Foundations
Foundations for testing applications are made of concrete and steel. Masses of approx. 20 to 2 000 tons can be achieved. Heavy foundations on soft underground require additional pile foundations.
CFM Schiller plans and constructs the following types of foundations. There are basically two categories of foundations - vibratory and fixed foundations.
Strong Floors
For certain testing applications with high forces, the standard system comprising a seismic mass with T-slots, clamping plate, or reaction brackets can be insufficient. CFM Schiller offers heavy-duty mounting fields – so called strong floors – and heavy-duty mounting walls with integrated anchor points for these cases. The regular location of the anchor points is a grid of 1 000 x 1 000 mm.
Typical applications for the strong floor technology are wind power component test rigs and testing of large structures. The allowable load of each anchor point lies between 1 MN and 3 MN with anchor thread sizes of M56 and M80, respectively.
In-Ground Masses
An in-ground mass is a classic foundation that is constructed in the ground. These fixed, non-vibratory foundations are generally used for applications with largely static or quasi-static loadings. They are designed for only very low dynamics and low-frequency excitations.
Very heavy in-ground masses require additional pile foundations. The walls of the foundation pit are faced with XPS boards before the concrete works in order to decouple the foundation from the surrounding buildings. The concrete body of an in-ground mass can be equipped like a seismic mass – for example with clamping plates or base plates.
Anchorage Systems
CFM Schiller has developed a special anchorage system that is integrated into the foundation. It creates a dynamically fatigue rated joint between the clamping plate and the foundation.
The CFM Anchorage System is available in various sizes for different payloads. It consists of high-strength steel anchors, which are horizontally connected to each other and integrated into the reinforcement of the concrete foundation. Mounting of the anchorage structure is exclusively carried out by CFM Mechanics.
The fastening thread of each anchor represents an anchor point, to which the base plate or clamping plate is connected. Special CFM Anchor Rods are used to apply the required preload, which creates a dynamically fatigue rated joint between the clamping plate and the foundation.
The anchorage system can also be designed in a heavy-duty version for strong floors. The anchor points are then used as direct attachment points for clamping.
Besides the special anchorage system, CFM Schiller offers connections with grouted anchor bolts and chemical anchors. These are cost-effective solutions for small loads and low dynamics. They are also suitable for retrofitting of attachment points in existent concrete foundations.
