Scaffold Design for a heritage building

Sympathetic Scaffold Design for a Grade II Listed Building

A residential property required an innovative scaffold design system to enable the repair and renovation of its external envelope. The scope included work on the buildings’ brickwork, windows, and roofs. IDH provided a detailed scaffold design that addressed the structural complexities and heritage constraints of prestigious site.

Technical Scope 

Our scaffold design needed to be freestanding, as fixing ties to the listed buildings was strictly prohibited. Initial designs incorporated full encapsulation, including temporary roofs secured with kentledge and buttresses. However, site constraints such as limited space, steep slopes, and severe wind loads necessitated multiple design revisions. 

Through finite element modelling (FEM), IDH evaluated different configurations to optimise the scaffold’s global stability and manage vertical and lateral forces under varying conditions. The final design replaced kentledge with ground anchors, ensuring a secure and structurally efficient solution. 

Addressing Constraints 

The project faced several engineering challenges: 

1. Prohibited Structural Ties: Without the ability to anchor the scaffold directly to the buildings, stability had to rely on external systems such as buttresses and ground anchors. 
2. Spatial and Topographical Limitations: The proximity of other structures and sloping terrain restricted the size and placement of supports. 
3. Wind Pressures: The exposed site and impermeable scaffold surfaces required careful calculation of horizontal loads.

To meet these challenges, IDH developed scaffold models for multiple iterations, assessing structural forces and load paths in each scenario. These included designs with kentledge and encapsulation, reduced scaffolds without roofs, and, finally, ground-anchor-stabilised systems. 

Innovative Approach 

IDH’s use of FEM calculations allowed detailed analysis of load distribution within the scaffold system. Particular attention was given to the integration of ground anchors, including their placement, capacity, and interaction with the scaffold structure. This approach ensured the final design met both safety requirements and heritage preservation standards. 

 The advanced methodology also included: 

• Dynamic Load Assessments: Calculations to account for varying wind and live loads. 
• Optimised Stability Solutions: Testing alternatives to minimise materials and installation effort.
• Material Efficiency: Reduction of kentledge volumes while maintaining structural integrity. 

Engineering Impact 

The implementation of ground anchors avoided the logistical and structural complications associated with kentledge blocks or water tanks. This solution not only reduced on-site material handling but also introduced a repeatable approach for similar heritage projects. 

Additionally, the design revisions improved the scaffold’s performance under extreme conditions without compromising the integrity of the listed buildings. 

Conclusion 

This project illustrates IDH’s technical expertise in scaffold design under complex constraints. Through advanced modelling and innovative engineering techniques, we delivered a solution that combined heritage sensitivity with structural reliability, showcasing our capabilities in challenging engineering scenarios.