Smooth, soil displacing piles lead to faster and more efficient foundations

Olivier NV, based in Rumbeke, is a provider of foundation technology and consultancy for foundation companies and has long been known for its innovative foundation solutions. The company was founded by Gerdi Vankeirsbilck and is now led by his son Dimitry. In 2017, they patented worldwide the soil displacing screw pile with reusable drill tip, equipped with a unique valve system. Their most recent innovation is the smooth ground displacement pile. Meanwhile, their technologies are used worldwide, even as far away as Australia and New Zealand.

Smooth posts for any terrain and soil composition

The new, smooth and cylindrical in-soil formed soil displacement pile allows construction on soils where piles operate primarily on point resistance. The pile is drilled vibration-free. The drill head is much shorter than traditional DPA systems, resulting in less friction and significantly lower drilling torque requirements. The soil is completely displaced to the bottom of the pile, unlike traditional DPA systems. As a result, piles can be made shorter, allowing for faster and more efficient work. In addition, less fuel is required during drilling.

The new piles are made without a lost drill point and eliminate the need for grout injection in hard sand layers. For smaller pile diameters of 360 mm, for example, a 324 mm feed tube is used, allowing larger reinforcement baskets to be placed through the drill pipe. In comparative load tests, this system shows significantly less settlement than traditional systems. This is because soil is displaced all the way to the pile base during drilling, with no soil rising to the surface. Thus, the speed and efficiency of the new smooth pile system come out clearly.

The end of the lost drill point

The unique valve system allows the drill tips to be reused over and over again. The drill tips no longer need to be placed manually, greatly reducing the risk of workplace accidents and injuries. The reusable drill point thus reduces costs through fewer transports to the construction site, resulting in fewer emissions. In Belgium alone, over 150,000 soil displacement piles are used every year, do the math!

With the valves of the second generation, this system can be used in any situation and type of soil, eliminating any reason to use lost drilling points. This is confirmed by customers, who are now working 100% with the valve system. Meanwhile, comparative load tests have also been carried out on a pile with a lost point and a pile with recoverable point, and no difference is noticeable. The patented valves also allow for more precise positioning of the drill bit, making the rebar application and concrete pouring more correct and smooth. The valve system is currently available in three sizes, with an inside passage of 210, 250 and 300 mm, respectively.

Patented, automatic clutch

The completely unique and automatic Olivier coupling is mounted under the drill motor, which makes coupling the pipes to the machine faster and safer. After all, there is no need for anyone to go up to lock the coupling at high altitude. In ground displacement systems, the coupling can be applied to pipes from 219 to 914 mm. The maximum drilling torque can be transmitted both clockwise and counterclockwise and is compatible with all other Olivier couplings.