Mobile shoring solution for massive chimney tables
Doka's engineers have designed a mobile shoring solution for the construction of chimney tables at thyssenkrupp Steel's facility in Duisburg, Germany.
The project, delivered by Mainka Bau, involves creating concrete tables to support steel chimneys for two new walking beam furnaces. The tables, each standing 13.7m tall, require substantial support to handle the heavy loads associated with a 2m-thick slab covering 190 square metres.
Doka used its UniKit heavy-duty shoring towers and Ringlock modular scaffolding to design a "mobile base" for the job. This system safely transfers loads while providing protected working areas at height.
“We had to think in XXL format to develop a safe, economical formwork and shoring solution,” says Martin Crames, project engineer at Doka.
The mobile base includes three UniKit towers, each 13.7m high, assembled on site using prefabricated components. Integrated Ringlock scaffolding creates secure work platforms, making the system both stable and worker-friendly.
“This mobile UniKit unit was a real game changer,” says Roeland Bekhof, formwork preparation manager at Mainka. “It was innovative, economical, and time-saving, with safety built in.”
To further streamline the process, Doka equipped the 100-tonne structure with a mobility feature. Using a cable winch and roller blocks, the entire unit is moved between sections without dismantling, saving time and resources. Standard Staxo 100 shoring is used for additional lateral support.
The project, completed between January and March 2024, is part of thyssenkrupp Steel's furnace system upgrades. thyssenkrupp Steel, the largest flat steel producer in Germany, employs 26,000 people and produces 11 million tonnes of crude steel annually.
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