The SUBLIME project is taking a major step forward in understanding how steel sheet piles age in real port conditions. In close collaboration with North Sea Port (NSP), TU Delft researcher Prasaanth Ravi Anusuyadevi is preparing the installation of a new field-testing structure that will allow long-term monitoring of corrosion processes on S355 steel.
Following recent discussions between TU Delft and NSP, both partners agreed to install a dedicated sample-carrying structure directly in the port. The design includes three identical frames, each hosting nine steel samples and each intended for different exposure durations: 3 months, 6 months and 1 year. The samples will be positioned at different depths along the waterline to capture how corrosion varies from splash zone to full immersion.
Depending on fabrication progress and the final installation permit, the first structure will be placed in early January 2026. Once the setup is in place, Prasaanth will share installation photos and first observations with the consortium by the next following consortium meeting.
At the same time, the lab-based corrosion study is progressing steadily. The first dataset — representing three months of controlled exposure — is expected in December 2025, with results to follow shortly after.
This field lab is part of Work Package 1 and strengthens the project’s ability to connect laboratory insights with real-world behaviour of steel structures in marine conditions.
Local coordination at North Sea Port is supported by Gerard Verburg (NSP).
More updates coming as the installation proceeds
CT de Boer Showcases SUBLIME Fieldwork at the 2025 M2i Conference
During the 2025 M2i Conference at Papendal, Anton Gorter of Civiele Technieken de Boer presented the progress of SUBLIME’s field monitoring work on the Van Hall Bridge in Amsterdam. His talk, “An on-site measurement campaign – it sounds so simple” highlighted the many practical steps and unforeseen challenges involved in collecting high-quality strain data on a historic movable steel bridge.
Smarter Cameras from Fewer Views — A Sparse-View Pose Estimation
How do you recreate a 3D scene using just a few pictures from different angles? That’s a challenge many fields face — from drone-based inspections to 3D mapping for remote sensing or structural health monitoring. Qingyu Xian, PhD researcher at the University of Twente, is tackling this challenge head-on in the SUBLIME project with a novel tool that’s already showing strong results: the T-Graph module.
Smarter Testing for Steel Bridges: How Few Tests Can Tell Us More
Many steel bridges across Europe are reaching the end of their intended service lives, raising critical questions about how to assess and extend their safe use. Within the SUBLIME program (“Sustainable and Reliable Macro Steel Infrastructures”), our mission is to ensure that these critical structures remain safe, sustainable, and serviceable for decades to come. One of the program’s key objectives is developing smarter assessment tools that help us better understand the condition of ageing steel — particularly when data is limited. That’s where the work of Elena Zancato, PhD researcher at Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e), comes into focus.