A composite scaffolding demonstrator

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The Composite Scaffolding Company (CSCo) is developing a light-weight alternative to metal scaffolding, fabricated entirely of composite materials.This is in contrast to traditional metal scaffolding (which is heavy and sluggish, corrosive and conductive), system scaffolding (which is limited in design and expensive to purchase ) and Access towers (limited in platform height, length and design.) Furthermore, due to the cumbersome nature and weight of these, operators are subject to occupational health issues, illness and fatalities at site.Unlike traditional metal scaffolding which generates the required safe grip capacities by exerting very large levels of radial pressure, attaining the correct level of safe grip between a composite tube and connector (without damage) has proven technically difficult to achieve until now.The IUK Transformational Technology grant offers the CSCo project team the opportunity to finalise work on a tube and connector that generates the safe grip required to build a 'proof of concept 'demonstrator in full conformity of British and Euro-code standards. Under the name of 'S3-Safer Smarter Scaffolding', CSCo will develop novel TRL5/6 components (consisting of tubes, connectors and boards) fabricated of advanced composite materials. This demonstrator will consist of a 2 x bay, 2 x lift structure to be used for field trials and evaluation.By creating a demonstrator comprising of GRP, we will demonstrate that our product is potentially up to 75% lighter than traditional scaffolding, has the potential to resist high loads of up to 3.00kN/m2, is flexible in design, thermally neutral, non conductive, non-sparking and non-corrosive. This makes it safe to use around electrical installations (including railways and National Grid work) and offshore assets for repair, inspection and maintenance work. Other knock-on benefits include faster mobilise and strike times, mitigation of operator health and safety issues (hence less site days lost to personal illness and injury)The scaffolding industry is a steel intensive industry. The manufacture of iron and steel is responsible for 11% of Global Co2e.(Scaffmag Jul 2022.) There is a need for scaffolding solutions that reduce CO2e. S3 achieves this by exploiting efficient manufacturing processes and a reduction of imported metal scaffolding components. Reduction in weight further results in improved efficiencies in speed of transportation to site, lower fuel/electric consumption, speed of mobilisation and strike times, resulting in improved use of resources, cost efficiencies and higher productivity, resulting in a greater output of goods and services with a lower environmental impact.