Formwork

Definition
A structure, usually temporary (but sometimes
wholly or partly permanent), used to contain
poured concrete to mould it to required
DIMENSIONS, FINISHES and SUPPORT it
until it is able to support itself.
Formwork consists of contact face material and
the bearers which support the face material.
1

Code of Practice for Formwork

Design
Concrete Pressure Computation:
Concrete Pressures on Formwork,
CIRIA Report 108 (Ref.)
Design Practice:
Formwork a Guide to Good Practice,
published by Concrete Society and
IStructE (Ref.)

Common Types of Formwork

Wall Form

Common Types of Formwork

Wall Form
..\Teaching_Notes\TEMP_
WK\multimedia\Wall
form001.jpg

Common Types of Formwork

Wall
Form

Common Types of Formwork

Wall Form

..\Teaching_Notes\TEMP_
WK\multimedia\Wall
form003.jpg

Common Types of Formwork

Wall Form

..\Teaching_Notes\TEMP_
WK\multimedia\Wall
form004.jpg

Common Types of Formwork

Column Form
..\Teaching_Notes\TEMP_WK\multimedia\Columnfo
rm1.jpg
..\Teaching_Notes\TEMP_WK\multimedia\Columnfo
rm1001.jpg
..\Teaching_Notes\TEMP_WK\multimedia\Columnfo
rm1002.jpg
..\Teaching_Notes\TEMP_WK\multimedia\Columnfo
rm1003.jpg
8

Common Types of Formwork

Soffit Form
..\Teaching_Notes\TEMP_WK\multimedia\Sof
fit Form Frame.jpg
..\Teaching_Notes\TEMP_WK\multimedia\Sof
fit Form Frame001.jpg

Common Types of Formwork

Beam Form
..\Teaching_Notes\TEMP_WK\multimedia\Beam Form-Edge004.jpg
..\Teaching_Notes\TEMP_WK\multimedia\Beam Form005.jpg

Stair Form
Permanent Formwork

10

Combined formwork and

falsework

Formwork and falsework can be combined into a single

handleable unit
Time could be saved in erection and stripping and the
labor content of the operation thus significantly reduced
Large repetition is a must for this method to be effective.
Common examples include:
Table Form..\Teaching_Notes\TEMP_WK\multimedia\Tableform2.jpg,
Flying Form
..\Teaching_Notes\TEMP_WK\multimedia\FlyingForm2.jpg ,

Travelling Form..\Teaching_Notes\TEMP_WK\multimedia\Travelform.jpg

Usually they are available from specialist suppliers

11

Formwork
Three general principles govern
formwork design and
construction:
QUALITY
SAFETY
ECONOMY
12

Quality of Formwork
Relating to the formed faces of the
permanent concrete structure and
refers to the following two aspects:
Accuracy of Concrete Shape
Quality of Concrete Surface

13

Quality of Formwork
Accuracy is controlled by the
deviations permitted (Tolerances)
in the :
Formwork deflection
Materials
Components
Workmanship
14

Quality of Formwork
To minimise deviations, all formwork
must have adequate means of:
Alignment and adjustment both at
construction joints and throughout the
formwork
e.g. Simple wedges, screw adjustments
on supports, camber adjustments
15

Quality of Formwork

Failures in achieving surface quality are

often caused by:
Lack of formwork stiffness to resist the
movement coming from concrete vibrators
during concrete placement and the
subsequent grout loss at the joints (honeycombing, harder stripping)
Concrete shape, disposition of steel bars
Efficiency of conc. placement, forms
stripping
16

Quality of Formwork

Classes of Finishes
Formed Finishes
F1, F2, F3, F4, F5 (CED G.S. Table 14.1)
Class F5 the best
Unformed Finishes
U1, U2, U3, U4, U5 (CED G.S. Table 14.2)
Class U5 the best
Treated Finishes
T1, T2, T3, T4, T5, T6 (CED G.S. Table 14.3)
17

Quality of Formwork
Different concrete structures buried
underground or exposed to naked eyes
require different class finishes specified by
the contract document
The formwork design requires appropriate
method of construction/treatment, different
surface irregularities requirements and
types of contact face sheeting materials

18

Quality of Formwork
Tolerances

19

Safety of Formwork
Two major aspects must be
covered:
Personal Safety of both
formworkers and the public
Safety of the formwork
structure
20

Safety of Formwork
I.

