Chapter 3

TEMPORARY WORK:

FORMWORKS
 Formwork

is a device usually made out of timber, steel, or many other kind of

materials, destined to contain the fresh concrete in order for it to get
the desirable shape, as set in project.

The forming work accounts for a large part of the costs for the building
shell. The biggest share of these costs goes to the workers wages, so
investing in efficient formwork equipment helps you to build faster,
therefore cut costs and also you can be much surer of meeting
deadlines
 Function

 Contains fresh concrete until it can

hold shape
 Supports fresh concrete until it can
support itself
 Keeps water in the mix until hydration
occurs
 Create a work platform for workers,
plant etc
 Formwork Principles (Basic
Requirements)

 Forms must be strong enough to withstand the loads.

 Rigid (stiff) enough to maintain their shape and to prevent
excessive deflection during the placing and curing of concrete.
 Joints in forms must be tight enough to prevent wet concrete
(water and cement paste) from leaking through.
 Forms must be as simple to build as circumstances will allow.
 Form sections must be of a size that can be lifted into place
without too much difficulty and transported from one place to
another.
 Stay within dimensional tolerances.
 Forms must be designed for many reuses as possible (if
appropriate).
Reusable – can be used more than one time for the same repeated dimensions.
Possible to be dismantle – easy to disassemble the formwork components.
Economic – consider the construction: labour, machine and material cost.
Withstand safely all the loads – consider all loads; gravity load, etc.
Controlled size and surface – can be able to retain the shape of formwork.
Incontaminated – make sure the surface of formwork is clean and free from small debris.
No loss of constituents – make sure all the joint parts is completely tied and no present
of hole or gap to avoid the leakage of the concrete mix.
 No loss of constituents
Incontaminated of the concrete Possible
to be dismantled

Requirements for
Withstand safely Formwork Controlled
all the loads size & surface

Economic Reusable
 Formwork Classifications
There are different ways to classify the formwork
systems:
 Traditional vs system:

Old stick-by-stick vs innovative approaches

 Reusable vs lost forms:

lost formwork forms part of permanent

structure and by definition can only be used
once, e.g., precast panels, steel tubes and
Bondeck, etc.
 Static vs movable (climbing) forms:

Movable or climbing forms relocate themselves

to the next location using an integral power
source, e.g. slip form, jump form.
 Material used

Formwork is usually made of wood, metal or plastic.

1. Pressed steel plate
• Usually pressed into “shutters” of modulus size;
• Shutters are pre-slotted along edges for easy bolting
• Bolted together along edges to form “panels” for life
of job
• Unlimited reuses if properly handled and cleaned
• Not easily cut or reassembled on site
2. Structural or exterior plywood
• Good quality material, normally plastic coated
• Comes in a variety of thickness
• Easily cut, drilled, nailed and handled
• Butt jointed and taped for water tightness
• May get 10 – 15 reuses typically
• In thin sizes, may be bent in one direction
3. Plastic
4. Aluminum
 (i) Timber

No Advantages Disadvantages
1 Relatively cheap Limited durability
2 Relatively light in weight for The pattern of grain tends to
handling leave an imprint
3 Easy to fix inserts on the side Its moisture content cause
significant dimensional
of a form face for casting the changes
concrete
4 Easy to cut or to shape

(ii) Steel

No Advantages Disadvantages
1 Durable Relatively high cost
2 Not easily modified Heavy material
3 Can be used as sheet/frame Need more time
4 Dimensionally stable Liable to rust
5 Difficult to make it proof
against leakage
 Type of formwork

EPS foundations formwork

 Conical formwork

                              

                                        
              
                              

                                            
          
 Straight wall formwork

vertical wall shutters

purpose made formwork
supplied with access platforms,
handrails
and plumbing props. The lower
flat panels
are used for various
applications
throughout the construction of
the tank
floor bed panels Huddersfield
Towers
 Permanent formwork
Shot blasted, zinc sprayed
and primer painted, ready
for finish painting
after erection

permanent formwork
for Sheffield
Outer Ring Road
Bridge Support
 Advantages
 Great tensile- and impact-strength.
 Exclusively mineral without plastic additions.
 Fire-resistance classification A1.
 Reduction of the carbonation depth.
 Unidirectional reinforcement.
 Optimal integration with the concrete.
 The same strain-behaviour as normal concrete.
 Perfect concrete protection.
 Smooth and closed surface.
 On demand specified surface-structures.
 Cost-reducing and economic.
 Curved wall formwork

adjustable internal or external radiused

shaft shutter

shutters for curved walls special corner panels for use with
proprietary panels
Column formwork
•The light weight of
column forms
means they are
easier and safer to
work with.

• Superior off form

finish.

