Thanks to special falsework designed and supplied by RMD KWIKFORM, the new four-storey, 4,200 tonne superstructure grandstand – with all of the precast elements and floor finishes in place – at Lords cricket ground in London was able to be completed prior to it being lowered onto its final bearing points.

Heralded as one of the finest grandstands anywhere in the world, the Lords grandstand combined the design flair of leading architect, Nicholas Grimshaw with the engineering prowess of Ove Arup. RMD KWIKFORM was involved from the outset, providing experience based on years of devising and implementing challenging heavy-duty propping solutions.

The solution, which required 98 hydraulic jacks, utilised RMD Kwikform's Megashor heavy-duty propping system. Its 1,000kN leg capacity and the system's high degree of flexibility made it the natural choice for the Lords' contract. To further add to its appeal, RMD KWIKFORM engineers developed special Megashor hydraulic units for the contract that meant that the hydraulic jacks were required only during the final stages of construction. This resulted in substantial cost savings.

The Megashor system is suitable for a vast array of propping, jacking, strutting, support tower and spanning-truss applications, and has been used on any number of major construction projects throughout the world. The system is built around the 286mm by 280mm steel Megashor section, which is available in eight standard lengths between 15mm and 5.4 metres. This allows virtually any beam length to be assembled using standard, off-the-shelf components. These can be teamed up with header beams, fixed and adjustable bracing, screw jacks, tilt heads, bracing units and node assemblies.

This array of purpose designed accessories, plus integral node points every 900mm along the Megashor section, delivers a degree of design versatility that ensures Megashor's suitability for heavy duty falsework applications, cofferdam work, bridge bearing replacement and façade retention.

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