falsework, temporary construction to support arches and similar structures while the mortar or concrete is setting or the steel is being joined. As soon as the work is set, the centring is carefully removed; this process is called striking the centring. The same method is used in building brick sewers. The name centring originated from the primary use in centred arches, but the same term is applied to the use of scaffold boards to support concrete floors while they are hardening.