FORMWORK

INTRODUCTION
The term ''Formwork indicates a temporary structure erected to receive wet
concrete and to hold it in place, till it is sufficiently hard and strong to be self-
supporting without any deformation. The other synonymous terms used are:
shuttering and centring.
The formwork can be of different materials and different types depending
upon the type of structure and site requirements, economy, safety and quality
required in the finished work.
The economical design and construction of formwork is of great importance as
the cost of formwork is a large proportion of the total cost of the structure and
is most difficult part to estimate. The appearance of finished structure and the
speed with which the work can be executed also depend mainly on the
efficient construction of formwork.

REQUIREMENTS OF A GOOD FORMWORK

In order to successfully carry out its function, formwork must achieve a balance of following
requirements:

1. Easy Removal
 Design should be such that it can be removed easily with least amount of
hammering.
 This will also prevent possible damage to concrete which has not become
sufficiently hard.
 Further, if removal is easy, it can be made fit for reuse with little expenditure.

2. Less Leakages
Formwork should be so arranged that there is minimum of leakage through joints. This
is achieved by providing tight joint between adjacent sections of formwork.

3. Strength
 Formwork should be sufficiently strong enough to bear dead load of wet concrete as
well as weight of equipment, labour etc. required for placing & compacting concrete.
 This required careful design of formwork. Over estimation of loads result into
expensive formwork & under estimation of loads result into failure of form work.
4. Smooth Surface
The inner surface of the formwork should be smooth so as to give pleasing appearance to the
finished surface. This is achieved by

 Applying crude oil or

 Soft soap solution to inside surface of form work
This also makes removal of formwork easy.

5. Rigidity
Formwork should be rigid enough so as to retain shape without any appreciable
deformation. For visible surfaces in completed work the deflection is limited to 1/300 of
span & for hidden surface, to 1/15 span. It should also be noted that rigid form work
will be robust & stiff enough to allow repeated use.
6. Quality
Forms should be designed & built accurately so that the desired size, shape & finish of
concrete is attained.
7. Ease of handling
 Form panels and units should be designed so that their maximum size does not
exceed that which can be easily handled by hand or mechanical means.
 In addition all formwork must also be designed and constructed to include
facilities for adjustments, leveling, easing and striking without damage to the
form work or concrete.
8. Economy
 On average about 35% of the total cost of any finished concrete unit or
element can be attributed to its formwork; of this just over 40% can be taken
for material for formwork and 60% for labour.
 The formwork designer must therefore not only consider the maximum
number of times that any form can be reused, but also produce a design that
will minimize the time taken for erection and striking.

ECONOMY IN FORMWORK

A formwork system is economical only when it fulfills all the tasks on hand with a few
versatile components. You are aware that total cost of concrete construction includes the cost
of the formwork. However, sometimes the cost of formwork, which actually does not form
part of the finished concrete structure, may exceed the cost of concrete itself.
Therefore, we should make all ‘efforts to minimize the cost of formwork while keeping the
safety aspects in view. Formwork cost mainly constitutes the cost of materials and labour
required for fabrication, erection and removal of forms. These costs can be minimized by
keeping some good points in mind which will lead to economy in formwork.
The following are ways of economizing formwork.
a) Avoid use of irregular shapes of forms.
b) The formwork should be fabricated into modular sizes and in sufficient
numbers so as to allow re-use.
c) The structure components of the building should be so dimensioned and
designed, so as to permit use of commercially available forms in the market.
 d) The working drawings of the formwork should be properly prepared and
checked before fabricating the same.
e) The various components of the formwork should be prefabricated on the
ground, using power equipment. This will reduce labour costs and delays and
holdups in the work. Also, the labour can work more efficiently on the
ground than on the scaffolding at an elevated level.
f) The formwork design should be balanced design so as to provide adequate
and not excessive strength and rigidity.
g) Where possible, adopt assembly line methods in fabricating formwork to
increase the efficiency of the labourers.
h) In timber formwork, where possible, use double headed nails to facilitate
their removal.
i) Construction joints should be judiciously incorporated to reduce the quantity
of forms required in one operation thus enabling re-use.
j) When mechanical vibrators are used, bolts must be employed instead of wire
ties or nails to ensure safety.
k) The formwork should be handled and stacked carefully. It should be oiled
and cleaned after each use to prolong its usage life.
FORMWORK STRUCTURAL MEMBERS
a. Forms or shutters -It is temporary supports & casings of desired shape which
supports fresh concrete till it becomes sufficiently strong to support its own weight.
b. Props-These are vertical post used to temporarily support formwork forms in
shuttering. They are made from timber or steel.
c. Struts and joists
d. Braces – A brace is any structural member used to support another, always designed
for compression loads and sometimes for tension under special load conditions..
Figure 1; formwork members

