In the realm of temporary construction works, Quadshore has emerged as a game-changer. Temporary structures play a pivotal role throughout a building’s life cycle, from its construction to maintenance and eventual demolition. However, traditional temporary supports have faced considerable challenges, primarily due to their weight and complex assembly methods.
The inception of Quadshore can be attributed to the remarkable partnership between Monash University and Coates. Their vision was to create a system that embodies safety, lightweight design, heavy-duty capabilities, swift installation, reusability, and a strong commitment to sustainability. The journey led them to high-strength steel, a material with immense potential to address these challenges.
High-strength steel presents numerous advantages, including increased structural integrity and the potential to construct lighter, more efficient buildings. While this material has found its place in cranes and vehicle components, its application in construction has been limited due to its low ductility. However, the collaboration between Monash University and Coates resulted in the development of a hybrid section that skilfully combined high-strength steel tubes with mild steel plates to ensure both strength and ductility.
The development of Quadshore involved an extensive exploration of section geometries. Ultimately, a doubly symmetric design with Circular Hollow Sections (CHS) at the corners was identified as the most suitable. In an innovative twist, Square Hollow Sections (SHS) laces were chosen over traditional plates, significantly improving the capacity-to-weight ratio.
Quadshore is available in two variants: Quadshore 50 and Quadshore 150, boasting load capacities of 60 and 170 tonnes, respectively. Despite their differing load capabilities, both variants share the same footprint, demonstrating the versatility of high-strength steel in construction.
Quadshore modules are notably lighter than their conventional counterparts, making transportation and installation significantly more manageable. Furthermore, the introduction of a boltless connection system simplifies the assembly process, reducing both time and cost.
However, Quadshore is more than just an engineering marvel; it’s a sustainability advocate. The manufacturing of high-strength steel is closely linked to carbon emissions and energy consumption, with weight playing a pivotal role. Quadshore’s revolutionary design has resulted in a remarkable 35% reduction in carbon emissions and energy consumption compared to conventional support systems.
In conclusion, Quadshore represents a revolutionary stride in the construction industry, addressing long-standing weight, assembly, and sustainability issues. Constructsteel is immensely proud to recognise Quadshore’s innovative use of high-strength steel and its transformative impact on the field. We extend our appreciation to everyone involved in this remarkable project and look forward to the positive influence Quadshore will continue to exert in the construction sector.