Frankfurt
Data Centre Campus
Frankfurt, Germany / 2023
The Frankfurt Rhine-Main economic region is one of the key locations for data centres in Germany. As part of the development of a new data centre campus, PORR special civil engineering was responsible for constructing the pile foundations for several buildings on the site. PORR special civil engineering Planung GmbH was responsible for planning the foundation works. The services included structural calculations as well as the preparation of the detailed design.
Facts & Figures
Company
PORR Spezialtiefbau GmbH
Type
Foundations
Runtime
2023
Frankipile NG® is carrying out foundation work for a new data centre campus in the Frankfurt area
1,166 Frankipiles NG® for the foundations
A total of 1,166 Frankipiles NG® were manufactured to transfer the building loads. The piles were produced with shaft diameters of 56 cm and 61 cm respectively, and lengths of up to 10 m. The foundation elements transfer the loads from the future structures into load-bearing soil layers and form the basis for the subsequent structural works on the data centre campus. Even before technical areas, server rooms and infrastructure buildings could be constructed, the conditions for the subsequent construction phases were thus established.
Work on a former industrial site
The project site is located on a former chemical site. The subsoil conditions were taken into account during the planning and execution of the foundation works. Dismantling and removal of existing foundations took place in parallel with the pile foundation works. The individual construction phases were co-ordinated and implemented in stages. In addition, obstacles and deposits in the subsoil had to be taken into account. The works were adapted to the actual site conditions encountered.
Frankip piles using the full displacement method
Frankipiles NG® were used for the deep foundations. The piles are constructed using the full-displacement method and form part of the Greenpile® product family from PORR Spezialtiefbau. The work was carried out along the lines of the future building footprints and was tailored to the requirements of the structures as well as the local ground conditions. Step by step, the foundations for the further development of the data centre site were thus created.
Site organisation on the campus grounds
The construction processes were coordinated as part of a Lean construction management programme. This included regular coordination meetings between the construction teams, as well as the documentation and visualisation of the individual construction phases. A digital planning system supported the coordination of daily workflows. The work was coordinated whilst special civil engineering and demolition work was ongoing on the site.
Foundations for the site’s further development
Even before the data centre buildings, technical infrastructure and utility facilities can become operational, the foundations for the future structures are being laid. The installation of 1,166 Frankipiles NG® has laid the groundwork for the next construction phases of the data centre campus. On the former industrial site, this marks the creation of a further building block in the digital infrastructure of the Frankfurt region.
