Static and dynamic pile load tests up to 40,000 kN, integrity testing and remote monitoring with in-house measurement technology.
IPM Impuls Pfahlmessung GmbH
Gotha (Boilstädt district) · GothaNew on Amplifa
About IPM
IPM Impuls Pfahlmessung GmbH from Gotha is a specialist in pile testing in geotechnical engineering. The company performs static load tests (compression, tension, pile group, horizontal, cyclic, long-term) up to 40,000 kN as well as dynamic load tests with its own drop weight of up to 14 t, evaluated according to CASE and CAPWAP. Further services include pile instrumentation with up to eight measurement levels, remote monitoring, integrity testing using low-strain, cross-hole and TIP methods, pile length determination as well as settlement and tilt measurement. All measurement, control and regulation systems are in-house developments; the structural analysis of every test setup is produced in-house. Customers include projects such as Stuttgart 21, the Humboldt Forum, Berlin Brandenburg Airport and the Fraport Terminal 3. Deployments extend to 21 countries from Iceland to Kazakhstan, with focuses in infrastructure and rail, bridge construction, building construction, ports, power plant construction and offshore wind energy.
- Site
- Gotha (Boilstädt district)
- Processes
- Static load test (compression, tension, pile group, horizontal, cyclic, long-term), Tension load test, Pile group load test, Horizontal load test (incl. chain inclinometer), Long-term loading (electronically controlled, with remote monitoring), Cyclic load test (offshore and rail foundations), Anchor and micropile testing according to DIN EN 1537 (GEWI piles, grouted piles, round steel, Ductile pile testing (module piles), compression and tension
- Materials
- Structural steel S460, Ductile cast-iron pipes (ductile piles/module piles), Reinforced concrete (precast driven piles), Cement mortar (grouting of ductile pile shaft), Steel pipe piles, Steel section piles, Timber piles (in existing structures), Steel pipe and steel section piles
- Certificates
- Calibration certificates for measurement chain, ISO 9001, Hazard assessment before every deployment
- Founded
- 1995
- Industries
- Infrastructure and rail, Bridge construction, Building construction, Industry, Ports and hydraulic engineering, Energy / offshore wind
- 01
Consulting and test concept
- 02
Project planning and structural analysis of the test setups
- 03
In-house development of measurement systems and test beams
- 04
Erection of the loading structure on site
- 05
Measurement (static, dynamic, integrity, instrumentation)
- 06
Evaluation and audit-ready report
Processes and Materials
Structural steel S460
Material of the reinforced HE1000 and HE700 crossbeams for test loads up to 40,000 kN.
Ductile cast-iron pipes (ductile piles/module piles)
Driven module piles, tested in compression and tension, shaft grouted with cement mortar depending on the system.
Reinforced concrete (precast driven piles)
Typical test pile for dynamic load testing.
Steel pipe and steel section piles
Tested dynamically and statically, among others at the Baltic 2 wind farm.
Cement mortar
Grouting of the ductile pile shaft.
Timber piles in existing structures
Retrospective testing of existing foundations.
Sites
Gotha (Boilstädt district)
DEOffice and administration, manufacture and storage of the loading equipment
- Lot size
- Single projects up to series testing
- Materials
- Structural steel S460, hydraulic components
- 15-MN jack package
- 27-MN jack package
- 40-MN jack package
- eight test beams of 15.1 m with 700 t load per beam
- eight test beams of 12 m with at least 500 t load
- loading crown with up to 18 anchor connections
- two special drop weights of 7–14 t
- hydraulic power packs up to 700 bar
- six PIT devices
- CHUM cross-hole ultrasonic testing
- PAK-8 with battery and WLAN
Gotha
DEProject engineering
- PC-controlled measurement and control system
- Data logger
- Fiber-optic measurement technology
- In-house measurement and evaluation software
Services
Inside the production
Industries
Processes & technical limits
| Processes | Tolerance | Max. part | Weight | Lot size | Materials |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Static load test (compression, tension, pile group, horizontal, cyclic, long-term)Testing | – | – | – | 40,000 kN test load | – |
| Tension load testTesting | – | – | – | up to 15,000 kN | Steel pipe piles |
| Pile group load testTesting | – | – | – | – | – |
| Horizontal load test (incl. chain inclinometer)Testing | – | – | – | – | – |
| Long-term loading (electronically controlled, with remote monitoring)Testing | – | – | – | – | – |
| Cyclic load test (offshore and rail foundations)Testing | – | – | – | 15,000 kN compression and tension | – |
| Anchor and micropile testing according to DIN EN 1537 (GEWI piles, grouted piles, round steelTesting | – | – | – | – | – |
| Ductile pile testing (module piles), compression and tensionTesting | – | – | – | – | Ductile cast iron, Cement mortar |
