Centre for System Reliability in Electromobility Darmstadt

Test centre on piles

The Fraunhofer Society renovated a building from the 1970s for research into batteries and electrical drive systems. KREBS+KIEFER was commissioned with large parts of the planning.

This included a replacement structure for the cellar ceiling, which was removed for the benefit of the two-storey test hall. For the operation of equipment weighing several tons, the test area was provided with a floor slab on GEWI piles, decoupled from the rest of the structure. KREBS+KIEFER carried out the soil survey for this pile foundation.

Because the escape balconies of the old facade circling the building formed massive thermal bridges, they were demolished - the static also had to be equalised here. Added to this there were thermal protection measures to be taken according to the “Energieeinsparverordnung” [German energy saving regulation]. Another demanding area was fire protection for the framework structures spanning approximately 22 metres above the test hall and the steel raising erected in the 1990s.

Performances

• Structural planning
• Strengthening the ceiling structure’s fire protection
• Thermal protection for existing building according to the EnEV [German energy saving regulation] 2009
• Soil survey for pile foundation (GEWI piles)