Shoring towers function as a legitimate, worldwide building casts solution; a solution that also provides a much safer and easier molding process of concrete elements within high spaces. Moreover, these towers also offer a temporary support when constructing prefabricated concrete elements. These temporary forms of support include stressed ceiling boards, crusted ceilings and bridge beams.
As a result, the use of shoring towers gradually becomes one of the most widespread concrete products.
And, indeed, those who inspect construction sites around the world are deeply impressed by the extensive use of the shoring towers; a use that applies for public buildings, commercial buildings, industry and civil engineering.
Consequently, the market responds well to this tremendous usage and, accordingly, offers a substantial variety of towers.
Up until the past 10-15 years, there was a very limited amount of models (including the Israeli “KABIR”, Pal – a model that is manufactured in Israel and holds a license from a Swiss factory, as well as ACROW – a model that is imported from England) – all produced by painted steel. Nowadays, however, companies can choose from several options of towers – either manufactured by painted steel, galvanized steel or aluminum.
These towers’ material serves as only one parameter out of many which differentiate them from other construction tools. Indeed, these towers vary in their basic frame configuration, typical floor configuration, assembly method of the towers, and number of basic parts as well as items that might be lost – if and when the tower provides a solution for the building’s geometric constraints, the permitted carrying capacity and many more.
The above models are fine examples for the numerous models that exist these days, as a large portion of them is available for purchase and/or rental via companies throughout the country.
There is a substantial significance in choosing the appropriate model of tower that will meet the cast’s requirements, as well as the project’s constraints and the company’s different conditions. The significance stems from the fact that the tower functions as the main reason why it is so expensive to create the concrete element supported by this very tower.
Indeed, there is, on the one hand, a large variety of models and, on the other hand, an economic importance in choosing a suitable model. As a result, potential users are confused: There is no proper database that will gather all the relevant input into a cohesive, methodological and objective method; a database that that will allow a rational comparison while taking into account the constraints of the building that is under construction (workload and geometric constraints), the project’s constraints (such as the schedule, communication method between the company that carries out the project and its workers, as well as the possibility of using a crane), and, finally, the constraints of the company that carries out the project (for instance, policy of purchase, work expectancy, maintenance ability).
As thoroughly discussed above, there are no reasonable tools that will allow those who work at construction to create a decent comparison between the different models of towers as well as choosing the correct model of tower for a given project.
Under the current conditions, a very limited and incomplete comparison and choice are made possible.
It is noteworthy that a substantial change was made in the Israeli standard for formwork (I.S 904, 1998) in terms of shoring towers; a change that stands in contrast to what existed for over 20 years in the previous standard (I.S 904, 1975). In other words, while in the previous standard the formwork was carried out in accordance with content (including the calculations, drawings and safety instructions) and in relation to concrete elements (ceilings and beams) as the height exceeded 5 m’, in the new standard, the height is lower and begins at 4 m’.
This change adds an entire new variety of structures and elements that require much more than previous experience and solutions.
Indeed, when discussing formwork, one of the primary concerns deals with its strength and stability. However, the economic aspects as well as providing the engineer and the director with the relevant data – all bear an immense significance as well.
