Comparative Study of Materials used for Props and Scaffoldings in Southern Nigeria

Abstract

The increase in demand and consequent high cost of steel props and scaffolds as a result of the desire to construct buildings with multiple floors in Nigeria has made many contractors use different materials. Thus, this study surveys and compares Steel, Timber and Bamboo scaffolds and props in Nigeria; it specifically investigated material preferences and their cost implications. It also determined installation techniques and the safety of props and scaffolds. Opinion surveys including questionnaire, visual inspections, interviews, and cost analyses were adopted as the research methodology. 50 ongoing building projects in Delta, Anambra, and Edo States were studied. The sample population was 30 site supervisors and 50 prop and scaffold installers. Purposive sampling was used to collect data. The findings reveal that contractors now prefer bamboo to other materials; the joinery systems depend on the material; nailing and tying for bamboo to bamboo while nailing and mechanical accessories were used for timber and steel respectively. Others are, all the materials are safe if properly fabricated and installed and the cost of scaffoldings and props decreases exponentially from steel to timber and then bamboo. Therefore, it was recommended among other materials that bamboo should be used in the production of prop and scaffold to save cost. Again, bamboo construction techniques should be included in the building construction curriculum, especially in scaffold and prop production.