A warehouse with no foundations – discover the advantages

When building a new warehouse and deciding whether a foundation is necessary, the choice of material is important. Compared to steel buildings, lightweight buildings made of aluminium have many advantages. While steel buildings usually require a time-consuming and cost-intensive foundation, this is often not necessary with aluminium buildings. This is mainly due to the material: aluminium is lightweight.

Significantly lighter than steel buildings

The light metal has a density of 2.6 to 2.8 grams per cm³. The average density of steel, on the other hand, is 7.85 grams per cubic centimetre. This means an aluminium building weighs only about a third of a steel building of the same size.

At the same time, aluminium buildings are very stable and stand up well in terms of stability in comparison to steel buildings as warehouses. They can be used for all wind and snow load zones as well as in coastal areas. Certified service lives of up to 50 years are achieved with quick-use, optimised profile geometries.

• Material that is both lightweight and highly stable
• Low transport costs due to the warehouse’s lower weight
• Can be mounted quickly and easily on almost any surface
• No significant cost or time required for anchoring

How is the warehouse anchored without foundations?

• Cost-effective anchoring with ground spikes
• Gravelled or asphalted surfaces can often be used directly

Aluminium buildings without foundations can be quickly and easily fastened to the ground with ground spikes. Depending on the size of the building, ground spikes are inserted into anchor plates to which the building profiles are attached. The number and size of the spikes depends on the size of the building. In the case of a lightweight building without planning permission, ground spikes can be used directly; in the case of a lightweight building with planning permission, the building authority decides on the use of ground spikes on a case-by-case basis.

Which ground is suitable for ground nail anchoring?

• Three layers with a total thickness of at least 80 cm

1. Top layer made from asphalt, paving or gravel
2. 50 to 60 cm gravel base layer
3. 20 cm frost protection layer of coarse gravel

• Topsoil alone will not suffice

Is a car park, gravelled or asphalted area available? Then in many cases the right place for a warehouse has already been found. In principle, an aluminium lightweight building can be installed on almost any surface without having to pour a foundation. Anchoring is only not possible on topsoil. Due to the lack of compaction, anchoring on topsoil cannot withstand the tensile forces.

The frost protection layer and the base layer are crucial for the ground spike anchoring. The material chosen for the subsequent top layer has no effect on the stability. Asphalt, gravel or paving is suitable here. Thus, in many cases, the existing surface can be used for economical ground spike anchoring.

Is the existing ground suitable?

Safety with the pre-assembly inspection: Use the Herchenbach ground check.

• Geometry check for distances and access routes
• Ground scan: Are any pipes running in the ground?
• Tensile tests: Ground spikes are inserted into the ground to test their stability
• Elevation profile: Slope check with laser technology

Do you have a suitable area already, but you’re not sure exactly what the ground conditions are? Then the pre-assembly inspection, which can be booked quickly and easily with the Herchenbach full-service package, offers the safety you require. The ground is examined in detail with geometry checks, ground scans, tensile tests and laser technology.

What is the maximum slope gradient that can be compensated for with a lightweight building from Herchenbach?

A Herchenbach lightweight building can be assembled on a slope of up to 1.5% – regardless of whether the building is purchased or rented. The slope is taken into account statically, so it is not necessary to shorten the building’s supports. If the building is purchased, a slope greater than 1.5% can also be compensated for by shortening the building supports by a few centimetres. Find out more about the options available.