shoring

shoring, placing of props or braces, called shores, against or beneath a structure for support. Shoring is often used to stabilize a building when it is to undergo structural modification or repair. Commonly made of timbers measuring 12 in. (30.5 cm) by 12 in., shores are placed in an inclined position, bearing against the external walls of the building. The upper ends, which are sometimes capped with steel, fit into niches cut in brickwork, and the lower ends rest on bases or platforms, frequently of steel plate. The application of wedges or steel jacks between the lower ends of the shores and the platforms shifts part of the weight of a building from its foundation to the shoring. Shores are frequently used as supplemental support for buildings damaged by fire or by underpinning failure. When employed horizontally, e.g., when a building is removed from between two others, the shores consist of wooden struts suitably braced and exerting pressure on wall plates in order to distribute the thrust over a wide area. Shoring is also used widely in shipbuilding to support hulls that are under construction.