FORMWORK TYPES
Considering shapes, formwork types can be classified as:
a. Column Formwork
The function of column formwork is to enable the construction of columns that have the
specified surface quality and are acceptably accurate in shape and position with good
alignment to other adjacent columns, walls and building facades.
Round column forms, more typically pre-manufactured in a range of standard diameters, are
available in steel, paperboard, and fiber-reinforced plastic. Square and rectangular forms are
composed of short-span bending elements contained by external ties or clamps
Columns are often constructed with the column reinforcement extending well above the form.
This is done so it can lap with the reinforcement of the next column or floor to be constructed
above.
As the sizes of concrete column increases, the stiffness of the formwork must be increased by
either increasing thickness of sheathing or vertical stiffeners must be added to prevent
sheathing deflection
It consists of the following
 Side & End Planks
 Yoke
 Nut & Bolts
Two end & two side planks are joined by the yokes and bolts.

Figure 2; Column formwork

b. Beam formwork
Formwork for beams consists of a bottom and two sides (open through section) in addition to
their supporting elements. The bottom is typically made of ply wood or lumber sheathing.
The bottom is supported by and fastened to horizontal joists. Beam sides are also made of
plywood or lumber sheathing.
The supports need to be maintained to the soffit and also provide lateral support to the sides.
In timber this is done by the use of a head tree across the top of a vertical member. Metal
panels are used with corner pieces, but timber head trees are needed for vertical support.
Once the bottom of the beam form is constructed and leveled, one side of the beam is erected
first with holes drilled into it for installing the tie rods. Tie rods are steel rods that hold the
two sides of the beam together. After the first side of the beam form is erected, the
reinforcement is placed inside the beam and then the other side of the beam is erected. Tie
rods are then inserted into all holes and the wales on both sides of the beam. The tie rods’
function is to resi st the horizontal pressure resulting from the freshly placed concrete and
thus keep the sides of the beams in their proper location. Tie rods are fastened to the sides of
the beam and also to vertical wales and clamps.
Figure 3; beam formwork

c. Slab Formwork
Slab formwork essentially supports the weight of the concrete during the curing process and
when the concrete slab is positioned on permanent supports. Bases (also known as sills) are
required that are made from wood or metal and these bases support the vertical stringers
which in turn support the horizontal joists. The horizontal joists create a flat surface where
timber, plywood, steel sheets, aluminum or fiberglass can be used as a base onto which the
concrete is poured
Timber and metal props can be used for vertical supports.
Figure 4; slab formwork

d. Wall Formwork
Wall formwork consists of vertically arranged upright timbers (formwork bearers) to which
sheeting boards are nailed at the concrete side. The upright timbers are diagonally braced by
means of boards at both sides.
After completing one side of formwork reinforcement is provided at the place then the second
side formwork is provided.
WaII support systems are usually sloping props at satisfactory intervals.
Prefabricated sheeting panels may also be used instead of sheeting boards.
Cleaning holes are to be provided at the foot of the formwork.
Figure 5; wall formwork

e. Stair form work

It consists of;
a) Vertical & inclined posts
b) Inclined members
c) Wooden Planks or sheeting
d) Stringer
e) Riser Planks
Figure 6; typical stair formwork

