The proposed Atlas piles require less integration into the load-bearing subsoil and are therefore more resource-efficient than the bored piles originally specified in the tender. They are installed quietly and without vibrations and completely displace the soil, so that no excavated material needs to be disposed of. The result is a comparatively quick and sustainable deep foundation that not only meets the technical requirements but also spares the nerves of the neighbourhood. In total, PORR Spezialtiefbau produced 94 Atlas piles with a diameter of 46/56 cm and a length of up to 16 m.

The low-bearing, settlement-prone subsoil required not only careful planning but also flexible ad hoc replanning, as the subsoil varied greatly over a small area. At short notice, the pile diameters were redesigned to EA piles in order to ensure the stability and load-bearing capacity of the foundations. ‘Within two working days, we were able to switch to a larger cutting head and thus ensure load transfer through an increased cross-section with the same pile lengths without affecting the construction schedule,’ says Jürgen Christ, Group Leader Foundations in the South Region.