In the competitive landscape of Australian construction, the Shore Brace 400 is testament to engineering excellence. Hot dip galvanized for Shore Hire by the experts at Galserv, this hydraulic bracing system isn’t just built for the now—it delivers an extended lifespan that is unique in the for-hire market.

The Shore Brace 400 is a modular hydraulic bracing system comprising various sized extension beams. It features double-pinned joints for increased capacity and incorporates double-acting hydraulics for smooth operation in extension and retraction. This is complemented by hydraulic lock-off valves for unparalleled control and safety.

On the ground, the Shore Brace 400 is a force to be reckoned with. The system can support rectangle, square or multi-sided excavations up to 20m without cross supports. From cofferdams to complex basement constructions, it can shore up large tank and pipeline installations as well as substantial building foundations.

With a fleet that now weighs in at around 250 tonnes, the Shore Brace 400 system is a formidable player in the structural support game—and the only Australian made product of its kind.

Research and Development

Designed and developed by Shore Hire, the Shore Brace 400 was first conceived in 2018 and was followed by five years of rigorous R&D to ensure their product would meet the requirements of long life for a tough application.

Internationally, similar systems are typically painted, produced as one-offs or made in smaller sizes with additional bracing required. With multiple accidents and fatalities every year linked to workers standing in un-shored trenches, it was evident that new, innovative shoring practices and equipment were needed to provide a safe place for operators to work.

As a result, the Shore Brace 400 was engineered to meet a growing market need for a reusable hire system suitable to substantially large projects, eliminating the need for multiple cross struts or additional complexity in installation and extraction sequence.

To achieve this, the Shore Brace 400 had a complex design with exacting specifications, leaving no room for quality issues. The coating had to be durable enough to withstand repeat wear and tear experienced during the excavation and hire process. Galvanizing was the best option.

According to Joshua Nolan (General Manager, Galserv), “This is the sort of application where galvanizing is far superior over other coatings like paint. The Shore Brace 400 system is designed to be installed in pits—by its very nature, the steel will get wet, be bumped by excavators, and get damaged. Shore Hire really wanted to manufacture this product in Australia. Galvanizing is the best possible choice for both long-term durability, and local manufacture.”

Meeting Shore Hire’s Design Needs

Over the course of five years of research and development, Galserv (particularly account manager Adam Chessell) supported Shore Hire with technical, durability and performance advice.

As Adam Chessell explained, “Each component in the Shore Brace 400 range was designed with a highly complex connector point, with holes for pins and interlocking fingers, along with internal crossbar sections for strength.”

“Shore Hire moved away from the idea of a painted shore bracing product to a product that was hot dip galvanized. The reason for this was that a painted system was inadequate. It was simply not robust enough to perform in the demanding, harsh construction site environment,” said Chessell.

Galserv formulated a specific process to achieve the required finish when components are assembled. Each lot of bracing follows this process consistently, with Galserv continuously testing and quality checking, to ensure technical, logistical and quality aspects are delivered each time.

Technical and Engineering Innovation

Each component had engineering restrictions on where drainage holes could be placed for hanging in order to ensure a seamless system connection with no failure points when installed. Galserv worked with Shore Hire’s engineers to propose, draw and test holes for hanging across several design iterations.

Sections of the Shore Brace 400 are incredibly bulky but include areas of tight tolerance where pieces connect, such as the pins, pivot points and fingers. Galserv had to ensure that all these areas had the correct drainage to eliminate the build-up of zinc in conformance with AS/NZS 4680.

Galserv provided Shore Hire with training on the galvanizing process to assist with their understanding of each stage of the product’s handling and treatment. Each design iteration underwent many rounds of testing to determine the correct orientation to achieve the perfect finish until a specification was developed.

As a product for hire, the Galserv team worked to formulate dipping processes to ensure the Shore Brace 400 achieves a consistent finish, reducing fleet maintenance needs and eliminating the need for remedial work.

“Galserv enjoys the challenge of projects that make us think and innovate. We do a lot of design and engineering work to ensure the most successful outcome possible for our clients. We want to be involved in the journey to make sure we get the best result possible and build long-term relationships with our clients,” said Nolan.

Market Development Potential

Market interests have already shifted from traditional or smaller systems to the larger Shore Brace 400. Shore Hire has reported an increase in their market share following the successful completion of a number of high-profile projects.

“Shore Hire is a company that likes to innovate. This is a completely new product for the market—they don’t have a competitor in this space. So the market potential is unlimited, and is growing steadily. Everyone in the market will look to follow their lead,” said Chessell.

With product demand increasing, Shore Hire is developing further offerings in this space, introducing additional pin types and ancillary equipment to make installation and dismantling quicker and safer.

Environmental Benefit

Manufactured from steel and galvanized for longevity, the Shore Brace 400 system can be re-hired many times across multiple projects, greatly reducing the carbon footprint associated with bracing.

“One of the key drivers of Shore Hire was creating a product that could be reused, over and over again. Traditionally, the bracing industry generates a lot of scrap and material wastage—bracing is usually painted light-gauge steel walers that are scrapped after a single use. The Shore Brace 400 can be used, dissembled, taken back to the yard, cleaned up and then reused over and over,” said Nolan.

Galvanizing expertise is evident in resilience of the Shore Brace 400 system. Galserv didn’t just coat the steel; they provided vital input on technical design aspects to ensure optimal galvanizing results, preventing build-up and ensuring the durability and longevity of the system.