f. Permanent formwork
Permanent form or stay-in-place formwork is one in which the form is left as
an integral part of the structure.
Permanent formwork can also be utilized as the facing materials of in situ
reinforced concrete. They can be of two types—participating and non-
participating.
The material used for these forms must be durable and of sufficient strength.
Commonly used materials include polyvinyl chloride (pvc), galvanized coiled
sheet steel, fabricated steel, carbon/epoxy thin shell.
The high initial cost of design and installation, lack of familiarity for
installation and maintenance and more specified form design are some of the
barriers to the use of this form.
 However, there are various advantages like low cost of transportation and
installation, precise form design, maximum flexibility, greater durability with
reduced long term maintenance and versatility.
g. Special Formwork
These are the forms that are specially designed and manufactured for a
particular kind of construction.
The need for a special formwork may arise due to several factors such as
a) When the contract demands the highest class of dimensional tolerance to be
followed
b) Where the form work shape required becomes uneconomical or impracticable
for site fabrication
c) Where the formwork is required to be self-contained i.e. self-propelled,
d) Where rate of concreting, admixtures or types of concrete are such that concrete
pressure developed within forms and stresses in the forms demand special
attention where a substantial number of re-uses is envisaged.

Figure 7; example of special formwork

FORMWORK MATERIALS

Materials used for the construction of concrete formwork range from traditional materials
such as Timber, steel, aluminum, and plywood to nontraditional materials such as
fiberglass.
The systems used can be a combination of two materials. Wood products are the most widely
used material for formwork.
Timber
Timber is widely used for many construction applications including concrete formwork.
Timber is harvested from trees and is classified as hardwood and softwood. Hardwood comes
from trees that have broad leaves such as oaks, maples, and basswood. Softwood comes from
trees that have needlelike leaves such as pines, cedars, and firs. Softwoods are most
commonly used in construction of formwork.

Figure 8: timber material

Timber properties
Timber to be used as formwork should be
 Well-seasoned
 Free from loose knots
 Light in weight &
 Easily workable with nails without splitting

Plywood
Plywood is a manufactured wood product consist a number of veneer sheets, or plies Type of
plywood can be grouped as exterior and interior. For formwork the exterior plywood is used.
Adhesive used to bond the piles in manufacturing of exterior plywood is watertight and gives
maximum number of reuses. The plywood industry manufactures special plywood called Ply
form specifically for use in forming concrete structures.

Aluminum
Forms made from aluminum are in many respects similar to those made of steel. However,
because of their lower density, aluminum forms are lighter than steel forms, and this is their
primary advantage when compared to steel. As the strength of aluminum in handling, tension
and compression is less than the strength of steel, it is necessary to use large sections.
The formwork turns out to be economical if large numbers of reuses are made in
construction.
The major disadvantage of aluminum forms is that no changes can be made once the
formwork is fabricated.
Steel
This consists of panels fabricated out of thin steel plates stiffened along the edges by small
steel angles. The panel units can be held together through the use of suitable clamps or bolts
and nuts.
The panels can be fabricated in large numbers in any desired modular shape or size. Steel
forms are largely used in large projects or in a situation where large number reuses of the
shuttering is possible. This type of shutter is considered most suitable for circular or curved
structures

Choice of formwork materials

The selection of materials suitable for formwork should be based on the price, safety during
construction, and the quality required in the finished product. Approval of formwork
materials by the engineer/architect, if required by the contract documents, should be based on
how the quality of materials affects the quality of finished work. Where the concrete surface
appearance is critical, the engineer/architect should give special notice and make provision
for preconstruction mockups

Formwork measurements and dimensions

Measurements of concrete formwork are required for payment to the contractor for the
concrete work completed. The payment to contractor depends on whether the cost is included
with the concrete construction per unit quantity or formwork is paid separately, as mentioned
in the conditions of contract.

How to Measure Formworks?

