HIGH CLEARANCE SCAFFOLD SYSTEMS DURING CONSTRUCTION .1. STRUCTURAL MODELING AND MODES OF FAILURE

The highest risk to structures during their lifetime is generally duri ng the construction phase. This is evidenced by the fact that most str uctural failures occur during the placement of fresh concrete in const ruction rather than after the structure is completed and is in service . A scaffold support system, often a combination of modular steel scaf folds and wooden shores, is typically used for temporary support durin g the construction of high-clearance concrete buildings in Asia. Such temporary support systems are often used because they are convenient, versatile and relatively inexpensive. No guidelines exist, however, fo r the design and use of these temporary structures during construction . This paper focuses on the development of a computer model based on a ctual construction practices which is then used to provide a descripti on of likely causes of scaffold support system collapse during constru ction. An examination of the effect of combining wooden shores with mo dular steel scaffolds on the performance of temporary support structur es then follows.