---
title: "Shoring and its types"
subject: "Building Technology"
chapter: 8
key: "semester_6/building_technology:shoring-types"
source: https://www.bctengineer.com/q/semester_6/building_technology/shoring-types
site: BCT Engineering
---

# Shoring and its types

Building Technology · Chapter 8: Temporary construction

- Asked in: 2076 Bhadra, 4 marks; 2072 Magh, 6 marks; 2070 Bhadra, 8 marks (asked 3 times)
- Video: [What is shoring Types of Shoring | Raking Shores | Flying shores | Dead shores | Construction repair](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M98t5HHMRJU) — Real civil
- Answer checked by Claude Opus 5.5 (high effort) on 2026-10-14
- Page: https://www.bctengineer.com/q/semester_6/building_technology/shoring-types
- Whole chapter: https://www.bctengineer.com/md/semester_6/building_technology/chapter-8

## Question

Define shoring. Describe the various types of shoring with necessary neat sketches.

## Short answer

Shoring is temporary support for an unsafe wall or structure. Types: raking shores (inclined members at 60-70°, bearing on wall plate and sole plate); flying shores (horizontal shores between two walls, with struts, for gaps up to 9 m); dead shores (vertical posts supporting loads above a removed wall via needles and sole plates).

## Answer

**Shoring** is the temporary support given to an unsafe wall, building or structure to prevent it from collapsing, using inclined, horizontal or vertical timber or steel members, until permanent repair or reconstruction is done.

#### Types of shoring
**1. Raking shore**

**Raking (inclined) shore:** inclined members (rakers) support a wall from the outside. Rakers are at 60-70 degrees to the ground. At the top they bear on **needles** fixed through a **wall plate** that is secured to the wall, and at the bottom they rest on a **sole plate** on a firm base. **Cleats** and **braces** hold the members together.

```text
        wall plate
   wall |==|\ needle
   |    |  | \ raker
   |    |  |  \ cleat
   |    |  |   \
   |    |  |    \
 --+----+--+-----\--- ground
                sole plate
```
Types: simple (single raker), compound/double (two or more rakers meeting the wall at different levels), and multiple raking shores for high walls (up to three storeys).

**2. Flying shore**

**Flying (horizontal) shore:** used when two parallel walls with a narrow gap (3-9 m) between them are to be supported, e.g. when the building between them is demolished. A **horizontal shore** is fixed between wall plates on the two walls, supported on needles, with inclined **struts** from lower needles up to **straining pieces** on the horizontal shore. No part touches the ground, hence "flying".

```text
  wall                                      wall
  |  ||==N====== horizontal shore ======N==||  |
  |  ||     [sp]                  [sp]     ||  |
  |  ||      /                      \      ||  |
  |  ||    /   strut          strut   \    ||  |
  |  ||  /                              \  ||  |
  |  ||N/                                \N||  |
  |  ||                                    ||  |
  || = wall plate, N = needle, [sp] = straining piece
```
A single flying shore is used for gaps up to about 9 m; a double (compound) flying shore is used for wider gaps. The system is cheaper than raking shores and keeps the ground clear for work.

**3. Dead shore**

**Dead (vertical) shore:** used to support the floors and roofs above when a wall is removed, an opening is made in a lower storey, or the lower wall is repaired. It transfers the vertical load to the ground.

It consists of vertical posts (**dead shores**) on a **sole plate** at the bottom, a **needle** (horizontal beam) passing through the wall at the top, and **braces**, **cleats** and **wedges** to take up the weight.

```text
        floor above
   ____|==needle==|____
   wall| |      | |wall
   wall| | post | |
   wall| | post | |
       |_|______|_|
       sole plate
```

## Check yourself

The answer's key points as multiple-choice questions, with the correct option and why.

1. Shoring is best defined as:
   A. Permanent strengthening of a foundation
   B. Temporary support to an unsafe wall or structure using inclined, horizontal or vertical members
   C. A finishing layer on walls
   D. A method of excavating trenches
   Answer: B. Shoring is temporary support to prevent collapse until permanent repair or reconstruction. (Key point: Definition of shoring)

2. In a raking shore, how are the rakers arranged?
   A. Horizontal between two walls
   B. Vertical on a sole plate under a needle
   C. Inclined at 60-70 degrees, from a wall plate on the wall to a sole plate on firm ground
   D. Hanging from the roof
   Answer: C. Rakers are inclined at 60-70 degrees, fixed at the top to a wall plate and at the bottom to a sole plate. (Key point: Raking shore angle and parts)

3. A flying shore is used when:
   A. A single wall stands alone in open ground
   B. Two parallel walls with a narrow gap (3-9 m) need support, and no part touches the ground
   C. A floor needs vertical support after wall removal
   D. A trench needs bracing
   Answer: B. Horizontal shores between two nearby parallel walls support them without touching the ground, hence 'flying'. (Key point: Flying shore use)

4. What does a dead shore do?
   A. Supports an external wall by inclined members
   B. Spans between two walls horizontally
   C. Transfers vertical load of floors and roofs above to the ground through vertical posts when a lower wall is removed
   D. Strengthens a foundation by grouting
   Answer: C. Dead shores are vertical posts with a needle that carry floors and roofs above an opening or removed wall to the ground. (Key point: Dead shore)

## Related in Building Technology

- [Flying shoring with neat sketches](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_6%2Fbuilding_technology%3Aflying-shoring-sketch) — Building Technology, chapter 8
- [Shoring types and flying shore](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_6%2Fbuilding_technology%3Ashoring-flying) — Building Technology, chapter 8, asked 2×
- [Brick layer's scaffold and dead shoring](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_6%2Fbuilding_technology%3Ascaffold-brick-layer-dead-shore) — Building Technology, chapter 8
- [Shoring, its objectives and types](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_6%2Fbuilding_technology%3Ashoring-objectives-types) — Building Technology, chapter 8
- [Necessity and types of shoring](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_6%2Fbuilding_technology%3Ashoring-necessity-types) — Building Technology, chapter 8, asked 2×
- [Why shoring; racking versus flying shore](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_6%2Fbuilding_technology%3Ashoring-racking-flying) — Building Technology, chapter 8