Formwork

According to Awad S. Hanna (1999), in the book “Concrete Formwork Systems”,

Formwork can be defined as a temporary structure whose purpose is to provide support and

containment for fresh concrete until it can support itself. Awad S. Hanna (1999) also defines

the formwork system, as the total system of support for freshly placed concrete as well as the

supporting members, hardware, and necessary bracing.

There are two types of formwork:

 Vertical forms - designed to withstand pressure, which is affected by elements such

as the concrete mix design, the speed at which the concrete is placed as well as the

temperature and weight of the concrete. Vertical forms are usually utilised during the

construction of walls and columns.

 Horizontal forms - are designed to withstand weight. This weight is determined by

the depth of the concrete, the weight per unit of the concrete and the amount of

reinforcement required to ensure that the desired shape, alignment and aesthetic is

achieved. Horizontal forms are utilized for floor and beam systems.

In order for the desired quality to be achieved the formwork being used must:

 Have the ability to support its own weight (light), as well as the weight and

pressure applied to it by the concrete it is supporting (strong).

 Be water tight in that, it should not allow the leakage of the cement through its

joints or allow additional water to make its way into the form.

 Be constructed and propped in such a manner that it maintains the desired shape

and alignment and can be removed without damaging the formwork or the

concrete.
  Be made from material that: does not get distorted or warped when there is a

change in climate, is fairly cheap and easily attainable, has the ability to be

reused.

Formwork can be made from materials such as:

 Wood – Timber and plywood.

 Metals – Steel and aluminium.

 Plastics.

Table 1. Differences in formwork selection and use.

Table 3. Formwork removal timeframe.

materials used when creating forms, let us discuss, the type of formwork selected for use by

the contractors of The R hotel and the 76 Towers and if their choices were advantageous.

The R Hotel.

During the construction of the R Hotel, the formwork that was selected for use was plywood,

which fall in the conventional/ traditional category. Plywood is the most commonly used

formwork, in Jamaica due to the cost and accessibility of the material. The additional factors

that would have been considered when selecting this material for formwork would be:

 The ease of which the material can be cut to shape on site.

 The increase of usage when the material is handled and stored carefully.

 The thickness of the ply board gives it the ability to be suitable for the poring of most

structural elements.

 Ply board is the most flexible of the material available for formwork.
 Figure 1. Ply board formwork used on forms and columns.

While these advantages are beneficial, we recommend that a Tunnel formwork system could

be used. This formwork system is suitable for use when constructing units with repetitive

elements such as hotels. Tunnel formwork systems allows a contractor to cast walls and slabs

at the same time. The use of the formwork system would be beneficial as follows:

 The system combines speed, quality, flexibility and cost.

 Results in a reinforced structure at a high quality.

 The system creates a structure with the load bearing capacity for several applications.

 It is cost effective solution, without sacrificing design

 The system is also a safe alternative due to its integrated working platforms and edge

protection system as well as the prefabricated form requires little to no tools and

equipment.

76 Tower.

During the erection of the 76 Towers, the type of formwork utilized was aluminium forms,

which is categorised as an engineered/ prefabricated formwork. These aluminium forms are

made from prefabricated modules and are covered on the application side by material to

ensure that the concrete it is supporting, when cured, have the desired shape and aesthetic.

The use of aluminium formwork, though high in initial cost, can be rationalized based on its

advantages as well as the quality of concrete that is achieved upon removal of the forms. The

advantages are as follows:

 They are strong, durable and light.

 They can be assembled and dismantled with increased efficiency, ease and speed

when compared to timber forms.

stored efficiently.

 Produces concrete with smoother surfaces.

 They are non-absorbent and do not warp or shrink.

 They are prefabricated and can therefore be created for specialized projects that may

require circular or curved shapes.

These advantages contribute to the speed, safety and quality of the resulting building. As

formwork is required for most structural elements such as the foundations, columns, beams,

floors and walls. The speed at which the formwork can be assembled and dismantled, while

maintaining the desired quality of concrete is essential. Aluminium forms are also a safer

alternative, as they are lightweight and modular, which reduces the likelihood of loose

components falling on workers during the dismantling process. At particular heights,

machinery such as cranes can also be used to reduce manual labour. Quality of the resulting

concrete is a given, with aluminium forms once they are maintained and stored effectively.
Figure 2. Aluminium Formwork in storage before use at 76 Tower.

Figure 3. Aluminium Formwork for a wall at 76 Tower.

Figure 5. Aluminium formwork used for floor at 76 Tower.

Scaffolding.
 These are temporary structures that provide a platform for workers and materials at

different levels during construction works. In order for the scaffolding system to be effective,

there should be considerations made to assist with the selection. Some considerations include:

 The weight of the scaffold itself along with the weight of tools, workers and materials.

 The height of the scaffolding.

 The type of work that will be done, the conditions of the site and the duration of work.

 How the platforms will be accessed and any obstructions that may arise.

The common types of Scaffolding are: Crank – Up tower scaffolds, mast-

climbing work platforms, systems scaffolds, adjustable scaffolds, tube and

clamp scaffolds, fold-up scaffold frames, rolling scaffolds, standard tubular

frame scaffolds and standard walkthrough frame scaffolds.

In order to ensure that the scaffolding system is efficient in fulfilling its purpose, the criteria

are as follows:

 Capacity – scaffolds and their components must have the ability to support at least 4

times the maximum intended load.

 Footings – Scaffold footing must be level and capable of supporting the scaffolding

system.

 Fall protection – workers should be using the appropriate fall arrest system along with

guardrails if they are more than 10ft above the lower level.

 Guardrail height.

 Crossbracing.

 Midrails.

 Platforms – should be fully planked or decked.

 Ties and braces.

on a scaffolding system and how to prevent or mitigate them.

 Inspections – the scaffolding system must be inspected before use and any activity

that may compromise the integrity of the structure.

 Erecting and dismantling – a competent employee must be involved in the erecting

and dismantling of the scaffolding system.

Based on the structures selected, namely The R Hotel and the 76 Tower, the scaffolding type

that was utilized would be the standard tubular frame scaffolds. Tubular frame scaffolds are

the most frequently used scaffolding systems and can be made of steel tubes and aluminium.

The advantages of this system are as follows:

 The erection and dismantling process is fairly simple.

 It is used in various applications across the construction industry.

 The components are light weight and can be easily lifted by workers.

 They are easily accessible.

While the scaffolding system has its advantages, failure to select the correct type of

scaffolding system for the task as well as failure to erect the scaffolding system with all

required components can result in accidents on the work site.

Figure 8. Typical tube and coupler scaffolding system.

Awan S. Hanna (1999). Concrete formwork system. University of Wisconsin.

Glabe. D.H. (2012). Concrete Formwork [PowerPoint Slides]

Pithawalla. Z (2020). Formwork. A study of its various types, materials and construction

techniques. [PowerPoint slides].

Rustempasic. N. (2020). Lecture #6. Introduction to building materials. [PowerPoint slides]

International Burch University.

OSHA. (2002). A guide to scaffold use in the construction industry. Occupational safety and

Health Organization.