HONG KONG INSTITUTE OF VOCATIONAL EDUCATION (TSING YI)

Department of Construction
2005/06 Sessional Examination (Spring Semester)
Course Name (Code) : Higher Diploma in Civil Engineering (51301)
Year of Study

:3

Mode of Study

: FT

Unit

: Temporary Works (CSE4402)

Date

: 30 May 2006

Time

: 1:30 pm - 4:30 pm

Time Allowed

: THREE (3) Hours

Instructions to Candidates:
1. Answer ANY FOUR (4) questions
2. All questions carry EQUAL marks.
3. This question paper has NINE (9) pages.
4. This question paper contains SIX (6) questions.
Examination Data:
Density of Concrete 25 kN/m3 unless otherwise stated
Available from Invigilator:

Graph papers

Page 1

Q.1

An illegally constructed concrete slab measuring 6 m long and 1.2 m

wide and of thickness 250 mm standing 2.6 m above a footpath was
found defective and ordered to be removed by the Buildings Department.
A contractor is subsequently called upon to remove the slab while the
pedestrian traffic underneath has to be maintained. For executing the
demolition work, the Contractor proposes to use steel beams at the
ceiling which in turn are supported by a shore structure assembled from
BS 1139 steel scaffolding tubing and fittings to protect pedestrians under
the ceiling as shown in Fig.Q1. Given the following design information:
Imposed load
Steel Beam
Self weight of Scaffolding Frame
Unit weight of Concrete
Lateral Load designed to be 2.5%
ceiling level

2.0 kPa
1.5 kPa
0.5 kPa
24 kN/m3
of total vertical load applied at the

(i)

Verify that the overturning moment acting on a typical interior

transverse row of shore structure above the footpath level is 1.17
kN-m;
(5 marks)

(ii)

Use the overturning moment of 1.17 kN-m to calculate the

maximum scaffold leg load and check its structural adequacy
from Table Q1; (Assume scaffolding is of USED condition)

(iii)

(iv)

(5 marks)
Determine the factor of safety against overturning for the typical
transverse row;
(5 marks)
Determine the number of diagonal bracing required for the
longitudinal stability of the scaffold shore structure and draw the
layout arrangement. Assume couplers of 6.5 kN capacity each
are used to fix diagonal braces.
(10 marks)

Page 2

Q.2

Fig. Q2 shows the layout of a formwork for a 1000x1000 square column.

The formwork consists of an internal plywood sheeting lining supported
around its periphery by vertical studs each 1.35 m long at 200 mm centre
to centre. The internal design concrete pressure of 80 kN/m2 is resisted
by two opposite walers at 1400 mm apart which are in turn tied together
at their ends with a pair of steel tie rods. The horizontal walers spacing
is 450 mm centre to centre. Use the formulae on Page 7 and the
following design loading/criteria information and formwork material
properties to check the adequacy of the formwork layout. If any
component of the layout is found unsatisfactory, suggest improvement
measure(s).
Design Loading/Criteria
Concrete pressure
Deflection

80 kN/m2
1/270 of span of each formwork
component.

Material Properties
Formwork Materials
Plywood Sheeting
(per m width)

Permissible
Moment of
Resistance

Permissible
Shear Load

Stiffness
EI

0.420 kN-m /m

9.952 kN /m

3.50 kN-m2 /m

2.500 kN-m

8.93 kN

73.00 kN-m2

7.057 kN-m

20.67 kN

396.44 kN-m2

Vertical Studs
Horizontal waler

(25 marks)

Q.3

(a)

Prepare a check list of general items which should be inspected and

checked for a formwork prior to concreting operation.
(10 marks)

(b) State the appropriate design and construction considerations for safe
erection of falsework in construction sites.
(15 marks)

Page 3

Q.4

The 15 metres high prismatic pier form detailed in Fig. Q4 consists of

two parts. The 3 m high upper part tapers from 7 m x 7 m square section
at the top to 5 m x 5m square section at elevation X-X while the lower
12 m tall column further tapers down to 2.5 m x 2.5 m square section.
Concrete will be cast in one goal by placing concrete from the top.
Anticipated site conditions during concreting will be as follows:
Concrete temperature
15 32C
Unit weight of concrete
25 kN/m3
Rate of concrete delivery
24 m3 per hour
(a)

Given the following formula in computing concrete pressure acting on

formwork, determine the design concrete pressure in kPa for the form in
every 1-m intervals and hence plot its variation along the height of the
form.
Pmax D 1.5

R 0.45 K

H 1.5

in kPa, or Dh
(20 marks)

36
K
T 16

Q.5

(b)

A design horizontal force of 10 kN acts at an elevation of 11.25 m above

the bottom of the form. Neglect the light self weight of the formwork
and calculate the minimum strut load in kN in each raking strut which
inclines at 60 to the horizontal as shown in Fig.Q4 so that a minimum
factor of safety against overturning of 1.2 can be achieved for the lateral
stability of the whole formwork.
(5 marks)

(a)

What are the common causes of cofferdam failures?

