Project: Masonry Wall Stabilisation – Pub Extension
Location: East Maitland, NSW
Sector: Commercial / Hospitality
Client: Abacorp
Services Provided: Temporary structural propping, engineered installation
Equipment Used: SHS Needle Beams, Aluminium Multiprops, Scaffold Tube Bracing
Project Overview
Legend Hire engineered and installed a needle beam propping system to stabilise a load-bearing masonry wall at a heritage pub in East Maitland, NSW, enabling safe demolition works and structural steel installation for a new building extension.
Working in a confined side access corridor with restricted headroom below the existing Level 1 floor, the Legend team deployed SHS needle beams, aluminium multiprops, and scaffold tube bracing to transfer wall loads safely while the demolition contractor removed the existing masonry and created the structural opening required for the new steel frame.
The Challenge
The project involved removing a section of load-bearing masonry wall from an operational pub to create the structural opening needed for a new building extension. To install the new structural steel beams, the existing wall had to be temporarily supported while demolition proceeded beneath and around the load-bearing masonry.
Two site constraints made this a technically demanding temporary works problem:
Confined access corridor. The only viable propping zone was a narrow external service corridor between the existing building and the property boundary. This corridor provided minimal lateral working space, requiring all propping equipment to be selected and positioned to function effectively within a tight footprint.
Restricted headroom below Level 1 floor. The needle beams needed to pass through the masonry wall and bear onto vertical props positioned below the existing Level 1 suspended floor. The floor-to-ground clearance in this zone was insufficient to accommodate standard propping configurations, requiring the team to engineer a solution using equipment with a reduced setup height profile.
Any failure of the temporary support system during demolition carried the risk of uncontrolled wall movement, potential structural damage to the Level 1 floor above, and serious safety risk to the demolition crew operating in the confined corridor below.
The Solutions
Legend Hire’s team assessed the site conditions and designed a propping configuration that resolved both the access and headroom constraints without compromising structural support performance.
SHS Needle Beams were placed horizontally through the masonry wall at the correct bearing elevation to intercept the vertical loads from the wall section above the proposed demolition opening. The hollow section profile of the SHS beams provided the necessary bending stiffness to span the opening width while keeping the beam depth within the available headroom envelope.
Aluminium Multiprops were positioned vertically beneath each needle beam to carry the transferred wall loads down to the ground. The multiprops were selected for this application because their variable extension range accommodated the restricted floor-to-ground clearance in the corridor, and their lighter unit weight allowed manual handling and precise positioning in a space too confined for mechanical plant.
Scaffold tube bracing was installed laterally between the prop assemblies to form a braced temporary works frame, providing resistance against out-of-plane movement and ensuring the system remained geometrically stable throughout the demolition sequence.
The result was a compact, structurally efficient support system that stabilised the masonry wall above the work zone, transferred loads safely to the ground, and allowed the demolition contractor to proceed with wall removal and structural steel beam installation without incident.
Equipment Used
- SHS Needle Beams: structural hollow section steel beams, installed through the masonry wall
- Aluminium Multiprops: positioned beneath needle beams to carry loads to ground level
- Scaffold Tube Bracing: connecting the prop assemblies to form stable temporary works frame
The Outcome
The temporary needle beam propping system performed as engineered throughout the demolition and steel installation programme.
Key outcomes:
- Load-bearing masonry wall stabilised safely for the duration of demolition works
- Structural steel beams installed in the new opening without delay or structural movement
- Zero incidents during demolition works in the confined corridor
- Propping configuration resolved both the restricted headroom and confined access constraints without modification to the site or the structure
- Project timeline maintained; client able to proceed directly from wall demolition to structural steel installation
The East Maitland pub extension project demonstrates Legend Hire’s capability to engineer practical temporary works solutions in constrained environments where standard approaches cannot be applied directly.
A needle beam propping system involves inserting a structural steel beams (the needle beams) horizontally through a load-bearing wall at a nominated elevation. Vertical props beneath the beams then carry the intercepted wall loads to the ground, allowing the masonry below the beam level to be safely removed.
Square Hollow Section (SHS) needle beams are used when a propping system requires a compact beam profile with good bending stiffness and the ability to pass through a masonry wall opening without excessive depth.
Aluminium multiprops were selected because their variable extension range accommodated the restricted floor-to-ground clearance in the access corridor, and their lower unit weight allowed manual handling and precise placement in a space too confined for mechanical equipment.
Yes. With appropriate engineering design and a carefully sequenced installation methodology, temporary propping systems can be installed and operated in buildings that remain partially or fully occupied. Legend Hire has delivered needle beam and multiprop solutions across occupied residential, commercial, and hospitality sites. See the Needle Propping System for Multi-Level Building Remediation for a comparable occupied-building case study.