Ongoing Registration In Progress Closed
From Field to Insight: MIDAS Workshop with Engineering New Zealand
   
🗓️October 21, 2025 (Tue) - 11:00 AM-3:00 PM (NZDT)
📍In-person: Kopa Room, Engineering New Zealand, Level 6, 40 Taranaki Street, Wellington
💻Online: Streaming via Zoom
Overview

Innovative Structural & Geotechnical Solutions for New Zealand


The MIDAS Workshop brings together real-world New Zealand infrastructure projects and the engineers behind them, showcasing how complex design and analysis challenges were solved using advanced engineering approaches.
Participants will gain practical, engineer-led insights—from going beyond code compliance to mastering nonlinear analysis, design automation, and stability evaluation—readily applicable to their own projects.


Register now →
Key Takeaways

What you will gain from this workshop

 

- Bridge Engineering Advances

  - Real-world challenges and solutions in the New Zealand Bridge Project

  - Tackling nonlinear behaviour, complex load conditions, and staged construction challenges

  - Integrated global-to-local modelling workflow using MIDAS Civil NX & GEN NX

 

- Smarter Structural Design

  - Detailed joint modelling and local FEM-based analysis

  - Moving beyond code checks to capture realistic structural behaviour

 

- Design Automation & API Integration

  - Leveraging Grasshopper Link, Plug-ins, and Open API for parametric design workflows

  - Reducing repetitive analysis tasks and accelerating the cycle from design to verification


- Geotechnical Solutions

  - Comparing Limit Equilibrium (LEM) vs FEM Strength Reduction Method for slope stability

  - Real-world application of NZGS guidelines

  - Addressing seepage, long-term stability, and local failure modes with advanced methods


- Hands-on Case Studies with MIDAS GEN & FEA NX

  - Crack simulation and fatigue assessment in reinforced concrete structures

  - Incorporating stress concentration, cyclic loading, and nonlinear material models for reliable design validation

Who Should Attend

This workshop is designed for professionals seeking practical engineering solutions, with a focus beyond software demonstrations:

 

- Structural Engineers

Working on bridges and complex structures who need integrated global-to-local analysis

 

- Geotechnical Engineers

Focused on slopes, tunnels, and ground stability, applying advanced nonlinear approaches


- Design Managers & Consultants

Looking to balance project deadlines and quality through automation and reliable workflows


- Civil Infrastructure Professionals

 Seeking to gain insights from real project cases and engage in peer-to-peer technical discussions

Sessions & Topics
  • 13:00 - 13:30

    Welcome & Registration ✏️ Check in, grab your badge, and connect with fellow engineers before the sessions begin.

  • 13:30 - 13:50

    Introduction to MIDAS IT & Its Innovative Software Solutions 👤 Mr. Edmond Kim, Director, MIDAS IT Oceania.
    ✨ Discover MIDAS IT’s journey, global presence, and flagship software solutions shaping the future of engineering.

  • 13:50 - 14:15

    Case Study on the New Zealand Bridge Project with MIDAS CIVIL NX 👤 Eng. Willem Stolk, Structural Project Engineer, Holmes NZ LP
    ✨A case study of an iconic NZ bridge, highlighting real-world challenges and the solutions adopted in design and construction.

  • 14:15 -

    Smarter Structural Design: MIDAS CIVIL NX & MIDAS GEN NX 👤 Eng. Pranav Vaishampayam, Senior Technical Support Engineer, MIDAS IT Australia.
    ✨ Explore the latest innovations in structural analysis and design, tailored for modern infrastructure projects in New Zealand.

  • - 15:00

    Design Automation in Engineering with API 👤Eng. Pranav Vaishampayam, Senior Technical Support Engineer, MIDAS IT Australia.
    ✨ Learn how to integrate APIs, Grasshopper links, and plug-ins to streamline and automate bridge design workflows.

  • 15:00 - 15:15

    Case Study: MIDAS GEN in Complex Structural Projects ✨ A focused case study on the practical value of MIDAS GEN in delivering efficient solutions for challenging projects.

  • 15:15 - 15:45

    Networking & Tea Break 🍵 Refresh, connect, and exchange ideas with peers and industry leaders

  • 15:45 - 16:15

    Optimising Continuous Precast Beam Design: Construction Staging & Pre/Post-Tension Effects with MIDAS FEA NX ✨Practical modelling of continuous precast beams and dams, addressing staged construction, nonlinear behaviour, and pre/post-tension effects. Discover how advanced analysis can be translated into actionable insights for safer and more efficient design.

  • 16:15 - 16:45

    Static and Seismic Slope Stability Assessment: Limit Equilibrium & Numerical Approaches 👤 Eng. Harsha Tadavarthi, Senior Technical Support Engineer, MIDAS IT Australia.
    ✨ Assess slope stability under static, seismic, and seepage conditions using Limit Equilibrium (LEM) and Finite Element (FEM) methods in 2D and 3D. Discussion includes key design considerations, analytical approaches, and references to the NZGS Slope Stability Analysis Guidelines (April draft).

  • 16:45 - 17:00

    Q&A & Closing ❓Bring your questions, share your thoughts, and wrap up with key takeaways.

Speakers
Roberts, Graham_A
Graham Robert
Practice Leader – Dams | Stantec Australia
Graham’s expertise lies in managing complex analyses and evaluations to ensure structural integrity and safety. He has a proven track record in leading design processes, preparing successful proposals, and developing high-quality technical documentation. He has worked across all major dam types and associated civil, structural, and geotechnical works, giving him a broad foundation in complex infrastructure projects.
Internationally, Graham has contributed to significant projects across the USA, Turkey, India, New Zealand, Australia, the DRC, Philippines, Solomon Islands, and Zimbabwe. Notable projects include the Yusufeli Arch Dam in Turkey, the Gross Dam Raise in the USA, the Taupō Control Gates in New Zealand, and the Fraser Arch Dam in Otago.