Circular scaffolding grants access at Hinkley Point C

Kaefer and Layher worked together to provide specialist access services to the containment liner structures at Hinkley Point C nuclear plant in the UK.

Scaffolding manufacturer Layher is providing vertical and horizontal access to the walls of six containment liner structures at the new Hinkley Point C nuclear plant in the UK.

The company is working with insulation and fire protection specialist Kaefer, which has been commissioned to undertake insulation works to the inner containment liners of the plant’s Nuclear Island. 

Trevor Woodward, director of business & strategy for Kaefer in the UK & Ireland, said, “Hinkley Point C is an important project for Kaefer’s wide range of technical industrial services solutions and a site where we are always looking to apply best practices in construction methodology and digital technology.

“Access for productivity and efficiency is essential but more importantly we are able to design, model and plan safety critical aspects such as ventilation and rescue.”

Kaefer used its own 5D scaffolding design expertise in collaboration with Layher’s SIM design capability for the project, along with Layher’s equipment and rosette design for the circular scaffolding installation. This system allowed for multiple connections of the lightweight scaffolding and associated deck systems to create multiple lifts around the containment structures.

Each of the six containment liners comprised a cup, a dome and three rings, some which measured up to 48.2m in diameter and 17m high. They also featured a series of circular protrusions – with diameters ranging from 2.7m to 50mm – that had to be accommodated in the design of the scaffolding to provide both internal and external access for the works.

According to Layher, its collaboration with Kaefer also led to the development of an adjustable splay deck – a one-piece extendable corner unit – which removes the need for overlay decking.

Kaefer used its own 5D scaffolding design expertise in collaboration with Layher’s SIM design capability for the project.

Sean Pike, Layher’s UK managing director, said, “The complexity of the scaffold project could only be realised by utilising Layher’s 5D modelling system, SIM (Scaffold Information Modelling) software. This interfaces directly with the Building Information Modelling (BIM) technology model used on the project to identify the optimum scaffold layout and build method.

“Both the complex BIM model and our SIM scaffold model integrate seamlessly thereby identifying any collisions, clashes and problems long before the scaffold is physically built. This saves time and helps to optimise logistics and labour – and the customer sees what they are getting beforehand.”

Each of the six containment liners comprised a cup, a dome and three rings, some which measured up to 48.2m in diameter and 17m high.