The formwork is measured in terms of area that is in contact with the concrete surface.
For example, the formwork for concrete footing will be calculated as the surface area of four
sides of foundation only. Bottom of the footing is resting on earth, there is no need of any
formwork and top of footing is open.
Figure 9; Plan and Elevation of RCC Footing
From the above footing plan and elevation, it can be seen that formwork area required will be
2 x (2 + 3) x 0.6 = 6 m2

Similarly, for a reinforced concrete beam, the measurement of formwork will be taken as the
combined surface area of two sides and bottom of the beam.

Units of Formwork Measurement

Formworks are measured in terms of area. So any unit such as square meter, square foot,
square centimeter can be adopted. But generally, square meter and square foot of the contact
area with concrete is taken as the unit of measurement.

Formworks are measured as just contact area, not area of formwork, as shown below:
Figure 10: measurement of formwork

The following measurements of formwork are carried out separately;

 Foundations, footings, bases of columns etc. and for mass concrete and precast
shelves.
 Walls of any thickness including attached pilasters, buttresses, plinth and string
courses etc.
 Suspended floors, roofs, landings, shelves and their supports and balconies.
 Lintels beams, girders and cantilevers
 Columns, pillars, posts and struts.
 Stairs (excluding landings) except Spiral Staircase
 Spiral staircases (including landings)
 Arches
 Domes, vaults, shells roofs, arch ribs and folded plates
 Chimneys and shafts
 Vertical and horizontal fins individually or forming box, louvers and bands
 Waffle or ribbed slabs
 Edges of slabs and breaks in floors and walls
 Cornices and mouldings
 Dimensions of formworks

Table 1; formwork dimensions

CONSTRUCTION OF FORMWORK:

This normally involves the following operations:

 Propping and centering:The props used for centering may be of steel, timber post
or pillars made up of brick masonry in mud mortar are also sometimes used as
props.
 Shuttering: Can be made up of timber planks or it may be in the form of panel unit
made either by fixing ply wood to timber frames or by welding steel plates to angle
framing.
 Provision of camber:Certain amount of deflection in structure is unavoidable.
It is therefore desirable to give an upward camber in the horizontal member of
conc.
 Surface treatment: The formwork should be cleaned of all rubbish particularly the
sawdust savings & chippings etc
The face of formwork in contact with conc. shall be cleaned & treated with release
agent like raw linseed oil or soft soap solution as to prevent the concrete getting
stuck to the formwork.

DISMANTLING OF FORMWORK
  Operation commonly known as stripping.
 Shuttering forming vertical faces of walls, beams & column sides should be
removed first.
 Shuttering forming soffit to slab should be removed next.
 Shuttering forming soffit to beams, girders or other heavily loaded member should
be removed in the end.
 Formwork is to be removed when concrete has become sufficiently hard so that
removal of formwork will not damage structure.

Length of time for which formwork should be kept in position depends on following
factors:

a) Amount & nature of dead load

b) Character & quality of concrete
c) Shape, span & situation of structure &
d) Temperature of atmosphere

Recommended duration taken for removal of formwork

 Walls Columns & Vertical Sides of Beams 1-2 Day

 Slabs 3 Days
 Beam Soffit 7 Days
 Removal of Props To Slabs
Slab Spanning Up to 4.5m 7 Days
Slab Spanning Over 4.5m 14 Days
 Removal of Props to Beams and Arches
Spanning Up to 6m 14 Days
Spanning Over 6m 21days
 Self-Assessment

1. Large leaks of concrete from the formwork causes _______

a. bonding,
b. honey-combing,
c. exposing
2. For RCC columns, formwork can be removed after ________
a. 24hours,
b. 9-12 hours
c. 14-20 hours
3. What is shuttering and cantering? Mention any one situation where they are applied.
4. What’s stripping time?
5. The _______ is used for formwork when it is desired to reuse the formwork several times.
a) Stone
b) Steel
c) Timber
d) Bamboo
6. The column formwork consists of a box prepared from _______ separate sides.
a) One
b) Two
c) Three
d) Four
 SCAFOLDING
Introduction
A scaffold is a temporary structure erected to elevate and support workers as well as,
materials during construction, repair, or surface finishing of a structure.
When the height of construction is more than 1.5m, workmen need some platform on which
he can stand safely, keep necessary materials of construction and carry on the construction
etc. The height of scaffolding goes on increasing as the height of construction increases.
Scaffolds can be made of timber, bamboo or metal (steel, aluminums).

