RMD KWIKFORM successfully completed one of the Australia's most impressive shoring support projects. Its Megashor heavy duty shoring system, introduced in 1997, was used for the temporary support towers for one of the new $463 million, Sydney Olympic Stadium's main construction elements, the massive 295-metre clear-span twin steel truss arches.

The erection process called for the two 200 tonne end sections of the 650 tonne main arches to be lifted into position using a huge Lampson LT12600 mobile crane. These were then supported by thrust blocks at one end and 12-leg configuration Megashor towers at the other, with an intermediate tower support to prevent the truss from sagging. The Megashor towers supported vertical loads of 2000kN, side loads of 600kN and a propping height of 43 metres.

The trusses were fabricated and erected by National Engineering Pty, and RMD KWIKFORM was involved from the earliest design stage. According to the specialist steel construction company's General Manager, Peter Burns, Megashor's modular construction and high load capacity were key factors in its selection. So too, he says, was RMD Kwikform's proven ability to undertake the complex engineering, structural analysis and design of the support towers, based National Engineering's erection sequence and loading conditions.

The Olympic Stadium was being built by a consortium led by Multiplex Construction Pty Ltd, and consumed 90,000 cubic metres of concrete.

Megashor comprises a number of high strength structural steel components that are most frequently used as columns. However they can also be used as beams or beam-and-column combinations, while standard connecting nodes allow the system to be utilised to construct heavy-duty trusses. The sections are available in varying lengths and standard accessories enable them to be assembled into a wide range of configurations to suit any high load propping or spanning application.

In addition to being used at the new 110,000-spectator stadium – the largest ever built for the Olympic Games – Megashor's high load and flexibility characteristics also recently led to its being used in the construction of the Royal Agricultural Stadium in Sydney

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