(6 marks)

(b)

(c)

Draw separate well labeled sketches to show the following arrangement

of common timber shore structures to support defective masonry walls
of buildings:
(i) raking shore
(ii) double flying shore
(iii) vertical shore
(15 marks)
Sheeting, waling and strut method is very common in providing
temporary support to trench walls locally in Hong Kong. What are the
advantages of this method?
(4 marks)

Page 4

Q.6

A single-propped cantilever steel sheet piling cofferdam is designed to

resist a 7.5 m high vertical cut as shown in Fig.Q6. Given the following
soil properties and design information:
Height of soil to be retained
Depth of the prop below ground level
Horizontal spacing of props
Active Earth Pressure Coefficient Ka
Passive Earth Pressure Coefficient Kp
Unit weight of soil
Surcharge Load

7.5m
0.9 m
3.5 m
0.25
2.00
17 kN/m3
20kN/m2

Use FREE EARTH SUPPORT METHOD to determine the:

(i)
pressure

Depth of point of zero net earth

Z
(4 marks)

(ii)

Determine the strut load

(12 marks)

(iii)

Minimum depth of embedment D that

the pile has to be driven.

(Hint: Try the depth below point of zero net earth pressure X = 1.75
m for the first iteration )
(9 marks)

Page 5

TABLE Q1

Maximum Permissible Compressive Loads in Steel Scaffolds

(which are manufactured in accordance with BS 1139: Section 1.1:1990 with a
yield stress of 225 N/mm2)
Effective Length
(mm)
250
500
750
1000
1250
1500
1750
2000
2250
2500
2750
3000
3250
3500
3750
4000
4250
4500
4750
5000
5250
5500
5750
6000
8000

Permissible Axial Compressive Load (kN)

As New Tubes
As Used Tubes
76.4
70.0
74.5
63.3
70.7
60.1
64.3
54.7
55.3
47.0
45.3
38.5
36.4
30.9
29.3
24.9
23.9
20.3
19.8
16.8
16.6
14.1
14.1
11.9
12.1
10.3
10.5
8.9
9.2
7.8
8.1
6.9
7.2
6.1
6.4
5.5
5.8
4.9
5.2
4.4
4.7
4.0
4.3
3.7
4.0
3.4
3.6
3.1
1.3
1.1

Page 6

Formulae for Q.2

Continuous Beam of 4 or more equal spans

Max. Bending Moment= 0.107L2

Max. Shear

= 0.607L

Max. Deflection =

0.00632L4
EI

3-span Continuous Beam

Max. Bending Moment= 0.100L2

Max. Shear

= 0.600L

Max. Deflection =

0.00677L4
EI

Max. Support Reaction = 1.1 L

Single-span Simply Supported Beam (Symmetrically loaded)

Max. Bending Moment=

1
1
LX L2
4
8

Max. Shear

= 0.5L
X

Max. Deflection
Where

5X
384 EI
4

= Uniformly Distributed Load

X = Span
L = Loaded Length
EI = Stiffness of Beam

Page 7

Existing
Building

250 mm thick Defective Concrete Slab to be shored

Shore assembled
from BS 1139
mild steel
scaffolding

Steel Beam

`1300

1300
Footpath Level
4 Bays of 1500 mm each

1200

Longitudinal Elevation

Transverse View

Fig. Q1 (Not to Scale)

1000

Plywood sheeting

Column Form

1000

vertical studs at 200 c/c

Horizontal walers at 450 c/c

Tie

1400

Fig. Q2 (Not to Scale)

7 m x 7 m square
2.5 m

2m

2.5 m

Raking Strut

Page 8

1m
`

3m
X

Inverted pyramidal
void

X
2.5 m 2.5 m

7m

10 kN
11.25 m

12 m

Raking Strut

2.5 m

2.5 m
PLAN

60 degrees
4m

2.5 m

4m

PIER FORM ELEVATION

Fig. Q4
(Not to Scale)
Surcharge of 20 kPa

0.9 m
Prop
7.5 m

Z
D
Steel Sheet Piling
X
Fig. Q6
(Net Lateral Earth Pressure Diagram)

(Not to Scale)

Page 9