"With new specialized knowledge, I am now prepared for projects involving explosions"

Early 2024, PAOTM organized the course 'Structural behaviour due to explosions' for the first time. A small group of enthusiastic participants spent two days learning everything about the subject under the guidance of expert Ake Harmanny. Martijn Taal, a structural engineer at the engineering firm Verhoeven en Leenders, was one of the participants. We interviewed him about his experiences during the course and how he looks back on his participation.

The team of specialists at Verhoeven en Leenders works on integral and innovative solutions in the field of construction and infrastructure. As a structural engineer, Martijn works on various projects, from residential construction and office buildings to industrial and infrastructure projects. His work first brought him into contact with explosions when he was involved in a project in Eindhoven, where the municipality required that a hot BLEVE explosion (boiling liquid expanding vapor explosion) should be taken into account.

New territory
"A few years ago, we were working on a project in Eindhoven, close to the railway where hazardous materials are transported. The municipality required that we make the structure of a building next to the railway resistant to a hot BLEVE explosion, which was new territory for me." This concerns a possible explosion of a barrel filled with a dangerous liquid gas under pressure. If this happens on the railway and the barrel explodes, a shock wave is generated. Buildings in the vicinity must be assessed or designed to withstand such an explosion. "No one on our team had sufficient knowledge about this, so I started researching the topic myself,"says Martijn.

Searching for knowledge
In his search for more knowledge about the behavior of structures during explosions, Martijn discovered PAOTM's course. "I regularly check the PAOTM website for interesting courses. When I saw the course on explosions, I was immediately interested. Although the course was initially offered as an open registration, I contacted PAOTM and was able to be placed on a waiting list. Later, I received an invitation from the director and signed up."

Specialist courses
Martijn appreciates the quality of PAOTM’s courses. "I have previously taken courses at PAOTM, as well as at other organizations such as the Concrete Association and the Steel Construction Association. PAOTM often offers specialized courses with excellent teachers. This course was no exception. The course was being given for the first time, the teacher looked for the specific knowledge needs of the participants. He responded to this, which meant that the course gradually became more focused on the subjects that we as students found important."

Positive experience
When asked if the course met his expectations, Martijn responds: "If you prepare well, you can ask the right questions and get the answers you need. I found the course very educational and gained a lot of concrete knowledge that I can apply in my work. It was valuable to be able to ask questions and discuss specific cases."

Martijn looks back positively on his experience with the course and recommends PAOTM to professionals who want to deepen their expertise in specialized topics. "The course helped me to be better prepared for projects involving explosions. I would definitely recommend PAOTM to colleagues who want to further develop their skills." Martijn has already set his sights on another PAOTM course. By signing up for the interest list, he will be among the first to be informed once new course dates are scheduled.

New knowledge applicable in practice
Are you also looking for specialist knowledge to tackle new or complex projects? Martijn’s positive experience underlines the quality of the courses PAOTM offers to professionals in the technical field. Interested in the course Structural behaviour due to explosions? Or curious about other courses related to Structural design, Construction or Safety? Explore our offerings across various disciplines or get inspired by the courses below!