The functional requirements of scaffolds include:

1. Safety and stability.
2. Ease and speed of erection, disassembly and reuse.
3. Horizontal and vertical accessibility.

FUNCTIONS OF SCAFFOLDING

 As a working platform - so that the worker can stand on the platform do the work
easily and safely.
 As a platform for placing material and logistic needed by the workers to carry out
their job.
 As a platform and walking passage - scaffolding support the platform that been used
by the worker as their walking path to transport the material and logistic.

Definitions of terms/ Component Parts of Scaffolding

a. Scaffolders: are those who erect the scaffolds

b. Standards: These are vertical members of scaffolding, supported on the ground or

drum or embedded into the ground.

c. Ledgers: These are horizontal members, running parallel to the wall and
perpendicular to the standards.

d. Braces: These are diagonal members fixed on standards.

e. Putlogs: These members are placed on ledgers at right angles to the walls, with one
end supported on ledgers and other end on the wall.
f. Boarding or Planks: These are the horizontal platform for supporting men, materials
and appliances, these are supported on putlogs.

g. Guard boards: To guard against the materials, the boards are provided at the working
level called guard boards.

h. Toe boards: These are boards placed parallel to the ledgers and used for protection at
the level of working platform.

i. Bridle; is a feature used to bridge openings. A vertical inside tube crossing the
opening is attached to the scaffold by a transom, and a horizontal crossing tube on the
outside called a bridle tube. The gaps between the tubes and the structure surfaces are
packed or wedged with timber sections to ensure a solid fit.

j. Guard Rail: A horizontal rail secured to uprights and erected along the exposed
edges of scaffolds to prevent workmen from falling.

k. Transom: A member spanning across ledgers/ standards to tie a scaffold transversely

and which may also support a working platform.

l. Base Plate: Base plate is used so that the standard/ poles do not get inserted into the
ground due to the heavy load on the top of the scaffold boards due to the masons.

m. Sill or Mud Sill:A footing, usually wood, which distributes the vertical leg loads to
the ground.
Figure 11: scaffolding components

Types of scaffolds

1. Single Scaffolding: This consist of a single row of standards (vertical members) which

are driven into the ground at a distance of about 1.5m to 2.0m apart and about 1.2m away
from the wall to be constructed. Putlogs are placed with one end on the ledgers and other
end in the hole left in the wall, at an interval of 1.2m to 1.5m.
Figure 12; putlog /single scaffold

2. Double or mason’s scaffolding: The framework is similar to the single scaffolding

except two rows of standards are used, one row close to the wall within 15cm of the wall
faces and the other at 1.2 to 1.5 m away from the face of the wall. The putlogs are
supported at both the ends on ledgers. Rakers and cross braces are provided to make the
 scaffolding more strong and stable. It is generally used while constructing stone masonry,
as it is very difficult to provide holes in the wall to support putlogs. Such scaffolding is
also called independent scaffolding.

Figure 13: double scaffolding

3. Cantilever Scaffolding: Also referred to as needle scaffolding, cantilever scaffolding
consists of standards that are supported on succession of needles taken out through holes
in the wall.

It can be single or double type. Single type cantilever scaffolding consists of standards
supported on a series of needles. The double type cantilever scaffolding, on the other
hand, has needles and projecting beams strutted into the floor through the openings.

Cantilever or needle is used under the following circumstances:

• Ground is weak to support standards.

• When construction is done on the side of a busy street

• It is required to keep the space, near the wall, free for a walk and for traffic, etc

• When construction work is carried out at very high level in case of tall building
Figure 14: cantilever scaffolds

4. Suspended Scaffolds: This consists of a working platform suspended from parapet walls
or the roof using ropes, chains or wires that can be lowered or raised to the desired level.
It’s commonly used for maintenance jobs like painting.
Figure 15: suspended scaffolds
Suspended scaffolds are of three types—fixed, operated by pulleys and operated by winches

i. Fixed type suspended scaffolds.