Construction phase
As a general practice, the erected formwork
shall be :
Structurally safe
Having secured and effective guard rails,
toeboards, access ladders and stairs around its
periphery
Formworkers equipped with safety helmets and
boots
For high work, safety harnesses and security
screen are to be installed

21

Safety of Formwork
II. Design phase
a) Evaluation of possible Loading
Combinations occurred in the following
stages:
Stage 1: before conc. Placement
Stage 2: during conc. Placement
Stage 3: after conc. Placement
22

Safety of Formwork
b) Structural requirements
Three important aspects to be met:
STRENGTH (material strength and force
equilibrium)
STABILITY (Sliding, overturning, uplift and
sidesway)
STIFFNESS (accuracy and permissible
tolerances)
23

Economy of Formwork
Where formwork is highly repetitive
activity, a small reduction in
fabrication/stripping could result a
significant overall cost saving.
Cost involves formwork materials and
labor, erection (including hoisting),
stripping, repairing and cleaning of
formwork after concrete pour.

24

Economy of Formwork

Increase in no. of reuses lower the unit cost

of the formwork
More sophisticated design could be
economically justifiable esp. when less
maintenance will be required.
Good formwork, apart from meeting the
technical specifications requirements,
means it is easy to fabricate, erect, adjust,
dismantle, and within the available
crane/man handling.
25

Care of Formwork
For maximum formwork life, efficient
stripping; care in formwork handling,
storage, and maintenance are essential
After stripping, the formwork units for
reuse should be moved away from the
work area (workers of other trades may
damage it as an item of obstruction left
there).

26

Care of Formwork
They should be stored and protected
from weather to avoid surface damage
Large formwork panels should be
stacked in racks, facing away from direct
sunlight
Hardened slurry, dirt left from previous
pour should be removed from plywood
sheeting surfaces before they are getting
harder

27

Care of Formwork

Mechanisms, locking devices and fixings

should be cleaned and oiled.
Face sheeting to be given a coat of release
agent
Care to be taken not to damage the presealed
surface of the plywood sheeting (Use a soft
brush in dust removal and a softwood wedge
to remove larger concrete particles)
28

Formwork Striking Procedures

-RC Slab Form

Ease all supports by 1-2 turns for each prop

Starting from mid-span, remove the props
towards columns or walls
This will ensure no negative hogging bending
moment induced in the concrete slab if the last
few supports were left at the mid-span as
intended in the original design.
Cracking due to reverse bending will occur
otherwise
29

Formwork Striking Procedures

-RC Slab on Beam Form

Strike the slab soffit form first

Then strike the beam soffit starting at mid-span towards
the columns/walls
This will ensure that all the imposed vertical load will be
supported by the slab which is in turn supported by the
beam form plus its falsework. By removing propping to
the beam form at the mid-span, the beam could then
span across the column/wall at both end as intended by
the original structural design.
Cracking due to reverse bending will occur otherwise.
30

Formwork Striking Procedures

-RC Cantilever Slab Form

Start the propping striking from the tip

of the cantilever and work towards the
column/wall/beam.

\Particular care should be observed that

any effect of overloading on the adjacent
spans temporarily when the propping to
cantilever is not properly striken.
31

Formwork
Minimum Period before Striking (BS 8110)
Formwork

Column, wall, large beam

form

Surface conc.
temperature
>16 deg C
12 h

Surface conc.
temperature
0 10 deg C

300
h
t 10

Slab form

4 days

Beam & props to slab

form

10 days

100
h
t 10
250
h
t 10

Prop to beam

14 days

360
h
t 10

32

Backpropping

The speed of construction

vertically will dictate a number
of slab levels acting together to
support the total construction
loads imposed from the topmost
concrete slab casting operation33