•Real savings,
resulting from
reductions in crane
use, installation
labour and
stripping time.
 Complex columns

special head to produce faceted columns can be

head tops to columns at produced
University of Oman with any number of sides

purpose made columns for various applications

Elliptical columns

tapered elliptical support column for

Boulevard Roof , Midsummer Place, Milton
Keynes

Cardiff water barrage

elliptical connection

parallel elliptical shutters for

Canary Wharf station roof support
 Formwork—particular risk
control measures

1) An employer must ensure that formwork complies with AS 3610—

1995Formwork for concrete .
2) An employer must ensure that formwork is designed, constructed and
maintained so as to support safely all loads that are to be placed on it.
3) An employer must ensure that, before the concrete pour, formwork is
inspected by a qualified engineer and is certified by the qualified engineer
as safe for its intended purpose and the loads that will be placed on it.
4) Sub clause (3) does not apply if:
(a) the deck of the formwork is less than 3 metres above the
lowest surrounding ground level, or
(b) the area of the formwork deck is less than 16 square
metres and is designed to hold not more than 2.5 cubic metres or
6 tonnes of wet concrete (whichever measure is appropriate).
 Disadvantages

 poor concrete surface finish

 concrete must be high early strength
 high concentration of resources, both labour and
equipment when operating
 the operation of the slipform can stop as a result of
any of the components encounters a problem
 have to ensure that the form is climbing lateral in
straight path as may experience lateral displacement,
i.e., vertical tolerance must be controlled within the
limit.
 high cost and long time for the initial set up stage
 FORM REMOVAL

 Do not remove forms or bracing until concrete has

gained sufficient strength to carry its own
weight and other imposed loads without excessive
deflection or creep
 Loosen forms carefully. Do not wedge pry bars,
hammers, or tools against finish concrete
surfaces scheduled for exposure to view.
 Store removed forms in manner to avoid any damage
to form surfaces that will later be in
contact with fresh concrete. Discard damaged forms.
 Formwork Release Agent
 Formol is a chemical release agent applied to concrete
formwork. It is designed to act
as a bondbreaker between formwork or moulds and freshly
placed concrete.
 USES
Formol can be used as a general purpose release agent on
construction sites. It can be
applied to formwork or moulds made of timber, steel or
fiberglass.
 ADVANTAGES
• Equally effective on steel or timber.
• Allows for fast and easy striking of formwork.
• Easy to apply.
• Extremely stable during placement and vibration of concrete.
• Does not stain or contaminate the finished concrete surface.
• Reduces rust build up on steel moulds.
 APPLICATION - FORM
RELEASE AGENT
 Apply form release agent on formwork in
accordance with manufacturer's
recommendations.
 Apply, prior to placement of reinforcing steel,
anchoring devices, and embedded items.
 Do not apply form release agent where
concrete surfaces to receive special finishes or
applied coverings which are affected by agent.
Soak inside surfaces of untreated forms with
clean water. Keep surfaces coated prior to
placement of concrete.
 FORM CLEANING

 Clean and remove foreign matter within forms as

erection proceeds.
 Clean formed cavities of debris prior to placing
concrete.
 Flush with water or use compressed air to remove
remaining foreign matter. Ensure that water
and debris drain to exterior through clean-out ports.
 During cold weather, remove ice and snow from
within forms. Do not use deicing salts or
water to clean out forms. Use compressed air or
other means to remove foreign matter.
 Formwork Treatment
Product Description Uses
Product
Nulease Std A Formwork Sealing of
coating for timber, steel
sealing and and other types
protecting of formwork.
general
formwork
where the
criteria is for
multiple use.
Nulease Matt For a higher Sealing of
quality concrete timber, steel
finish which and other types
will reduce of formwork,
crazing and where a higher
hydration quality of finish
staining. is required.
 FIELD QUALITY CONTROL
 Inspect erected formwork, shoring, and
bracing to ensure that work is in accordance
with formwork design, and that supports,
fastenings, wedges, ties, and items are
secure.
 Do not use wood formwork more than three
times for concrete surfaces to be exposed to
view.Do not patch formwork.
 Requirement of a good
formwork system
 How formwork can be erected and de-shuttered fast.

 How good concrete quality and surface finish can be

achieved.

 What is the optimum stock of formwork required for the

size of work force, the specified time schedule and flow of
materials.

 What is the overall cost savings that can be achieved

using the right type of formwork.

 How SAFETY can be improved for the site personnel.

 Aluminum Formwork

The Formwork is specifically designed to allow

rapid construction on all types of architectural

 
layouts
 Total system forms the complete concrete
structure
 Custom designed to suit project requirements
 Unsurpassed construction
                              
speed
 High quality finish
 Cost effective for mass production
 Panels can be reused over 100 times
 Erected using unskilled labour
 Light weight, easy to handle
 Low waste 
Truform - concrete formwork
Truform 10.7E is available in a variety of
sizes and painted bright orange for
moisture protection and ready
identification. Truform represents a
substantial improvement over
conventional timber and an easier to use,
more convenient alternative to other
materials.

Benefits
light, straight and more uniform,
Strength for strength

Truform sections will enhance

productivity and reduce forming costs.

Their consistency and predictable

structural performance will improve

concrete finish quality.
 Safe work practices
Possible hazards associated with the use of formwork are
formwork collapsing, falling from heights, falling objects and
hearing damage.
Installing formwork
Ensure that formwork is not removed before the specified

concrete strength is achieved.

Install a suitable type of safety screen to enclose the area and to

prevent the accidental fall of workers or materials.

Working at height
Form workers should not walk on form ply after the application

of stripping oil.
Barricades or covers should be provided for all floor and deck

openings.
Ensure that all vertical reinforcing steel is bent or capped to

eliminate impalement if a form worker falls.