These are the scaffolds attached to a truss or the roof truss above the site of work using ropes,
chains, tubes, etc.

ii. Suspended scaffolds operated by pulleys, etc.

These are like the platforms of the window cleaners and painters of buildings.

iii. Suspended scaffolds operated by winches.

These arc heavy platforms hung by wires from temporary outriggers and operated by external
cranes.

5. Trestle scaffolding: It consists of working platforms supported on movable ladders and

no standards or putlogs. Thus, this can be easily shifted from one point to another. Trestle
scaffolding is commonly used for painting works or minor repairs inside the rooms. The
usage of Trestle Scaffolding is limited to indoors as the height in this Scaffolding is up to
5 meters only.
Figure 16:trestle scaffolding

6. Steel Scaffolding: Steel scaffolding is constructed by steel tubes which are fixed together
by steel couplers or fittings. It is very easy to construct or dismantle. It has greater
strength, greater durability and higher fire resistance. It is not economical but will give
more safety for workers. So, it is used extensively nowadays.

Figure 17; steel scaffolding

 ERECTING AND DISMANTLING SCAFFOLDING
Erecting and dismantling scaffolds remains a high-risk activity, not only to those carrying out
the work, but to other workers and the general public.

Erecting scaffold
I. Select a secure foundation on which to build and set your scaffold. Obtain mud sills
or base plates to attach the scaffolding to make the footing more stable. One of the main
concerns here is to have the scaffolding level and on secure ground. If you are on
unleveled ground, you may need to dig down to make the dirt level in any high corner.
II. Assemble the scaffolding frame. Lay out the ends of the scaffolding. Lift one end
piece, and attach the upper cross brace. The far end of this brace should support the end
piece while you lift the second end piece and attach its upper cross brace. Secure the
ends of the cross braces to the bottom of the opposite end frame.
III. Make sure the scaffold is stable. Move the scaffold into your desired position, and
make sure it is level and secure.
IV. Place the planks. Lift the planks through the scaffold bars and into place.
V. Secure access to the scaffold. If ladders are used to access the scaffold, use ones that
are designed for that specific scaffold. Stair-like ladders can be used to access the
scaffold but must have handrails and treading. A concern with the access point is to
make it safe to maneuver and to prevent the scaffold from tipping over.
VI. Attach the guardrails. Guardrails are highly recommended for all scaffolding due to
the height of the equipment and the risk of falls. Also consider using tie offs and other
fall protection.
VII. Inspect the scaffolding to ensure safety. Thoroughly examine the scaffolding setup to
make sure all pieces are secure. Reinspect the scaffold system every time you leave the
site and return to it to make sure it is still safe.

Dismantling of Scaffolding

The work of dismantling scaffolding should be under the supervision of an individual with
proper experience and aptitude. The following should be observed while dismantling.

a. Check to see if scaffolding has been structurally altered in any way which would make it
unsafe, and if so reconstruct where necessary before commencing with the dismantling
procedures.
b. Dismantle scaffold from the top down. Begin by removing all accessories from that lift
being dismantled at the time.
c. Always work from a minimum of two plank placed on the tier of frames below those
being removed. Move the planking down as dismantling progresses.
d. Do not remove ties until dismantling has reached the tier to which they are attached.
e. Always stay within the inside of the scaffold. Do not climb on the outside for any reason
when dismantling. Do not climb on ties, braces or unbraced frames.
f. Only remove fastening devices from bottom of frames being removed.
 g. Lower scaffolding components in a safe manner as they are dismantled. Avoid dropping
or throwing the components as this could result in damage to the equipment, or injury to
personnel below.

