Construction collaboration delivers lightweight propping solution

A collaboration between Monash University and Coates Engineering Solutions has led to Quadshore, a lightweight, high-capacity propping solution for temporary construction works made from high-strength steel.

According to a statement from Monash on Tuesday, Quadshore has been subjected to “rigorous destructive and non-destructive experimental tests at material, component and system levels” to demonstrate its durability and superior performance. 

The statement promotes Quadshore as having a working load limit of up to 170 tonnes and being “the lightest heavy-duty structural propping system available anywhere in the world.” 

Monash’s Associate Professor Amin Heidarpour, lead academic researcher on the project, said the limited plasticity of high-strength steel meant it had not been efficiently utilised in temporary structures, adding that Quadshore’s hybrid components “creatively [maximise] optimum use of both high-strength and mild-steel to create lightweight, high-strength structural elements and boltless connections.

“The unique experimental facilities and lab environment at Monash’s Civil Engineering Department allowed our team to undertake the experimental tests on this product that replicated its behaviour in real-world settings.” 

Quadshore was nominated by the Australian Steel Institute at the World Steel Association’s  International Constructsteel Awards 2023, where it won the Innovation of the Year Award, and was a Good Design Award Gold Winner Accolade in the Engineering Design category last month.

Heidarpour travelled to Seoul in South Korea on September 26 to accept the Construcsteel award, representing the development team.

The project had seen input from research students and staff at the department for the last decade on material materials and concept studies, culminating in a multi-year collaboration with Coates.

The last PhD student, Dr Esmaeil Pournamazian Najafabadi, is credited with addressing challenges with heavy conventional props that are mainly made from mild steel with low capacity-to-weight ratios.

“Our research has shown that by using high-strength steel we have been able to enhance the sustainability credentials of temporary structures where the carbon emission and energy consumption for manufacturing of Quadshore beams is at least 30 per cent lower than conventional props,” Heidarpour said.  

According to the ASI, the medium-duty Quadshore 50 is being manufactured by Knox Engineering at Ingleburn in Sydney.

Picture: supplied