Scaffolding is a working platform constructed to ensure the smooth progress of various construction processes. It is categorized by installation location into outer scaffolding and inner scaffolding; by material into wooden scaffolding, bamboo scaffolding, and steel pipe scaffolding; and by construction form into upright, bridge, gate, suspended, hanging, cantilever, and climbing scaffolding.

Different types of construction projects require different types of scaffolding. Most bridge support scaffolding uses bowl clamp scaffolding, with some using gate scaffolding. For the construction of the main structure, most ground scaffolding uses clip scaffolding, with the longitudinal spacing of the scaffolding uprights typically ranging from 1.2 to 1.8 meters; the transverse spacing is generally 0.9 to 1.5 meters.

Scaffolding, compared to general structures, has the following characteristics in its working conditions:

1. The load variability is quite significant.

2. The connection nodes of fasteners are semi-rigid, and the rigidity of the nodes is related to the quality of the fasteners and the installation, resulting in significant variation in node performance.

3. Scaffold structures and components have initial defects, such as initial bending of rods, rust, significant assembly size errors, and eccentric loading, all of which are considerable.

4. The connection points with the wall exhibit significant variability in their constraint on the scaffolding. Research on the aforementioned issues lacks systematic accumulation and statistical data, thus not meeting the conditions for independent probability analysis. Therefore, the adjustment coefficient, which is multiplied by the structural resistance and is less than 1, is determined by calibrating against coefficients used in the past. Consequently, the design method adopted in this specification is essentially a combination of semi-probabilistic and semi-empirical approaches. Compliance with the structural requirements specified in this specification is a fundamental condition for design calculations.