Abstract:
Temporary working platforms are generally required in order to ensure that heavy construction machinery
such as drilling and trench wall units, pile drivers, vehicle and crawler cranes can be set up safely at the site
of operation. Considering all possible operating and loading conditions, especially on ground of low shear
strength and stiffness, the design and construction of temporary mobile working platforms needs to be
considered more as a serious engineering task than as a second order structure of minor relevance. Working
platforms reinforced with one or several geosynthetic layers have proven to be especially effective with
regard to stability, serviceability and durability but their design requests even more sophisticated
approaches. Existing design models are often based on simplified assumptions and do not consider the
complex interaction between construction machinery, working platform and subgrade. Non-monotonic
loading as well as elastoplastic and time-variant deformation of cohesive subsoil can adversely affect the
base layer system and the serviceability and stability of the construction machinery operating on it. In this
context, there is a need for improvement of design approaches and their optimisation considering that there
are no generally accepted design approaches or technical codes of practice available for the design of
temporary working platforms. The present paper deals with the multifaceted and non-trivial interaction
effects of working platforms investigated by model tests, field measurements and numerical simulations to
develop a design approach that ensures a safe installation and operation of heavy plants on unstable
ground.