Robert Jansen
Technical Sales Manager
Berliner wall constructions are widely used for shallow excavation pits, retaining walls along existing buildings and sheet pile walls. On this page, you can read how Berliner walls work, when anchoring is necessary, and why strand anchors are an efficient solution for Berliner wall anchoring.
A Berlin wall is a ground-retaining structure made up of vertical steel H- or I-section piles driven into the ground, with horizontal planks or sheets of wood, concrete, or steel installed between them. The wall owes its name to the construction method used in the 1930s during the building of the underground metro in Berlin.
The Berlin wall is an excellent cost-effective and flexible solution for situations where little or no groundwater needs to be retained. The construction can be easily adapted to the specific conditions of the construction site, such as existing cables and pipes, varying excavation depths, and limited space in relation to adjacent buildings.
For larger loads and deeper excavations, a free-standing Berliner wall is often insufficient. In these cases, an anchored Berliner wall construction is chosen, where an anchoring system transfers the forces to a more stable subsoil. In this type of construction, strand anchors play an important role. These offer an efficient and technically strong solution for Berliner wall anchoring, for both temporary and permanent applications.
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Other solutions and applications
A Berliner wall is used to retain soil safely in construction pits, revetments along banks, and infrastructure works, particularly in locations where the groundwater level is low enough to allow for dry excavation. The H-beams are vibrated or driven into the ground before excavation begins. As the excavation progresses, the planks or sheets are placed in stages between the flanges of the beams.
Depending on the excavation depth, soil pressure, and surrounding loads, a freestanding Berliner wall is not always sufficient. In such cases, a anchored Berliner wall is chosen. Strand anchors are an efficient solution for this, particularly with larger loads and deeper excavations. Compared to other solutions, such as strutting frames or traditional anchor systems, strand anchors offer several advantages:
This makes a Berlin wall solution with strand anchors not only structurally strong, but also practical and economically attractive.
When installing a Berlin wall, several factors determine the effectiveness of the structure:
The choice of the correct execution method has a significant impact on the environment and the construction.
The construction of a Berlin wall begins with the installation of steel H or I-beams before excavation commences. The beam length is typically approximately twice the retaining height of the excavation. After the beams are installed, excavation proceeds in stages, and the intermediate planks or panels are fitted step by step. The distance between the profiles is typically 1 to 3 metres, depending on the infill material and the expected ground pressure.
For greater excavation depths, an anchored Berliner wall is usually used to limit the bending moment in the profiles and reduce horizontal deformations. An anchored Berliner wall consists of:
In strand anchors, the load is transferred to the wall via the anchor head and the purlin. The anchored part of the anchor then transfers this force to the stable subsoil. When designing and installing a Berlin wall, one must therefore look not only at the wall itself, but also at:
Every situation is different. In a consultation, we will clearly outline your project and possibilities. You will immediately know where you stand.
Robert Jansen
Technical Sales Manager
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A Berliner wall is an earth-retaining structure used to retain soil for excavation pits, sheet piling, and earth retention along existing buildings. The wall consists of vertical steel H- or I-section piles with planks or sheets of wood, concrete, or steel placed between them.
Depending on the load and application, a Berlin wall system is implemented as a freestanding system or as a anchored construction in combination with an anchor system, such as a strand anchor. The Berlin wall system is solely earth-retaining and not watertight, and is therefore only suitable for situations where excavation can proceed in dry conditions.
A Berlin wall construction absorbs ground pressure via the steel H-profiles and the planks or sheets placed between them.
The profiles are installed into the ground by means of vibrating or hammering prior to excavation. As excavation progresses, the intermediate planks are installed in phases to turn the soil step by step.
With larger loads, the Berlin wall is anchored with an anchor system. The forces are then transferred via the wall and a purlin to the anchor, which diverts them to a more stable soil layer.
A Berliner wall consists of steel H- or I-beams as uprights and infill material that is placed between the flanges of the beams. The most commonly used materials for the infill are:
The choice of fill material type is determined by the expected soil pressure, the desired construction speed, and the possibility of reuse. Both the profiles and the fill material are generally fully recoverable after the completion of construction work.
An anchored Berliner wall is used when a freestanding Berliner wall cannot independently absorb the applied loads. This is particularly relevant in cases of:
By applying an anchoring system, such as strand anchors, the structure can be designed to be stiffer and more efficient.
Strand anchors are widely used in Berliner wall anchoring due to their high capacity and efficient operation.
Key benefits include:
Additionally, Deepro strand anchors are supplied as a complete system, with all components matched to each other.
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