Optimal arrangement for an efficient scaffold support system

Scaffold support system is primarily used as temporary support during construction. However, no clear guidelines exist for a direct means of predicting the load carrying capacity of scaffolding. To increase the efficiency of scaffolding system, the number of tubes to be moved should be addressed to reduce costs and improve speed of construction without jeopardising the load carrying capacity. This translates into fewer tubes to be lifted, transported, and shifted during assembly. The paper proposes a simple numerical space steel frame model to predict the load carrying capacity of scaffold support system and provide optimal arrangement for fast and safe construction. The numerical results reasonably predicted the load carrying capacity of initial scaffold system arrangements and provided corresponding optimal arrangements scaffold arrangements. The obtained optimal arrangements reduced the number of utilised tubes by at least 7.14% and up to 42.31% and resulted in 5.14% to 25% savings in direct cost.