Very few buildings have endured so much damage throughout their history – and survived – as the Parthenon due, among other factors, to the continual efforts to preserve and restore the monument.
In the context of the current maintenance and restoration programme, it was necessary to replace old scaffolding that had been in use for at least 20 years on the west side of the structure with new scaffolding, planned for a usage period of up to 24 months for the completion of this work. In addition to the flexible Layher Allround Scaffolding, the Greek scaffolding construction experts at Metron stages also opted for the digital Layher SIM® process (Scaffolding Information Modeling), which uses digital 3D models to make the planning, logistics and implementation of the project safer, more efficient and more cost-effective.
“Even if it doesn’t look like it at first glance, there are no right angles or uniform spacing in the Parthenon. The ancient builders optimised the temple visually so that when it is viewed from the outside, it appears perfectly balanced. To achieve this, however, not only were floors curved, but columns were tapered, slightly inclined and set at varying intervals,” according to Charoula Giaka, a technical engineer at Layher Hellas.
For the planners and scaffolders, this meant that the distances between the scaffolding and the structure were never consistent and during assembly they always had to account for the possibility of collisions. “This provided an ideal application for our digital Layher SIM® process based on a 3D-Laserscan of the structure, which makes 3D allowances in the millimetre range possible as the process progresses.”
When the legendary meets a legend
In order to create a safe working environment in this legendary ancient structure and also meet the requirements for supporting heavy marble slabs during installation in the second phase of the project, Metron stages used over 23 tonnes of the Lightweight version of Layher Allround Scaffolding. The reduced weight makes transportation and assembly easier while still ensuring maximum stability. In this way, the complex scaffolding at the Parthenon was erected by 7 employees in just 5 days. “The Allround System stands out due to its easy adaptation, even for demanding terrain and complex geometries, its large selection of components for customised solutions, its low material use and its efficient logistics,” explains Kalli Vrettou, a scaffolding planner at Metron stages. “The material use is quite flexible for all kinds of applications, whether access solutions, support solutions, event structures or, as in this case, safe work scaffolding – for us, the Allround Scaffolding has become a true legend in scaffolding construction.”
Comprehensive digital scaffolding planning
In order to document the Doric structures with plinths, columns, capitals, architraves and gables as accurately as possible, a 3D laser scan was used to generate a point cloud, capturing every detail. The point cloud served as a digital twin for scaffolding planning in LayPLAN CAD, which was then used for the precise planning of the actual scaffolding. “In this way, even in the planning stage we were able to take the special architectural characteristics of this temple into consideration and plan for possible interference contours or inclines,” says Charoula Giaka, a technical engineer at Layher Hellas.
Thanks to SIM2Field, possible sources of error were avoided in the calculation and positioning of the scaffolding, even in cases of complex geometries, and the use of paper plans was reduced. Using pre-defined reference points in the 3D planning and on the construction site allowed the base plates to be positioned exactly. The related SIM2Field XR app is used for work preparation as well as for support during assembly and checks of scaffolding structures on the construction site. Moreover, it enables the comparison of the prepared material lists. The use of 3D scaffolding models reduces the need for paper plans and simultaneously optimises the information flow to the construction site. This comprehensive concept gives rise to a consistent digital process, from 3D scaffolding planning to completing the scaffolding at the construction site.
Digitalisation has arrived in the scaffolding construction sector too
Metron stages, a scaffolding contractor based in Athens, is active in a wide variety of projects in the area of event technology and scaffolding. These projects include stages for numerous music festivals in Greece as well as grandstands, ramps and pedestrian bridges for music and sporting events.
Thanks to targeted investments in integrated, certified Layher material and extensive qualifications for its own personnel, the company has been able to deliver numerous events and projects in the arts, sports, business and private sectors over its many years of operation since the 1980s.
