The load-bearing test of steel props is an essential link to verify their load-bearing capacity, structural stability and safety, and the load-bearing test standard is the core basis for guiding the test work and judging the product qualification. These standards have clear regulations on all links of the test, from the selection of test samples to the judgment of test results, to avoid the randomness of the test and ensure that the test data can truly reflect the actual load-bearing performance of steel props. Whether it is the factory inspection of steel props, the third-party detection or the on-site acceptance in construction projects, it is necessary to strictly follow the corresponding load-bearing test standards.
The core international load-bearing test standard for steel props is EN 1065 (Adjustable telescopic steel props for falsework and scaffolds — Specifications, design and assessment by calculation and test), which is widely adopted in European countries and international projects. This standard clearly specifies the test items, test methods and qualification criteria for steel props. According to EN 1065, the load-bearing test of steel props mainly includes material performance test, strength test, deflection measurement and failure load test. The material performance test requires testing the yield strength, tensile strength and elongation of the steel used in the props in accordance with EN ISO 6892-1:2009, ensuring that the material meets the load-bearing requirements. The strength test adopts static loading method, and the props are vertically installed on the pressure testing machine to ensure axial alignment, and then loaded step by step to verify the load-bearing capacity under the rated load. The deflection measurement needs to monitor the axial and lateral displacement of the prop during the loading process, and the deformation amount must be within the specified range. The failure load test requires loading until the prop loses its load-bearing capacity or is damaged, and the measured ultimate load must be at least twice the rated load to ensure sufficient safety margin.
In addition to EN 1065, there are other international standards that can be used as supplementary references for the load-bearing test of steel props. For example, ISO 1090 (Execution of steel structures and aluminium structures) specifies the production and installation requirements of steel structures, which provides a basis for the test sample preparation and installation of steel props. AISC 360 (Specification for Structural Steel Buildings) issued by the American Institute of Steel Construction is widely used in North American projects, which has detailed regulations on the load-bearing test methods and safety indicators of steel props. These international standards have slight differences in test details, but the core requirements such as ensuring the load-bearing capacity and structural stability of steel props are consistent.
Domestically, the load-bearing test of steel props mainly follows national standards and industry standards. The core standards include GB/T 228.1-2021 (Metallic materials — Tensile testing — Part 1: Method of test at room temperature), which specifies the test method for the tensile performance of steel materials used in steel props, providing a basis for the material performance test of props. GB 50017 (Code for Design of Steel Structures) and GB 50205 (Code for Acceptance of Construction Quality of Steel Structures) clarify the load-bearing performance requirements and test evaluation criteria of steel props in construction projects, requiring that the load-bearing test of steel props must meet the design load requirements and structural stability requirements. JGJ/T 101 (Standard for Load Test of Building Structures) specifies the general procedures and methods of load test, which is applicable to the load-bearing test of steel props in formwork support systems. In addition, JGJ130-2011 (Technical Specification for Steel Tubular Scaffolds with Couplers Used in Construction) and JGJ162-2008 (Technical Specification for Formwork Support Systems of Concrete Structures) also have relevant provisions on the load-bearing test of steel props, which are closely combined with the actual construction scenarios in China.
The load-bearing test standard for steel props also includes detailed regulations on test procedures, which must be strictly followed to ensure the accuracy of test results. The standard test procedure is divided into four stages: sample preparation, test installation, step-by-step loading and result evaluation. In the sample preparation stage, the number of samples should meet the standard requirements (usually 2-8 pieces according to different test items), and the samples should be consistent with the finished products in terms of material, structural size and surface treatment, without deformation, corrosion or damage. In the test installation stage, the steel prop should be vertically installed on the universal testing machine or pressure testing machine, the axial alignment should be ensured, and displacement sensors and strain gauges should be installed to monitor the deformation and stress of the prop in real time during the loading process. In the step-by-step loading stage, the graded loading system is adopted: before reaching 60% of the estimated ultimate load, each level of loading is 10% of the estimated ultimate load; after exceeding 60%, each level of loading is reduced to 5%, and each level of loading is maintained for 5 minutes to observe and record the data. When approaching the yield stage, slow continuous loading is adopted until the prop is damaged or loses its load-bearing capacity. In the result evaluation stage, the test data such as load, displacement and strain are analyzed, and it is judged whether the steel prop meets the standard requirements according to the qualification criteria.
The qualification criteria specified in the load-bearing test standard are the key to judging whether the steel prop is qualified. The core criteria include three aspects: first, the ultimate load-bearing capacity of the steel prop must be not less than 2.0 times the rated load, ensuring sufficient safety margin; second, the residual deformation after the test must be less than 20% of the total deformation, and there should be no welding cracking, local buckling, thread damage and other defects; third, the deflection during the test must meet the standard requirements, generally the deflection should not exceed L/250 (L is the length of the prop), ensuring the structural stiffness of the prop. In addition, the load-displacement curve of the steel prop during the test should show typical elastic, elastoplastic and failure stages, and the overall bending buckling should be the main failure mode, without local plate buckling, which indicates that the overall stability of the prop is good.
It should be noted that the load-bearing test of steel props also needs to consider the influence of environmental factors. The test should be carried out at room temperature (usually 20±5℃), and temperature compensation should be carried out when measuring strain to avoid the influence of temperature changes on the test results. For steel props used in cold regions, low-temperature load-bearing tests should be carried out according to the standard requirements to verify their load-bearing performance in low-temperature environments. In addition, the load-bearing test should be carried out by professional testing institutions with relevant qualifications, and the test instruments should be calibrated regularly to ensure the accuracy and reliability of the test data. The test report should clearly record the test basis, test procedures, test data and evaluation results, which can be used as the basis for product qualification judgment and project acceptance.
In practical application, the load-bearing test standard for steel props should be selected according to the project location and application scenario. For projects exported to the European Union, EN 1065 standard should be followed, and CE certification should be obtained through relevant tests; for domestic projects, national standards and industry standards such as GB series and JGJ series should be followed. Strict compliance with the load-bearing test standard is the key to ensuring that the steel prop can stably play its load-bearing role in the construction process and avoid safety accidents caused by unqualified load-bearing performance.
References
1. GB/T 7714 Format
HORIZON FORMWORK. Steel Prop Load-bearing Test Standard, Construction Support Test Specification[EB/OL]. [2026-04-17].
2. MLA Format
GBM. "Steel Prop Load-bearing Test Guide and Standard." GBM, 2026. Accessed 17 Apr. 2026.
3. APA Format
Laoting Zhuozhan International Trading Co., Ltd. (2026). Steel Prop Load-bearing Test Standard and Detection Method.