Working Platform Design
A working platform is a temporary, stable surface designed to support construction or maintenance activities, particularly in environments such as construction sites, industrial settings, or areas with heavy machinery. These platforms are essential for safely supporting workers, equipment, cranes, piling rigs and materials during operations. Proper design is critical to ensure safety, prevent accidents, and comply with regulatory standards.
Atlas Engineering and Technology Group (AETG) experience with working platform design involves assessing various factors, including load-bearing capacity, ground conditions, material selection, and site-specific elements like environmental conditions. Key considerations include stability, durability, safety and ease of installation.
Temporary working platform designs for cranes, piling rigs and heavy plant pose high risks for both users and designers. The design and construction phases require careful consideration of multiple factors, including selecting appropriate load input parameters to determine correct load cases. AETG employ reliable design methods, incorporating geotechnical parameters, which are essential to assessing the required thickness and stiffness of the platform.
This course of action offers industry best practices for the design and verification of working platforms, combining theoretical knowledge with practical application to ensure safety and effectiveness.
AETG Design Considerations
Load Distribution: The working platform must be designed to evenly distribute the weight of the crane and the loads being lifted to avoid localised pressure on the ground that could cause soil failure or excessive settlement. The design of the working platform must account for the contact pressure that the crane or piling rig will exert on the ground surface. This pressure should be well within the allowable bearing capacity of the underlying soil or surface.
Subsurface Soil Conditions: The type of soil (e.g. clay, sand, gravel) and its properties (bearing capacity, cohesion, friction angle) play a major role in the design of the crane pad. The soil’s bearing capacity is a critical factor in determining the thickness and materials required for the crane pad. Weak soils may require additional stabilisation measures, such as soil compaction or geogrid reinforcement. High water tables or poor drainage conditions can affect the stability of the crane pad and its load-bearing capacity. Drainage systems or additional soil treatment may be necessary for these conditions.
Loading Considerations: This critical step incorporates the weight of the operating plant itself, including the main body, counterweights, and any other fixed components. The weight of the load being lifted, including the dynamic forces generated during operation, are critical to the design process. During lifting operations, heavy machinery may generate dynamic loads due to movement, boom swing, or lifting speeds. These dynamic effects can be amplified depending on the crane type and operating conditions.
Stability and Reinforcement: For soft, unsuitable or unstable soils, the working platform may need additional reinforcement, such as using a thicker mat or incorporating geogrids, geotextiles, or soil stabilisation methods to prevent excessive settlement or shifting. Mobile cranes typically have outriggers that extend outward to stabilise the crane. The design of the crane platforms should account for these outriggers and ensure that the weight is evenly distributed across all surface contact components to prevent tilting or instability.
Drainage and Ground Preparation: Adequate drainage is essential to prevent water accumulation around the working platform, which could affect the stability of the platform. Drainage systems, such as trenching, may be required to divert water away from the working platform area. For weak soils, the working platform area may require soil compaction or stabilisation before placement. Methods such as vibro-compaction or soil conditioning can improve the bearing capacity of the ground before the pad is placed.
Why Choose AETG for Your Working Platform Design
At AETG, we understand that the design of working platforms is an essential aspect of ensuring the safety, stability, and efficiency of construction, maintenance, and industrial operations. Careful consideration must be given to the loads the platform will support, the materials used, the site conditions, and the safety measures required for workers and equipment. By following the correct design procedures in accordance with Australian Standards (AS1289) and selecting appropriate materials, a working platform can provide a safe and reliable surface for operations, preventing accidents and ensuring compliance with regulations.
Successfully Completed Jobs by AETG to Date
✔ Proposed High School Construction - Horrie Rd, Edmondson Park NSW
The Pile Platform Assessment Report, prepared by AETG for Attcall Civil Contractors Pty Ltd, evaluates the load-bearing suitability of a piling platform at Building B North of the proposed Edmondson Park School development. The assessment included visual inspections and Dynamic Cone Penetrometer (DCP) testing to determine if the subgrade could support a Bauer BG-28-H piling rig with a required Allowable Bearing Pressure (ABP) of 350 kPa. Results indicate the platform, situated in a compacted fill area, is suitable for the required loading under undrained conditions, provided the 0.20 m DGB20 layer is compacted to 98% Standard compaction. The report includes testing figures and calculations and advises reinspection following adverse weather.
✔ Proposed Private Hospital Upgrade - Wentworth Road, Strathfield NSW
The Pile Platform Assessment Report, prepared by AETG for Moit & Sons (NSW) Pty Ltd, assesses the load-bearing capacity of a piling platform at Wentworth Road, Strathfield, as part of the Strathfield Private Hospital Upgrade. The assessment involved 12 Dynamic Cone Penetrometer (DCP) tests and visual inspections to determine if the platform could safely support a B175XP-2 piling rig, requiring an Allowable Bearing Pressure (ABP) of 290 kPa. The platform was found suitable under undrained conditions, with recommendations to avoid areas affected by water ponding from a leaking pipeline and to enhance slip resistance using a granular DGB20 layer. The report also notes that a stockpile obstructed testing in one area, which is assumed to be consistent with the rest of the platform.
✔ Proposed Warehouse Development - Faulkner Road, Armadale NSW
The report provides a geotechnical assessment for a proposed structure at Lot 201, 103 Faulkner Road, Armadale, focusing on soil bearing capacity. Field investigations, including three hand auger boreholes and DCP testing, revealed topsoil overlying loose to medium dense sands and some silty sand to depths of 1.0–1.2 m. Groundwater was not encountered. Laboratory testing confirmed soil properties. The site is classified as Class A under AS 2870. For shallow footings, a maximum allowable bearing pressure of 100 kPa is recommended at a minimum embedment of 300 mm, with suitable founding material being medium dense sands. Recommendations also include site preparation and compaction guidelines to ensure footing stability.