SITE SAFETY REQUIREMENTS FOR SCAFFOLDING

a) The uprights (standards) should not be spaced more than 1.8 m (6 ft) for heavy
work such as masonry and not more than 3 m (10 ft) for light work such
as painting.
b) The putlogs in single scaffolding should bear well on the wall opening. Short
members nailed onto the wall should not be used as putlogs.
c) The platforms should be wide enough. It should not be less than 17 inches (425
mm) in width if the height is more than 1.8 meters.
d) The plank should not be defective. To prevent sudden failure of the planks,
the grains in the wood used should not be more than 10 degrees with the length
of the plank. There should be no overhanging (or cantilevering) of these planks.
e) All scaffolding should be properly strutted so that they do not fall away from the
wall laterally. Similarly, it should be stable longitudinally also.
f) Workmen should not work under the scaffolding.
g) Lorries should not be allowed to come near scaffolding.
h) Safe ladders should be provided to climb on to the scaffolding.
i) If the height is more than 2 meters, guard rails should be provided for the
scaffolding.

Self-Assessment
1. What Is The Scaffolding?
2. What Is A Putlog In Scaffolding?
3. What Are the Types of Scaffolding?
4. How can a scaffold built alongside a road be protected from traffic damage?
5. Why is plan bracing needed in a mobile scaffold?
 SHORING

Definitions of terms

 Shoring-It is the method of providing temporary support (shores) to an unsafe structure.

 Wall plate -wall plate is a load-bearing structural member used horizontally and part of a
timber framework.
 Cleat - A cleat is a strip of wood or metal that is attached to one part of an object, in order
to hold it in place while attaching another part
 Raker –it is an inclined member.

INTRODUCTION

Shoring is essential for structures which have become unsafe due to unequal settlement of foundation
or due to removal of adjacent building or due to any other reason.
For safe structures, shoring is required to prevent movements when certain additions & alterations
are being carried out.
Shoring is designed to prevent collapse where shielding is only designed to protect workers
when collapses occur.
Shoring is used under the following conditions:
 When a wall shows signs of bulging out due to bad workmanship.
 When we have to repair a crack on the wall due to unequal settlement of foundation.
 When an adjacent structure is to be dismantled.
 When openings are to be made or enlarged in the wall.

Types of Shoring

There 3 types of shoring, namely:

 Raking/ inclined shoring
 Flying/ horizontal shoring
 Dead /vertical shoring

1) Raking Shoring
Raking shores also known as inclined shoring, is used to give lateral support to the wall.In
this method, inclined members known as rakers are used.

A raking shore consists of the following components:

 Rakers or inclined member

  Wall plate
 Needles
 Cleats
 Bracing
 Sole plate

Erection procedure of raking shoring

The wall plate (20 to 25 cm wide and 5 to 7.5 cm thick) is placed vertically along the face of
the wall and is secured by means of needles.  
These needles (10 cm x 7.5 cm) penetrate the wall by about 10 to 15 cm. In order that the
needles do not get sheared off due to the thrust of the raker, the needles are further
strengthened by means of cleats which are nailed directly to the wall plate.
Rakers about against the needles in such a way that the centreline of the raker and the wall
meet at the floor level. Thus, there will be one raker corresponding to each floor. These
rakers are inter-connected by struts, to prevent their buckling.
 An inclined sole plate is embedded into the ground on which the feet of rakers are connected.
The feet of rakers are further stiffened near the sole plate by means of hoop iron. The wall
plate distributes the pressure to the wall uniformly.

The following points are kept in mind when using Raking shores:
 Rakers should be inclined to the ground by 45° to 75°, but 45° is more effective. The
Top of raker should not be inclined steeper than 75°.
 For tall buildings, the length of raker can be reduced by introducing rider raker.
 Rakers should be properly braced at intervals.
 The size of the rakers should be decided on the basis of anticipated thrust from the
wall.
 The centre line of a raker and the wall are maintained at the same level of floor.
 If longer length of the wall needs support, shoring may be spaced at 3 to 4.5 m
spacing, depending upon the requirements.
 The sole plate should be properly embedded into the ground, at an inclination and
should be of proper section. The sole plate should be sufficient widen so that it can
easily support all the rakers, and a cleat provided along the outer edge.
 Wedges should not be used on sole plates since they are likely to give was under
vibrations which are likely to occur.
Figure 18: Raking shoring
Flying Shoring

Flying shores is a system of providing temporary supports to the party walls of the two
buildings where the intermediate building is to be pulled down and rebuilt .All types of
arrangements of supporting the unsafe structure in which the shores do not reach the ground
come under this category.

