Problem: Bamboo scaffolding has been widely used in South China, Hong Kong, and Southeast Asia for many years. Bamboo scaffolding is more economical, but its safety record is relatively poor. Conversely, metal scaffolding is more expensive, but its use in these regions has increased in recent years because it is relatively safe. The assessment and selection of the most appropriate type of scaffolding for a particular construction project is always a concern for project managers.
Method: This paper suggests a comprehensive assessment framework that enables project managers to take a number of major quantitative and qualitative factors into consideration when making scaffolding decisions. This framework is based on the Analytic Hierarchy Process methodology and a survey among project managers in Hong Kong.
Results: The research reveals that the overall performance of metal scaffolding is believed to be better than bamboo scaffolding. A sensitivity analysis has also been conducted to investigate the impact of various factors on the final decisions.
Impact on industry: The proposed assessment framework can be used as a supporting tool for project managers in the selection of scaffolding for their projects.