Backpropping

To avoid excessive loads building

cumulatively in the backprops,
backprops are loosened after
striking a slab formwork and then
repositioned and retightened. The
cast floor is thus allowed to take its
deflected shape hence the load
imposed from the floor(s) above
34

Formwork Materials
Face Contact Materials (features left*)
Sawn board formwork (sawmarks*)
Plywood (fine & smooth surface*)
Steel form (variable color*)
Aluminium form (react with cement*)
Glass fibre reinforced plactics (highest quality
for sculptured profiles*)
* features/drawback

35

Formwork Materials
Waling/Bearer, Soldier/Props Materials
Solid timber
Steel in lattice configurations or cold
formed sections (standard/proprietary)

Aluminium (Al Alloys) sections

36

Formwork Materials
Expanded metal (stopends)
..\Teaching_Notes\TEMP_WK\multi
media\expanded metal formwork.tif

37

Proprietary Formwork System

Basic Panel system generally no walings, but

complete with corner panels, access brackets,
stabilisers
Table forms

..\Teaching_Notes\TEMP_WK\multimedia\Tableform2.jpg

Flying forms

..\Teaching_Notes\TEMP_WK\multimedia\FlyingForm2.jpg

Slab support system

..\Teaching_Notes\TEMP_WK\multimedia\Soffit Form Modular Frame .jpg

..\Teaching_Notes\TEMP_WK\multimedia\Soffit Form Modular Frame.jpg

Waffle and trough moulds

Composite Floors with Steel Decking
38

Form Ties

Recoverable and non-recoverable types

..\Teaching_Notes\TEMP_WK\multimedia\Wall Tie001.jpg
..\Teaching_Notes\TEMP_WK\multimedia\Wall tie002.jpg
..\Teaching_Notes\TEMP_WK\multimedia\Wall tie003.jpg
..\Teaching_Notes\TEMP_WK\multimedia\Wall tie004.jpg

Tie rods are the most critical parts in the formwork

design which will lead to the complete formwork
failure if any of them fails

39

Form Ties
Factor of safety in tension capacity
1) 1.5 for HT cold worked steel
2) 2.5 for mild steel
Bearing plates/washers to be checked if
bearing stresses acting on the timber
waling/soldiers are exceeded or not
Limitation on spacing of form ties is also a
concern for aesthetic reasons
40

Factors

Formwork Design
Concrete pressure

Cement Types/
Mix Composition (C2)

Increase

Pressure
Changes

Retarder,
PFA

Rate of Pour (R)

Size & Shape of Formwork (C1)

Column,
Wall

Height of Form (H)

Concrete Temperature at Placing (T)
Unit Weight of Conc. (D)

41

Concrete pressure distribution

along a vertical wall form
(Trapezoidal)
Concrete is still hydrostatic

Concrete has been hardening

Pmax
42

Concrete Pressure Formula

(CIRIA Report 108)
Pmax D 1.5 R 0.45K H 1.5 R
or Dh

in kPa whichever is THE SMALLER

C2 is coefficient depending on mix ingredients

D is unit weight of concrete, kN/m3
C1 is coefficient depending on form size & shape
2
H is vertical form height, m
36
K
K is temperature coefficient
T 16
R is rate at which conc. rises vertically, m/h
36

K
T 16

43

Formwork Design - Loading

Self-weight of Formwork
Imposed Loads (permanent work loads and
construction operation loads)
Concrete Pressure (for wall/column forms)
Environmental Loads (Wind loads, Snow/Ice
Loads)
Horizontal Loads (Imposed plant loads, skip
impact loads,.. And minimum horizontal stability
force i.e. 10% of the total form self-weight)
44

Formwork Design -

1)

2)
3)

Design procedures follow the design of

permanent works but:
Permissible stress design method are often
used;
Higher working material stresses
Formwork system will include
manufacturing and assembly tolerances
45

Formwork Design
Soffit Form Stability
Stability of soffit formwork
erected at the top of falsework is
covered in BS5975 (formwork is
considered as an integral part of
the falsework)
46

