Olivier DPA

The Olivier DPA is set to redefine foundations, making traditional cylindrical FDP piles a thing of the past.

What is an Olivier DPA?

An Olivier DPA1 is an innovative, patented, cast-in-place drilled full displacement pile/inclusion made of reinforced concrete with a smooth to slightly uneven, spiral-like surface along the entire length of the cylindrical pile shaft. It relies primarily on end bearing and tip resistance for load-bearing capacity. It is installed without soil removal, making it ideal for both structural foundation piles and ground improvement (inclusions).

Key Benefits

  • Full soil displacement down to the bottom of the pile, including the pile base
    Olivier DPA Soil Displacement
  • No soil removal
    • Ideal for contaminated sites
    • No need for soil disposal
    • Reduces logistical costs
    • Results in a cleaner, safer job site
  • Reinforcement placed before concrete
  • No lost drill tip
  • Excels at penetrating hard soils
  • Increased safety, efficiency, and reduced environmental impact
  • Can be made with existing piling machines
  • …

What is the Difference Between an Olivier Pile and an Olivier DPA?

Olivier Pile

  • The screw-shaped shaft
  • The screw shape projects an additional 200mm (±10”) in diameter beyond the pile shaft.

Olivier DPA

  • Smooth to slightly uneven shaft (cylindrical shaft)
  • Visibly spiral-like surface, comparable to a thin casting seam that forms between two formwork panels during concrete pouring. This spiral-like surface is very thin and has no functional impact.
  • Works mainly on end bearing/tip and friction resistance
Olivier pile
Olivier DPA

Curious about how Olivier DPA can optimize your foundation work? Contact us for more details and a tailored consultation.

Open concrete system

During the installation of an Olivier DPA pile, an open concrete system using gravitational concrete pressure is applied. This means that, when reinforcement is required, it is first positioned through the casing at the correct depth before concrete placement starts (in accordance with the fundamental principle of cast-in-place concrete: reinforcement is positioned first, followed by concrete placement). During concreting, the concrete level inside the casing is continuously maintained above ground level, ensuring that gravitational concrete pressure is used to form the pile shaft. No closed casings or pressurized concrete filling systems are used. This open concrete system contributes to a controlled, efficient and reliable installation process.

Drilling process

Illustration of the step-by-step drilling process of an Olivier DPA pile, highlighting soil displacement and pile formation.
  1. Closing the flaps and positioning the machine and displacement auger;
  2. Clockwise screwing in of the tube and displacement auger;
  3. When the specific pile base depth is reached, the reinforcement cage is brought into the tube and concrete is pumped into the tube and funnel;
  4. The tube and the auger are counterclockwise screwed back with a constant pitch of min 22cm (8”) and max 25cm (10”) per rotation;
  5. Finally a cylindrical pile shaft with a visibly spiral-like surface is obtained.

Crafting an Olivier DPA is a skilled process that requires specialized knowledge and expertise, and Olivier provides the necessary guidance and support to ensure success at every step.

Pile sizes

Olivier produces auger heads for Olivier DPA piles in the following standard dimensions:

  • d31 (310mm – 12″)
  • d36 (360mm – 14″)
  • d41 (410mm – 16″)
  • d46 (460mm – 18″)
  • d51 (510mm – 20″)
  • d56 (560mm – 22″)
  • d61 (610mm – 24″)
  • d66 (660mm – 26″)

Inclined piles

The Olivier DPA pile system can also be installed under an inclination, which is exceptional for a cast-in-place, fully soil-displacing pile. This makes it possible to construct piles for applications with horizontal loads, such as bridges, wind turbines, pylons and high-rise structures.

Thanks to the open concrete system, the reinforcement can be placed neatly through the casing, perfectly centred and at the correct inclination angle.

Read more: Inclined piles and the Olivier pile systems, a perfect combination.

Training and support

The correct application of Olivier DPA piles requires more than just the right tools. At Olivier, we provide targeted training and technical support specifically focused on the design, calculation and execution of Olivier pile systems.

More information about our training programmes and technical guidance for Olivier piles can be found on the Academy page.

The Olivier DPA System is protected by internationally recognized intellectual property rights, including a one or more utility patents (e.g. AU2021207405A1; AU2021207405B2; BE1027995A1; BE1027995B1; CA3158834A1; EP4090797A1; US12180669B2; US2023040291A1; WO2021144773A1; WO2021144773A9). Any unauthorized use, reproduction, or imitation will be subject to legal action.
  1. DPA = Drilling Push Aside ↩︎