Structural Design and Construction of Falsework: Best Practices
Credits: 4 PDH
PDH Course Description:
Falsework failures can occur suddenly and may result in structural collapse, serious injuries, project delays, and substantial financial and legal consequences. Because falsework is temporary, its design and construction are sometimes given less attention than permanent structures, even though the loads, stability requirements, erection sequence, and field conditions demand careful engineering judgment.
This practical 4-PDH course provides structural and construction professionals with a systematic approach to the design, review, erection, inspection, and safe use of falsework systems. It explains how loads are transferred through plywood, joists, cap beams, posts, shoring frames, and supporting foundations or slabs, and demonstrates how the principal components of a falsework system are selected and checked.
Participants will examine a documented falsework collapse and identify how incomplete bracing, improper sequencing, human error, and deviation from an approved plan can lead to failure. The course also explains contractor and engineer responsibilities, risk classification, independent design review, submittal requirements, material verification, anticipated settlement, and erection and dismantling procedures.
Detailed design examples illustrate the calculation of construction loads, joist and cap-beam spacing, post loads, bearing requirements, shoring-frame capacities, and lateral stability. The course covers wood and aluminum systems, fly tables, handset systems, jump forms, gang forms, multistory building applications, and box-girder bridge falsework.
The course concludes with practical recommendations for impact protection, debris netting, bracing, loading platforms, jack extensions, eccentric loading, safe access, inspection, and protection of workers and the public. By completing this course, participants will be better prepared to evaluate falsework systems, identify critical risks, review design submittals, and apply sound engineering judgment to temporary support structures.Topics:
By the end of this course, participants will be able to:
- Explain Explain the purpose and structural behavior of falsework and temporary support systems>
- Identify the principal causes and consequences of falsework failures
- Define the responsibilities of contractors, engineers, owners, and field personnel involved in falsework operations
- Classify falsework systems according to their level of structural and operational risk
- Evaluate contractor in-house reviews and owner/engineer review procedures
- Identify the calculations, drawings, material information, certifications, and erection procedures required in a falsework submittal
- Determine dead, live, construction, equipment, and self-weight loads acting on falsework systems
- Trace load paths through plywood, joists, cap beams, posts, shoring frames, and supporting structures
- Apply design calculations and manufacturer charts to select falsework components and spacing
- Check bearing, post loading, frame capacity, settlement, bracing, and lateral stability
- Compare wood, aluminum, fly-table, handset, jump-form, gang-form, and shoring systems
- Evaluate falsework arrangements for elevated slabs, dropped beams, multistory buildings, and box-girder bridges
- Recognize how erection sequence, incomplete bracing, and field modifications can compromise structural safety
- Apply good-practice requirements for debris netting, impact protection, loading platforms, jack extensions, and safe access
- Use practical engineering judgment when reviewing, constructing, inspecting, loading, and dismantling falsework systems
To take this course:
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Intended Audience: This course is intended for structural engineers, civil engineers, consulting engineers, forensic engineers, temporary-works designers, construction engineers, licensed professional engineers, building officials, contractors, project managers, superintendents, inspectors, educators, and other professionals involved in the design, review, construction, inspection, maintenance, loading, or removal of falsework, formwork, shoring, and temporary support systems.
Publication Source: Ibrahim Metwally, PE