Formwork Design
Wall Form Stability

1)

2)

Stability of freestanding wall forms

must be checked for the following
three scenarios:
Maximum Wind and Nominal access
Loads on any working platform (W/P)
Working Wind and Full Construction
Operation Loads on any W/P
47

Formwork Design
Wall Form Stability
3) Minimum Stability Force and Full
Construction Operation Loads on any
W/P
Note: Working wind means the upper
wind speed limit below which operations
could still be allowed
48

Formwork Design Design

Concepts
Single Face Formwork
Cantilevered Formwork
Discontinuity in Face Sheeting and
Soffit
Impact against a fixed face/joint during
concreting
Inclined Soffits
Cantilevered Soffits
49

Special Formwork

Slipforms
..\Teaching_Notes\TEMP_WK\multimedia\Slipform.jpg
..\Teaching_Notes\TEMP_WK\multimedia\Slipform001.jpg

Climbforms.
.\Teaching_Notes\TEMP_WK\multimedia\ClimbForm.jpg
..\Teaching_Notes\TEMP_WK\multimedia\Climbform3.jpg
..\Teaching_Notes\TEMP_WK\multimedia\Climbform4.jpg

Travellers
..\Teaching_Notes\TEMP_WK\multimedia\Travelform.jpg
..\Teaching_Notes\TEMP_WK\multimedia\Travelform1.jpg
..\Teaching_Notes\TEMP_WK\multimedia\Travelform2.jpg
..\Teaching_Notes\TEMP_WK\multimedia\Travelform3.jpg

50

Special Formwork

Tilt-up Moulds

..\Teaching_Notes\TEMP_WK\multimedia\Tilt-up Mould.tif

Gang Forms

..\Teaching_Notes\TEMP_WK\multimedia\Gangform1.jpg
..\Teaching_Notes\TEMP_WK\multimedia\Gangform2.jpg
..\Teaching_Notes\TEMP_WK\multimedia\Gangform3.jpg
..\Teaching_Notes\TEMP_WK\multimedia\Gangform4.jpg

Moulds for Prestressed Concrete

Tunnel Form

..\Teaching_Notes\TEMP_WK\multimedia\Tunnel Form.tif

51

Special Formwork Details

Kickers for wall form

..\Teaching_Notes\TEMP_WK\multimedia\Kicker.jpg
..\Teaching_Notes\TEMP_WK\multimedia\Kicker001.jpg
..\Teaching_Notes\TEMP_WK\multimedia\Kicker002.jpg
..\Teaching_Notes\TEMP_WK\multimedia\Kicker003.jpg

Kickers for column form

..\Teaching_Notes\TEMP_WK\multimedia\Column Kicker.tif

Stopend forms for wall form

..\Teaching_Notes\TEMP_WK\multimedia\Stopend Form.jpg
..\Teaching_Notes\TEMP_WK\multimedia\Stopend Form.tif
..\Teaching_Notes\TEMP_WK\multimedia\Stopend Form001.jpg
..\Teaching_Notes\TEMP_WK\multimedia\Stopend Form002.jpg
..\Teaching_Notes\TEMP_WK\multimedia\Stopend Form003.jpg
..\Teaching_Notes\TEMP_WK\multimedia\Stopend Form004.jpg

52

Special Formwork Details

Wall Ties
..\Teaching_Notes\TEMP_WK\multimedia\Wall Tie.jpg
..\Teaching_Notes\TEMP_WK\multimedia\Wall Tie001.jpg
..\Teaching_Notes\TEMP_WK\multimedia\Wall tie002.jpg
..\Teaching_Notes\TEMP_WK\multimedia\Wall tie003.jpg
..\Teaching_Notes\TEMP_WK\multimedia\Wall tie004.jpg

Props
..\Teaching_Notes\TEMP_WK\multimedia\Prop.jpg
..\Teaching_Notes\TEMP_WK\multimedia\Prop001.jpg

