The reusability scan: Key to more reuse in practice

In order to determine the reusability of existing parts of engineering structures such as viaducts and bridges, engineering and consultancy firm Nebest has developed the reusability scan together with the Department of Public Works. The tool initially originated from the Strategic Business Innovation Research (SBIR) for circular viaducts. Nebest and Rijkswaterstaat saw more opportunities to use it. This means that the reusability scan is now just one step away from being anchored within the RWS program Conservation Advice on Works of Art (IAK).

Many public clients want to be fully energy-neutral, climate-neutral and circular by 2030. Reuse contributes to this by closing the cycle of materials and wasting as few raw materials as possible. This reduces CO2 emissions and preserves the value of raw materials and products for as long as possible. To this end, Rijkswaterstaat issued the SBIR several years ago to realize circular viaducts. "Nebest together with Antea Group, Strukton Civiel and GBN Group formed consortium Closing the Loop, which made one of the three winning tenders and is working on a reused viaduct along the A76 in Nuth," says Marjan Poortinga, senior circular economy advisor at Rijkswaterstaat. "In order to make that tender, Nebest developed the reusability scan. With this you can test and assess whether parts of existing engineering structures are eligible for reuse. Nebest, in turn, is also a party within IAK and saw an opportunity to use the reusability scan for this program as well, and in the context of 'we're here anyway' to directly inspect the parts for reusability."

Renewal task

And so it happened. "A pilot with the reusability scan was first done on ten simple objects, such as an overpass, and then also on the more complex objects with installations, such as a lock," Poortinga continued. "The results were satisfactory. In fact, the pilots were so successful that the scan is not only interesting for IAK but also for the renewal task of Rijkswaterstaat. Unlike sometimes with IAK, with the renewal task an object is going to be renovated in the short term, so then the reusability scan is entirely relevant in the hope that parts can be reused. The aim is to match supply and demand as early as possible in the process. You can see that now with the circular viaduct in the A76. The girders for that were harvested from viaducts from the A9. That's great, but to do that we had to break open the contract for the A9. Of course, we'd rather not do that, so the sooner we know the reuse possibilities, the better. That's where the reusability scan can help."

As of 2026

For IAK, Nebest has developed a somewhat slimmed-down form of the reusability scan. "It is already quite a job to subject almost a thousand structures to a regular inspection every year, so we want to make the extra time investment that the reusability scan costs as small and, of course, as relevant as possible. So we focus on those parts that have the greatest reuse potential and where you make the most impact. Think sheet piling, girders and guide rails," says Poortinga. "Within the IAK program, Nebest has now inspected some 30 civil engineering structures in this way, applying the reusability scan during regular inspections. In the coming period, the other four engineering firms contracted by IAK will also start using it to gain experience with the reusability scan during an IAK inspection. Based on these learning experiences, some adjustments may be made here and there. The goal is to apply the reusability scan as standard in all IAK inspections starting in 2026. After all the pilots, a final decision will be made."

Steering for reuse

Embedding the reusability scan within IAK is a very important step to help the value case move forward, says Wouter van den Berg, new business manager at Nebest. "If you have insight into the reuse potential you can steer much better on reuse and climate goals in a general sense. It is important to bring reuse to more business as usual and make it financially interesting. Then it helps if the scan is a standard part of the conservation advice. By the way, Nebest has deliberately chosen not to hold its cards up to the chest and to focus on knowledge sharing. The Reusability Scan Guide is available online via the Rijkswaterstaat Publication Platform. It also shows per object which parameters are examined in a reusability scan. There is also an e-learning available on how to procure, perform and deploy the scan." 

Harvest Tours

Nebest, on behalf of the Department of Public Works, also organizes harvest tours where the reusability scan is gone through step by step as an exercise. "We thereby put theory into practice so that people become much more adept at applying it," says Van den Berg. "Delegates from the municipality of Rotterdam have been on tour with us in the past and it has paid off. They themselves have already applied the scan to a bridge in their area. Nice to get that feedback." Good to know: another ten harvest tours are planned and there is still room for interested parties.