for me as civil engineer it is of course an extraordinarily interesting project.

The project has recently started and will run for two years. However, it has already surprised me because there is more sediment in the pipe than I had anticipated. Of course, this already says something about the sewer system. I still have little experience using the Nivus equipment. However, Harry de Brauw, water management and sewerage consultant at Tauw and the project leader in Schoorl, is enthusiastic about this device. Harry tested it extensively before it was purchased and he is very positive about it.’

The Nivus PCM4 flow rate meter

Review of the Nivus seminar

For the project in Schoorl, Tauw uses the portable flow rate meter PCM4 with Cross Correlation technology. This kit is extremely suited to taking measurements in (strong) particle-rich water that flows through semi-filled pipes, culverts and/or control flumes. For short-term measurements, it is possible to rent the measuring kit. Interested? Please contact our sales department via +31 313 880 200.

On 19 April 2012, Eijkelkamp Agrisearch Equipment organised the ‘Innovative Measurement Solutions for Flow Rate Measurements’ seminar. You can find a review of this successful event at www.eijkelkamp.com in the news section.

‘There seems to be ridges developing in the sediment.’

‘The project has already surprised me.’

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Happy to go to work for 34 year, 6 months and 29 daysAfter more than 34 years, last December co-working foreman Jan Polman took his leave of Eijkelkamp Agrisearch Equipment.

What do you remember of your first day at Eijkelkamp?It was in the former building on the Rivierweg road in Lathum. Jan Eijkelkamp (father of Fons Eijkelkamp, ed.) was still active. I could immediately start assembling and filling a box for the manual sounding device. A nice detail is that these boxes were made of wood in those days.

And you have worked on the production floor all of those years?Yes, that's right. I have done all sorts of things in production. Welding, assembly but also maintenance to equipment. The last 15 years I have been a co-working foreman.

What did you think was the greatest product to work on?The laboratory equipment that we produced ourselves. These are the permeameter, calcimeter and membrane press. Incidentally, I also liked welding. In particular when I was the first one to do tungsten inert gas welding or TIG welding for short. This special type of welding gives a very high quality weld. I have also always done a lot of grinding. In particular when we were still in Lathum. For instance, we ground the ring infiltro meters. We first clamped them in position and then used the grinder.

I also developed the Polman frame together with Arnout Beeker. This frame is used in combination with the Beeker type Sediment Sampler,

(you use this equipment to take samples in soft waterbeds in water depths of up to 25 metres, ed.). I am still really pleased that this frame is named after me.

Can you describe the atmosphere on the shop floor?I have always found the working atmosphere at Eijkelkamp very pleasant, with the occasional joke when appropriate. Once a colleague was TIG welding when a piece of steel fell into the back of his clog. I have never seen anyone sit so quickly in a tank of water. And I have a lot more memories, easily enough to fill an entire edition of Geijkt Nieuws.

What has changed in the 34 years that you have been working at Eijkelkamp?A lot. But what has always surprised me is that the company has grown so large. I never thought that it would now employ more than 100 people.

Can you summarise 34 years of Eijkelkamp in a single sentence?It has always given me great pleasure to work at Eijkelkamp. In all of those years, I've only been late twice. Once when I wasn't picked up and the other time when my alarm clock failed to ring. So I can't be blamed for either time.

'I am still really pleased that the Polman Frame

is named after me.'

‘I never thought that Eijkelkamp would grow so large.’

‘Through the years, it has always given me great pleasure to work at Eijkelkamp.’

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The Batch auger makes it easy for you

Botswana captivated by water

The new Batch auger makes sampling loosely dumped sand, dry coarse sand and fine gravel a lot easier.

At the start of February, Eijkelkamp employees Rob Stolsz and Cor Verbruggen gave the DWA, a government body, a course on the Diver® groundwater datalogger and the associated software. DWA will install 100 Divers to gain insight into the groundwater level and quality.

