Frankipile NG®

Frankipfahl NG® piles are primarily used where good quality load-bearing soil types are located deep below the surface and/or where an unusually high load bearing capacity is required. The variety of design variants allows for individual adaptation to a wide variety of subsoil conditions and site scenarios, ensuring high load bearing capacities can be achieved.

These piles can be used as perpendicular piles or raking piles at angles of up to 4:1. Frankipfahl NG® piles also feature an enlarged foot to improve the absorption of tensile loads.

Origins of the Frankipfahl pile

Edgard Frankignoul first applied for a patent for what is now a popular pile system all over the world in 1908. This included the fabrication of the complete pile using tamped, earth-moist concrete. The fabrication of shafts using pourable concrete and the characteristic foot dimensions, which have been in common use in Germany since the early 1990s, represent secure and economical improvements to the original concept. To differentiate between the system devised by Edgard Frankignoul and the newer version, we use the name Frankipfahl NG® for our product, where NG stands for “new generation”.

Frankipfahl NG® piles are primarily used where good quality load-bearing soil types are located deep below the surface and/or where an unusually high load bearing capacity is required. The variety of design variants allows for individual adaptation to a wide variety of subsoil conditions and site scenarios, ensuring high load bearing capacities can be achieved. Frankipfahl NG® piles are also suitable for use in contaminated soils, as they use the displacement method and no soil is extracted. They can even be used as energy piles, with the Frankipfahl NG® piles conducting geothermic heat.

Frankipfahl NG® piles can be used as a deep foundation element for all kinds of construction projects. Suitable projects include:

• Bridge constructions
• Wind turbines
• Silos
• High-bay warehousing
• Crane runways
• Dock bases
• Industrial buildings
• Heavy duty surfaces

The variety of design variants allows for individual adaptation to a wide variety of subsoil conditions and site scenarios, ensuring high load bearing capacities can be achieved.

The advantages of Frankipfahl NG® piles:

• Very high pile loads can be achieved, with a characteristic pile resistance R_k of up to 12,000kN
• Full soil displacement, eliminating transport costs for excavated soil
• The number and length of the piles used can be individually adapted for ideal results
• Foundation size can be reduced
• A very economical system due to savings in concrete and steel
• Very good resistance and settlement characteristics
• Soil may also be improved by means of gravel pre-compaction 
• Reduced pile casing landing depth
• Low noise emissions in comparison to head-driven systems
• Can be used on contaminated sites
• Can be fabricated in particularly poor, soft soil layers using sleeve pipes
• Can be used as an energy pile

Standards and regulations

The design and manufacture of Frankipfahl NG® piles are governed by Eurocode 7 and DIN EN 12699 and subject to the recommendations of the “Pfähle” working group (EA Piles). Possible diameters range between 51cm and 71cm. Piles usually measure between 10m and 25m in length. 

Pile foot dimensions

The expanded pile foot is a crucial feature of the Frankipfahl NG® pile, allowing for superior axial pile resistance. This foot is created by ramming almost-dry concrete through the interior of the pipe. In our evaluation of a large number of static pile tests, the compactness/consistency of the surrounding soil and the works required to ram in casing tubes have been observed to correlate directly with the pile foot volume necessary to ensure appropriate load bearing capacity. This correlation can be used to calculate and adapt the foot volume to the load bearing capacity of the site soil. These calculations have been used to extrapolate foot dimension curves, such as you see in EA Piles documents.

We will be happy to advise you on the initial sizing for your project.

Quality assurance in construction work requires the observation of both European and national standards. The design and manufacture of Frankipfahl NG® piles are governed by Eurocode 7 and DIN EN 699 and subject to the recommendations of the “Pfähle” working group (EA Piles). The self-monitoring and documentation of construction execution are also regulated by manufacturing standards.

Frankipfahl NG® pile fabrication procedures must be individually tailored to the requirements of the specific method used. This requires specialist knowledge and experience in the field, together with sound instincts on the part of the machine operator. Large specialist machinery must be handled with sensitivity and due attention to the optimum adjustment of manufacturing parameters if the desired pile resistance is to be achieved.

We ensure high execution quality with:

• Individually tailored procedures
• Adherence to the requirements of DIN EN 12 699, Eurocode 7 and EA Piles
• Clear processes overseen by our quality management system in accordance with DIN EN 9001:2005
• Static and dynamic pile loading tests
• Pile integrity tests

Frankipfahl NG® piles with sleeve pipes

In particularly poor, soft soil layers, where strong groundwater is present or where the site soil is particularly concrete aggressive, the fresh concrete columns of the pile require additional support and/or protection. Sleeve pipes attached to the reinforcement cage can be successfully used to address this issue.