Project: Staged propping for load-bearing wall footing replacement
Location: Rutherford, NSW
Sector: Commercial construction
Services Provided: Temporary works engineering, propping design, equipment supply
Equipment Used: Legend Multi Props, hardwood timber sleepers
Project Manager: Nick Smith
Project Overview
Legend Hire engineered a staged propping system in a confined Rutherford undercroft, supporting a suspended concrete slab so a contractor could replace the footing beneath a load-bearing wall without undermining the structure.
A commercial building required replacement of the footing beneath an existing load-bearing wall in an undercroft. Before the footing works could begin, the contractor needed temporary concrete footings for a propping system to bear onto, supporting the suspended concrete slab above. Because of the tight working space, installing those temporary footings would also undermine a second load-bearing wall, introducing the need for additional staged propping.
Legend Hire engineered a staged propping system to support the suspended slab and eliminate the risk of undermining either wall during the works.
The Challenge
- Poor access: the confined undercroft restricted equipment movement and placement.
- Poor ground conditions: the bearing layer required temporary concrete footings before any prop load could be transferred.
- Undermining risk: installing the temporary footings would undermine an adjacent load-bearing wall, which could not be left unsupported during excavation.
- Sequenced works: support had to be staged so the slab remained fully supported as each footing was installed.
The Solution
Legend Hire engineered a staged propping arrangement to maintain continuous support of the suspended slab:
- Temporary concrete footings poured to provide a sound bearing surface for the props.
- A line of propping installed onto the footings to support the suspended slab and carry redistributed load.
- Additional staged propping introduced ahead of undermining the adjacent wall, so no wall was left without support during excavation.
Equipment installed in coordination with the contractor’s footing-replacement sequence.
Equipment Used
- Legend Multi Props: engineered modular adjustable steel props providing rated vertical capacity and height adjustability
- Hardwood timber sleepers for base load distribution.
The Outcome
The staged propping system maintained full support of the suspended slab throughout the works, allowing the contractor to install the temporary footings safely and without undermining either load-bearing wall. The engineered solution eliminated uncontrolled structural risk in a confined undercroft and kept works progressing under controlled, compliant conditions.
FAQ’s
Staged propping is a temporary works method where structural support is installed and adjusted in a planned sequence, so a building element such as a suspended slab stays fully supported while load is redistributed beneath it. It is used when works cannot all happen at once without leaving part of the structure unsupported.
The load above the wall is transferred onto temporary props that bear onto a sound surface, often temporary concrete footings or timber sleepers. With the slab independently supported, the original footing can be exposed and replaced without the wall carrying load during the works.
Yes. Modular adjustable props such as Legend Multiprops are suited to tight, low-headroom spaces because their height adjusts and they can be positioned individually. In confined undercrofts, base load is commonly distributed through hardwood timber sleepers to suit poor ground conditions.