The flying shore consists of

 Wall plates,
 Needles,
 Cleats,
 Horizontal struts (commonly known as horizontal shores)
 Inclined struts arranged in different forms which vary with the situation.

There are two types of flying shore: single and double flying shore

Figure 19 : single flying shoring

Fig 4.3: double flying shoring

Procedure of erecting frying shoring:

 In this system, first the wall plates are place against the wall and secure to it.
 A horizontal strut is place between the wall plates and is support by needles and
cleats. It should be parallel to floor slab line
  Inclined struts are support by the needle at their top and by straining pieces at their
feet. Folding wedges is used to prevent movement.
 The straining piece which is also known as straining sill and is spiked to the
horizontal shore. The width of straining piece is the same as that of the strut.

The following points should be kept in mind while connecting the flying shores:

1. The centre lines of flying shore and struts and those of the walls should meet at floor
levels of the two buildings. If the floor levels are different, the horizontal shore should
be placed either mid-way between the levels of the two floor of equal strength, or it
should be placed at the level of weaker floor.
2. In the case of double flying shore, two horizontal flying shore is provide which is
joint by brace and post.
3. Single shores should be used only up to 9 m distance between walls. For greater
distance, double shores should be provided. In that case, both the horizontal shores
should be symmetrically placed with respect to the floor levels.
4. Struts should preferably be inclined at 45º and should not exceed 60º

5. The flying shores should be spaced at 3 to 4.5 m centres, along the two walls; and
horizontal braces should be introduced between adjacent shores.
6. In this system, various members of the shoring are determined by using large factor of
safety because it is uncommon to assess the actual loads.
7. When there is a structural gap between two building due to removal of old building
then, flying shore are inserted and removed after construction of new structure.

Dead Shoring

This type of shoring is used to support dead loads that act vertically downwards. It consists of
dead shores, sole plate, needle and props. Needle transfer the load of the wall to the dead
shores.
Dead shoring is provided to serve the following purpose:

 To rebuild the defective lower part of the wall

 rebuild or deepen the existing foundation

 To make large opening in the existing wall at lower level.

Erecting Procedure:

First of all holes are made in the wall at calculated height. Then needles made of thick wood
or steel sections are inserted into the holes and are supported on vertical posts or dead shores
on both sides.

Points to note
  Needles Should be spaced at 1 to 2m

 Min. 3 needles should be used for one opening

 Both needle ends are supported by vertical post

 Vertical posts are supported on folding wedges and sole plate

 Suitable bracings should be placed

 If the external wall is weak raking shore may be provided in addition to dead shore

 Shores should be removed only when the new work has gained sufficient strength but
not earlier than 7 days of the completion of the new work

Figure 204: vertical shoring

Shoring materials

The following are commonly used materials for shoring:

 Timber - most commonly used material for shoring members and the system
due to its construction (and dismantling) speed and cheap labor cost
 Steel – mostly used as struts and needles for dead shoring.

Shoring guidelines
 Lateral clearances must provide sufficient space for construction
  Any excavation, holes or trenches on the Railroad property shall be covered, guarded
and/or protected.
 The most stringent project specifications of the Public Utilities Commission Orders,
Department of Industrial Safety, and OSHA, NEEMA or other governmental agencies
shall be used.
 All components of the shoring system are to be removed when the shoring is no
longer needed

1.2.3.1 Self-Assessment
1. The construction of a temporary structure required to support an
unsafe structure, is called

a. Underpinning

b. Scaffolding

c. Shoring

d. Jacking

2. Which are the types of shoring?

3.  In ____________ shore arrangement, the inclined supports are

given to the external walls from the ground.
a. Raking shore
b. Flying shore
c. Dead shore
d. Patented shore
4. What is procedure of erecting dead shoring?
5. There are two types of horizontal shoring. Which are they?