Concrete may have a well-deserved reputation for strength, but it cannot support itself until it has been cured. While it&#;s wet, it needs formwork systems to provide stability. This bracing is referred to in common parlance as formwork.
If you are looking for more details, kindly visit Zolo.
Formwork, commonly made of wood or metal, serves as a temporary mold for poured concrete structures, ensuring their stability and proper shape during the curing process. Without formwork systems, wet concrete would not be able to retain its desired form, highlighting the crucial role it plays in construction.
In addition to using formwork, many construction projects, particularly larger ones, benefit from concrete pumps hire. These pumps efficiently deliver concrete into the formwork, ensuring accurate and quick placement. This reduces labor costs and enhances the quality of the final structure.
Sometimes, constructing forms and pouring concrete is simple, as with cases like flat slab foundations. In others, it requires much more complex formwork systems. As a general rule, experienced formwork designers should always be called in to consult contractors during formwork design for in-situ concrete structures.
The more complex the final structure will be, the more difficult and dangerous it will likely be to construct and dismantle the formwork, so challenging projects require a greater amount of care during the formwork design stage. In all cases, formwork needs to be:
The design should include detailed drawings of the formwork and joints, ties, framing, and any proprietary fittings being used. The plan should also include sealing procedures and bond breakers, if applicable, and must contain information about the vertical pour rates for all concrete components. In some cases, special methods like external vibration may also be required and should be addressed in the formwork design.
Formwork designers must choose the most appropriate systems for each project. They usually have several options, each of which has different strength, stability, and safety features. The most popular options include:
Traditional plywood formwork systems are constructed on-site using plywood or timber and supporting elements. Using standard formwork frames that have known load capacities can improve worker safety when using traditional plywood forms.
Modular formwork systems are designed and constructed off-site. They typically use proprietary components and are made from materials like steel, aluminum, plastic, and hardboard. Most modular formwork systems use multiple materials, and they tend to be lighter than traditional systems, which can minimize the risk of injury to workers.
Wall and column formwork must be capable of supporting the wind load before and during the pour in addition to potential impact loads. They typically feature lateral support in the form of horizontal and angled braces with structural connections to other building components. Bracing elements must be able to resist compressive and tensile wind loads.
Suspended slab formwork systems require some additional safety precautions during installation. When workers would need to stand at heights of two yards or above the closest finished deck to install bearers or joists for an additional layer of formwork, a full deck should be installed. The deck usually consists of formply, scaffolding, or modular platforms. If the form is installed less than two yards above the next highest point, an intermediary deck can be used instead.
No matter how competent a formwork designer is, they won&#;t be able to ensure the safe and effective construction of the system without the help of both manufacturers and workers. Formwork must be made from the highest quality of materials, and all workers tasked with erecting it should be provided with adequate training regarding the safe installation of the system in question. These are the two keys to the successful installation of a professionally designed formwork system.
Wall formwork comes in different types and classifications, as outlined below.
If you are looking for more details, kindly visit slab formwork.
Conventional
Conventional wall formwork consists of boards or sheets and squared timber. It is flexible, but it can be costly and time-consuming as each component must be assembled on-site. In addition, all of its parts should be made according to the project&#;s specifications, and they must be nailed together and dismantled again after concreting.
Girder
This is a better version of the conventional formwork. Its components, which usually consist of dimensionally stable girders with two chords and one web, have been standardized to facilitate the assembly of identical and ready-to-use panels. The connection of the panels has also been systematized.
Frame
This type of wall formwork helps reduce labor time since its essential components (forming face, support for forming face, and steel walers) are assembled as one panel. The profile nose of the frames protects the edges of the forming face, thereby extending its lifespan. Connecting devices are used when assembling the frame panels to large-sized units, which are then usually transported by crane.
Crane-independent (hand-set)
This type of formwork can be moved by hand. Because of weight considerations, it is usually made of aluminum or plastic. It can take less concrete pressure than crane-dependent formwork, and is often used in housing and municipal construction projects.
Crane-dependent
Crane-dependent formwork systems feature a large frame and formwork panels, usually made of steel. As a result, they cannot be moved manually. Since they can resist more fresh concrete pressures than crane-independent forms, they are suitable for the construction of commercial buildings and other extensive infrastructure projects.
Two-sided
As the name implies, two-sided formwork is erected on both sides of the wall. Its formwork ties, which are usually sleeved by spacing plastic tubes so they can be reused, take up the fresh concrete pressure. Push-pull props or large heavy-duty braces are attached to the formwork to align and secure it against wind loads during operation.
Single-sided
Single-sided formwork is used when the concrete has to be poured against existing structures or when builders need to do concreting against a hill or soil. This is why it is most suitable for reconstruction jobs. With this type of formwork system, concrete pressure is transferred from the formwork to the base plates through a support structure.
Prefabricated
This formwork consists of two prefabricated concrete panels which are assembled in advance, and then transported and filled with concrete on-site. Braces and push-pull props are often used to secure the walls, while working and safety scaffolds are installed with the help of special adapters to make the construction process more cost-effective. Prefabricated formwork helps minimize project duration and labor costs. However, pre-planning is required to ensure that it is transported safely to the site.
Circular
Circular formwork is designed for the construction of curved and polygonal walls. It is also quite useful in the construction of specific concrete structures, such as septic tanks and car park ramps. This formwork system comes in three different types:
Climbing
Climbing formwork is quite useful in the construction of high-rise concrete structures, such as control towers and skyscrapers, because it climbs with the wall. It comprises large wall formwork mounted to a climbing scaffold. There are three different types of climbing formwork:
MEVA is an industry leader offering a wide variety of wall formwork systems that provide highly efficient shuttering, flexibility, and reliability. Our products are lightweight and easy to assemble, and therefore will facilitate the rapid completion of your construction projects. Click here to learn more.
If you want to learn more, please visit our website scaffolding solutions.