Many samplers work with large diameter augers and up until now, two types were available, the Riverside and the soil drill for soft clay. Eijkelkamp Agrisearch Equipment has specially developed the Batch auger for taking samples of loosely dumped sand, dry coarse sand and fine gravel. The Batch auger has been extensively tested by field workers. The results have been incorporated in the final product. For instance, the auger has such a large 'mouth' that even the coarsest material fits in the sampler. As a result, the drill meets protocol BRL SIKB 1000.

Botswana is facing a serious shortage of surface water as a result of the dry climate. Therefore, groundwater is becoming an ever more important water source. The ‘Department of Water Affairs’ (DWA) is involved in water management and therefore it has started a groundwater project.

100 survey pointsA total of 100 Divers will be installed in 10 locations. DWA will analyse the data concerning the level and quality of the groundwater and then use this data to make trend calculations. Extensive training was required to use and maintain the Diver equipment correctly. Trainer Cor Verbruggen: ‘The two-day course took place in a special DWA training centre and was well attended with 25 participants.’

‘The first morning was mainly dedicated to theory. In the afternoon, the course participants practiced programming, reading and compensating the Divers and the software. The second day we programmed and installed a Diver, including Diver Data Cable and BaroDiver, in an existing

monitoring well. As a check, we performed a short series of measurements that we used at the training centre to make calculations.

As expected, everything was accurate to the centimetre.’

Advantages• InaccordancewithprotocolBRLSIKB1000• Makesdrillinginloosesand,drycoarsesandandfine

gravel easier• Availableseparatelyandinakittogetherwiththe

gouging auger, auger for soft clay and Riverside.

For more information regarding the Batch auger, please contact our sales department.

‘In part due to the enthusiasm and open attitude of the participants, the course was a success.‘

Geijkt Nieuws is compiled with the greatest possible care. However, it is possible that information at the moment of

publication is out of date or has changed. No rights can be derived from the content of Geijkt Nieuws.C o l o p h o n

Geijkt Nieuws is created with the greatest possible care. However, it is possible that when published, the information is out of date

or has changed. Therefore, no rights can be derived from the content of Geijkt Nieuws.

Many advantages of secure shipping

Follow Eijkelkamp Agrisearch Equipment also via Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin and Youtube.

On 29 April 2013, a new European Union (EU) safety regime will come into force. Airfreight must be shipped via a secure logistics process.Eijkelkamp Agrisearch Equipment already meets all of the set requirements and is according to the EU an official ‘known consigner’, or put another way a recognised sender.

Currently, the information about a sender only needs to be filed at the sector organisation for the airfreight industry. The EU considered this insufficient and drew up a new regime. If a sender does not comply with these regulations, every airfreight company in the world is obliged to make additional inspections of the shipment using a scan or manual inspection.

In the Netherlands, only the Royal Military Police can grant the ‘known consigner‘ status. This only happens when a company meets stringent requirements. For instance, all employees who can come in contact with goods to be exported must be trained in identifying possibly dangerous situations. They must then also know how to act in the event of a suspicious case. Furthermore, within the company a Security Advisor for Airfreight must have been appointed.

Eijkelkamp in a leading positionEijkelkamp has not waited until 2013, it is already one of the first companies in the Netherlands to be a known consigner. Logistics Manager Frans van Rijt: ‘When we heard of this new EU regime we immediately took action. We like to take a leading position and, more importantly, it results in many advantages for our customers. When you do business with a ‘known consigner’, you do not run the risk of delays in the logistic

process. At airports anywhere in the world, Eijkelkamp shipments do not have to go through the extensive, time-consuming and expensive scan. Moreover, it is of course a nice idea that the equipment you bought will be transported securely.’

‘This results in the customer saving time and money and gives

him a safe feeling.’DHL Global Forwarding, the Netherlands

T +31 313 88 02 00 F +31 313 88 02 99 E info@eijkelkamp.comI www.eijkelkamp.com

© 2012 - Geijkt Nieuws is published by Eijkelkamp Agrisearch Equipment, a Royal Eijkelkamp Company. Nijverheidsstraat 30, 6987 EM Giesbeek