Scaffolding in the construction and infrastructure industry

Scaffolding in the construction and infrastructure industry

Scaffolding plays a crucial role in various sectors of the construction industry and in industrial settings. From civil and structural engineering projects to chemical plants, refineries or offshore platforms - wherever building, renovation or maintenance takes place, scaffolding is a common choice to provide safe access to different work areas.

But not all scaffolding is the same! For example, if you work in the industrial sector, you will likely notice some differences in scaffolding when looking at the construction industry. We summarize some of the key aspects of scaffolding in the construction and infrastructure sectors below.

Scaffolding for construction and renovation projects

Undoubtedly, the construction industry is the undisputed number one among the sectors that require scaffolding. In structural and civil engineering projects, scaffolding provides safe access to work areas at height. Scaffolding is not only used for the construction of various types of buildings but also for subsequent maintenance, inspection, and cleaning work on the building.

What types of scaffolding are used in the construction industry?

To make work areas at great heights accessible in a timely and cost-effective manner, construction scaffolds are primarily used when it comes to building, renovating or maintaining public and residential buildings. Construction scaffolds can be set up and dismantled particularly quickly and easily. When a higher load-bearing capacity of the scaffold is needed, for example, in bricklaying work, modular scaffolds like the RINGSCAFF scaffolding system with ringlock connections are also used. The flexible modular scaffolds are also suitable as support scaffolds, for example, when anchoring to the structure is not possible.

Since scaffolds in the construction industry are sometimes erected in publicly accessible areas, enclosures are also used for noise, dirt, and vandalism protection. Temporary roofs are also installed to protect certain areas, for example, during roof renovations or replacements, from moisture.

The significantly smaller mobile scaffolds are used both by professional craftsmen and DIY enthusiasts. They are particularly advantageous both indoors and outdoors, especially when various individual areas need to be accessed without wanting to set up a complete scaffold. This makes mobile scaffold towers particularly suitable for smaller repair and installation work.

For more information on the different types of scaffolding and their areas of application, click here.

Scaffolding for infrastructure projects

Infrastructure projects constitute a significant portion of the areas where scaffolding is needed. The scenarios for use range from building new bridges to bridge renovations and maintenance work.

When scaffolding is to be erected on a bridge, the scaffolder faces very specific challenges that may require certain scaffold constructions.

These challenges include, for example:

• Little or no floor space for the scaffolds
• Great heights requiring a lot of scaffolding material
• Architectural features of the bridge that may require complex statics
• Difficult material transport to the construction site, for example, if the bridge is located in rugged terrain
• Additional supports may be necessary, for example, in the construction of new bridges
• Compliance with all relevant noise protection, environmental, and water protection regulations
  
  

What types of scaffolding are used in bridge projects?

Due to their flexibility and high load-bearing capacities, modular scaffolds are often used in bridge projects. They can be adapted to the various architectural features of a bridge and even used as a shoring solution for new-built and not yet load-bearing parts of the bridge.

If there is not enough floor space for a scaffold, hard-to-reach work areas can be made accessible with suspended scaffolds. Even if the transport routes to the bridge are difficult, a suspended scaffold can be advantageous as it requires less material to build than a scaffold build from the ground up.

Classic construction scaffolds are used less frequently in bridge projects, typically for inspections or minor renovation work.

For more information about scaffolding solutions for bridge repair, bridge maintenance, and bridge building, click here.

Scaffolding is indispensable in numerous industries and sectors. Whether you are in the industrial sector or in the construction industry, Scafom-rux supports you with services and products related to scaffolding. Click here to contact our team for more information!