Gulf Construction Online - Next generation of formwork by Doka

Scaffolding & Formwork

The Doka Staxo 40 load-bearing <br>tower ... tried and tested.

The Doka Staxo 40 load-bearing
tower ... tried and tested.

Next generation of formwork by Doka

01 December 2009

DOKA’S latest generation of load-bearing towers – the Staxo 40 – is geared to meeting the challenges faced on today’s construction sites, such as tight schedules and increasing costs, says its Austria-headquartered manufacturer.

The new system is based on a revolutionary H-frame design, which makes handling easy and helps speed up the progress of construction work, according to a spokeswoman for the company.

“With Staxo 40, Doka has developed a scaffolding system capable of dealing with all the mainstream propping jobs in structural engineering while ensuring maximum cost efficiency at the same time,” she says. “The load-bearing towers use a radically new frame geometry and, in terms of load-bearing capability (up to 45 kN per leg) and short assembly times, they optimise the cost/benefit ratio.”

“The patented H-frame design is trimmed for maximum efficiency and is the first frame of its kind to permit end-to-end, gapless working levels to be floored out right across the tower assembly. These straight-through levels, in turn, make for safe and speedy work on the scaffold and underneath the superstructure, the key to more productivity on the build,” she points out.

Staxo 40 is a lightweight frame system that comprises only a few individual parts and is extremely versatile. A comprehensive range of safety accessories provides maximum safety even with large shoring heights.

“By engineering weight optimisation, the Doka developers succeeded in reducing the deadweight by a significant margin and matching lightweight design to rigidity and high load-bearing capability. In combination with the ergonomic frame geometry, the lightweight Staxo 40 towers are quick and easy to erect and disassemble manually,” the spokeswoman adds.

Three different configurations are possible – namely, single load-bearing towers, grouped assemblies or extended propping structures.

She continues: “Staxo 40 scores with its high functionality for efficient work routines and high productivity. Together with the easily-installed Staxo 40 bracket, the load-bearing tower can be extended horizontally to cover a tremendous range of applications. On builds with cantilevered superstructure, the flooring one level down can be supported on the strong brackets and extended out past the scaffold, combining maximum safety and ergonomics for speedy progress. Staxo 40 brackets can also be used to set up safe and convenient access routes along the slab edge quickly and easily, dispensing with the need for additional working platforms.

“Combined with Doka’s tried-and-tested plumbing strut, Staxo 40 brackets can also be used to extend the formwork structure for projecting floor slabs.”

Staxo 40 load-bearing towers are said to offer maximum versatility for all the usual propping requirements. There are three frame heights – 0.90 m, 1.20 m, and 1.80 m – and diagonal crosses of various lengths, so Staxo 40 adapts easily and economically to different structural heights and loads, the spokeswoman says.

Frame pitch can be varied in steps of 50 cm to match the load-bearing requirements. This ensures optimum utilisation of material. The screw-jack U-head and the screw-jack foot afford a total screw-out length of 140 mm for maximum height adjustability and spot-on precision adjustment of the scaffold towers, even under load.

“This variability makes dealing with floor discontinuities a quick and easy process. Single-leg combinations offer the straightforward solution to irregularities in the structure’s footprint,” she adds.