Atlas pile

Atlas piles are full displacement drilled piles with a helical shaft. They are installed quietly and without causing vibrations, achieve high load-bearing capacities and are particularly suitable for demanding foundations in inner-city areas.

Encyclopedia: Full displacement piles

General Advantages Basic facts Quality assurance References

Atlas pile
in accordance with DIN EN 12 699

Atlas piles are full displacement drilled piles and belong to the group of Screw piles. They are installed without causing vibrations and with minimal noise, and are particularly suitable for inner-city construction projects as well as for use in the immediate vicinity of sensitive structures.

As the soil is completely displaced, no drill cuttings are produced. This reduces the costs associated with transport and disposal. Furthermore, the method is suitable for use in contaminated soils.

A characteristic feature of the atlas pile is its screw-like pile shaft with high skin friction. As a result, the pile system achieves high bearing capacities whilst making efficient use of materials, and is suitable for a wide variety of construction projects.

Typical areas of application include:

  • Residential and commercial buildings
  • Office buildings
  • Hotels
  • Logistics centres
  • Industrial buildings
  • Retrofitting foundations for existing structures
  • Construction projects with high requirements for vibration and noise protection
1:17 Minuts

Animation - Atlaspile

04:31 Minuts

Explanatory video – The atlas pile

Technical brochure
full displacement bored piles

Technische Broschuere Schraubpfahl
Broschüre: Schraubpfahl
PDF

Benefits / Features

Atlas piles can be adapted to different subsoil conditions and project requirements through various design variants. The pile system is selected taking into account the geological, technical and structural constraints.

  • Construction: Low-noise construction with minimal vibrations is possible.
  • Load-bearing capacity: Depending on the design variant, characteristic pile resistances of up to 4,000 kN are possible.
  • Design: High skin friction due to complete soil displacement.
  • Operating conditions: Suitable for use in contaminated soils, as no excavated soil is removed. Installation is also possible where working height is limited and space is confined.
  • Design: Vertical and inclined piles up to an inclination of 4:1.
  • Energy piles: Designs suitable for geothermal applications are possible

Basic facts

The design and manufacture of the Screw piles are carried out in accordance with Eurocode 7 and DIN EN 12 699, as well as the recommendations of the ‘Piles’ Working Group (EA-Pfähle). The diameter can range from 38/45 cm to 51/61 cm (internal/external). Pile lengths of up to 30 m are possible.

A steel pipe, to the lower end of which a replaceable cutting head is attached, is pressed into the ground whilst rotating. The cutting head displaces or compacts the soil laterally. The cutting head is sealed watertight by a disposable tip.

The cutting head and pipe are screwed into the ground without vibration by means of a rotary drive and simultaneous contact pressure. The torque applied is measured during the driving process and compared with the building ground information, e.g. borehole profiles or sounding diagrams. Once the required pile anchorage has been achieved, the driving process is terminated and the reinforcement cage is inserted. The pipe and the reservoir are filled with concrete. 

The pipe and cutting head are then unscrewed backwards. In the process, the foot tip detaches and the cutting head forms the threaded pile. The concrete column within the pipe and container immediately fills the newly created cavity with concrete due to its high static overpressure. This creates a helical concrete bead, approximately 5 cm thick, in the subsoil around the pile shaft. The pile tip remains in the subsoil as the pile foot. Atlas piles can be installed vertically or at an inclination of up to 4:1.

60-degree pile tip

Thanks to their full soil displacement, these pile systems are also well suited to contaminated sites. To prevent the spread of contaminants during pile fabrication, a 60-degree pile tip is used when drilling through the contaminated layer.

Sealing plug

For pile foundations passing through contaminated soil layers, it must be ensured that no pollutants from the contaminated area enter other soil layers or the groundwater, either during or after construction. This can be achieved by installing special sealing elements within the contaminated layer, through which the piles are subsequently driven. Alternatively, pile systems are used in which no annular space is created between the pile body and the ground during construction.

Quality assurance

The construction of atlas piles requires precise planning and continuous monitoring of all construction parameters. In addition to the experience of the site team, the professional operation of specialist equipment plays a crucial role in achieving the required pile resistances and a high standard of workmanship.

The applicable European and national standards, as well as the recognised recommendations for specialised civil engineering, are of paramount importance in this regard. In-house monitoring and comprehensive documentation of the construction work are an integral part of the construction process.

The following measures in particular contribute to a high standard of workmanship:

  • Project-specific procedural instructions and coordinated construction concepts.
  • Execution in accordance with DIN EN 12699, Eurocode 7 as well as the recommendations of the Working Group on Piles (EA-Pfähle).
  • Quality assurance via a certified quality management system in accordance with DIN EN ISO 9001.
  • Static and dynamic pile load tests to verify load-bearing capacity.
  • Integrity tests to check pile quality and geometry.

Selected projects
Atlas pile