Abstract:
Being a rapidly developing country, India is undergoing a massive infrastructure phase change remarkably. The construction industry is already set to boom, but the time and space constraints necessitate the employment of heavy plants and machinery to take the foundations deeper than ever. Operating such machinery on soft or poor ground conditions without a good working platform leads to uncertainties with massive loss of men and machinery. Plenty of such cases can be observed in construction sites across the globe. Unfortunately, forming a temporary working platform is given least to no importance in the construction industry, particularly ground engineering. This glitch can only be addressed through standard guidelines or codal recommendations on designing and implementing temporary working platforms issued by respective regulatory bodies. The present paper highlights the importance of providing the working platform and existing design method for working platforms such as TWf2019: 02 of Temporary Works forum and BRE470. A brief discussion on the design and construction of the geosynthetic reinforced working platform with a case study is also included. A pitch has been made on the importance of Indian codes/guidelines to support such technological advancement and provide guidelines on the design and construction of temporary working platforms to act as a part of the regular construction scope. These guidelines will ensure the safety of the men and heavy machinery and, in addition, increase the productivity of foundation construction irrespective of weather conditions.
Abstract: Theme 3