| Dynamic load test (drop weight, evaluation using CASE and CAPWAP)Testing | – | – | 14 t drop weight | 107 tests/year – 130 tests/year | – |
| Driving monitoring (PDA: driving energy, stresses, bearing capacity)Testing | – | – | – | – | – |
| Pile instrumentation (shaft friction and tip pressure, up to eight measurement levels)Testing | – | – | – | – | – |
| Remote monitoring (long-term measurement with regular remote interrogation)Testing | – | – | – | – | – |
| Low-strain integrity testing (hammer blow, pulse echo, PIT)Testing | – | – | – | over 9,000 piles per year (2017: 9,100) | – |
| Cross-hole integrity testing (ultrasonic, CHUM/CSL)Testing | – | – | – | – | – |
| Thermal integrity testing (TIP)Testing | – | – | – | – | – |
| Pile length determination (travel-time measurements on existing pile)Testing | – | – | – | – | – |
| Settlement and tilt measurementTesting | Resolution 1/1000 mm | – | – | – | – |
| Level control and load maintenance (hydraulics)Testing | – | – | – | – | – |
| Hydraulic calibration measurement (jacks, load cells, power packs calibrated in-house)Testing | – | – | – | – | – |
| Development of measurement systems (in-house development, fully electronic since 1995)Engineering | – | – | – | – | – |
| Program and software development (control, data acquisition, evaluation)Engineering | – | – | – | – | – |
| Project consulting (test concept, pile optimization, tendering, standard selection)Engineering | – | – | – | – | Steel, Concrete |
15 Anlagen & Maschinen
| Machine | Manufacturer / model | Quantity | Working area | Year built | Site |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jack package | IPM in-house development 15-MN jack package | – | up to 15,000 kN | 2005 | Gotha |
| Jack package | IPM in-house development 27-MN jack package | – | up to 27,000 kN | 2011 | Gotha |
| Jack package | IPM in-house development 40-MN jack package | – | up to 40,000 kN | 2018 | Gotha |
| Crossbeam HE1000 reinforced, S460 | HE1000 reinforced | – | large load tests up to 40,000 kN, large-bore piles from Ø 75 cm | – | – |
| Crossbeam HE700 reinforced, S460 | HE700 reinforced | – | small load tests up to 10,000 kN, piles up to Ø 75 cm | – | – |
| High-load test beam | IPM in-house development 15.1 m | 8 | spans up to 14.7 m, up to 56,000 kN, 700 t load per beam | 2025/2026 | Gotha |
| Test beam 12 m | IPM in-house development 12 m | 8 | at least 500 t load per beam | 2008 | – |
| Loading crown | – | – | up to 18 anchor connections, up to 15,000 kN | – | – |
| Special drop weight | IPM in-house development | 2 | 7 t to 14 t | 2006 (7/9/ | – |
| Hydraulic power packs | – | – | up to 700 bar, electronic maintenance of force/displacement, dual-acting jacks 2/3/8 MN | – | – |
| Pile Driving Analyzer (PDA) | PAK-8 (conversion with battery and WLAN) | – | – | – | – |
| PIT devices (Pile Integrity Tester) | – | 6 | Low-strain integrity testing | – | – |
| CHUM (Cross-Hole Ultrasonic Monitor) | – | – | Cross-hole ultrasonic testing | – | – |
| PC-controlled measurement and control system, data loggers, fiber-optic measurement technology | IPM in-house development | – | – | – | – |
| Chain inclinometer / instrumentation (vibrating-wire sensors, extensometers, FOS) | Geokon, Glötzl, Bauer | – | up to eight measurement levels | – | – |
Additional services
Reference customers
Quality and Safety
Jacks, load cells and hydraulic power packs are calibrated and documented in-house; the measurement chain is documented for every test. Displacement measurements are performed with precision dial gauges with a resolution of 1/1000 mm; the evaluation follows DIN EN ISO 22477-1/-4, the EA Piles recommendations and the DGGT guidelines.
| Evidence | Gotha (Boilstädt district) |
|---|---|
| Calibration certificates for measurement chain | |
| ISO 9001 | |
| Hazard assessment before every deployment |
Chronicle 1995 to the Present
- 1995
Founded in Gotha-Boilstädt
- 1999
In-house development: conversion of the PAK-8 with battery and WLAN for remote desktop during dynamic load tests
- 2005
In-house measurement devices, own measurement program, 15-MN jack package; first fully electronic static compression load test
- 2006
Own special drop weight with 7, 9 and 12 t
- 2008
In-house development: eight test beams, 12 m, at least 500 t load per beam
- 2011
In-house development of the 27-MN jack package
- 2011
Baltic 2 wind farm (BV Hemmoor): static compression and tension loading with instrumentation, August to December
- 2014
Tengiz oil field, Kazakhstan: 50 static and 100 dynamic load tests, integrity testing
- 2018
In-house development of the 40-MN jack package
- 2020
BAB A45, Eisern valley bridge: static load tests up to 30 MN
- 2024
Munich, U5-West extension: static load tests displacement- and load-controlled in the test tent
- 2025
In-house development: eight test beams, 15.1 m, 700 t load per beam
- 2025
Hamburg, Steinwerder Kai: static load tests with four new test beams, test load 24 MN
- 2026
Business expansion: hall extension