U-head

..\Teaching_Notes\TEMP_WK\multimedia\Soffit Form U- head.jpg

Sloping soffit form

..\Teaching_Notes\TEMP_WK\multimedia\Soffit
..\Teaching_Notes\TEMP_WK\multimedia\Soffit
..\Teaching_Notes\TEMP_WK\multimedia\Soffit
..\Teaching_Notes\TEMP_WK\multimedia\Soffit

Form Sloping Details.jpg

Form Sloping Details001.jpg
Form Sloping Details002.jpg
Form Sloping Details003.jpg

53

Special Formwork Details

Bracing for soffit form

..\Teaching_Notes\TEMP_WK\multimedia\Soffit Form Frame Bracing.jpg
..\Teaching_Notes\TEMP_WK\multimedia\Soffit Form Bracing Connector.jpg

Bracing for beam form

..\Teaching_Notes\TEMP_WK\multimedia\Beam-Soffit Form.tif

Bracing for column form

..\Teaching_Notes\TEMP_WK\multimedia\Columnform Bracing.jpg
..\Teaching_Notes\TEMP_WK\multimedia\Columnform Bracing001.jpg
..\Teaching_Notes\TEMP_WK\multimedia\Columnform Bracing002.jpg
..\Teaching_Notes\TEMP_WK\multimedia\Columnform Bracing003.jpg

54

Slipforms features

The system is intended for continuous

concreting work for walls of constant section.

The shutter rises from 150 to 300 mm per

hour depending on the rate of concrete
hardening.
55

Slipforms features

The form is about 900-1200 mm deep,

fixed to and held apart by timber or steel
frame or yokes as shown in the figure on
the right.
On top of each yoke is fixed a hydraulic
jack which climbs along a steel jacking
rod, about 25 mm in diameter, which is
cast into the wall.
56

Slipforms Operation
Procedures
(i) Fix steel reinforcement above the
shutter
(ii) Pour concrete into the shutter and
vibrate it in final position
(iii) Operate the jack to work against
the lower jaws to raise the yoke and the
form with it

57

Slipforms Operation Procedures

(iv) When the oil pressure is released,
the upper jaws grip under the action of
a spring
(v) The jack is operated in cycles (iii) +
(iv) and each cycle gives a rise of about
25 mm

58

Slipform Uses and Limitations

Uses
The process is used for constructing
concrete chimneys, silos, shaft linings,
towers and building cores and bridge
piers
Possible to vary wall thickness and
layout over the height (despite overall
59
cost will be increased)

Slipform Uses and Limitations

Limitations
Steady and continuous concreting must
be maintained throughout the process
Longer duration and sophisticated
equipment layout in the initial setup
High capital cost in the plant &
equipment
60

Slipform Uses and Limitations

Limitations
Labors working in shifts and hence
higher labor costs
No construction joints
Working platform to be protected from
adverse weather e.g. high wind, heavy
pours
61

Slipform Uses and Limitations

Limitations
Standby plant and operatives are needed
Openings formed by timber/polystyrene
within a film of concrete on each face could
avoid displacement of the former during the
vertical sliding process
It requires specialist working and
supervision operatives

62

Tilt-up Moulds
The unit mould is cast horizontally and may
subsequently be tilted through a designed angle
The vertical position of the cast unit on
completion of demoulding could facilitate easy
and early formwork removal, and the
subsequent vertical stacking
Horizontal processing could allow easy tiling
works, or composite sandwich/hollow units
manufacture
63

Moulds for Prestressed Concrete

Sideforms which cannot be removed
before prestressing operations
commence should be designed to
allow vertical and horizontal
movement of the cast member during
prestressing
Safety rules to all personnel
concerned must be adhered to during
64
the tendon stressing operation

Formwork Checklist
Design concept in relation to
expected concreting rate
Material strength, stiffness,
condition and dimensions
Access adequate space,
guardrails, toeboards, ladder/stairs

65

Formwork Checklist
Assembly - layout dimensions, plumb &
stability, inserts fixed, ties tightened and
thread conditions checked, sealed against
kicker, panel joints sealed, waterstop
installed, filling over nail holes
Release agent applied
Formwork cleaned out
Stripping nails bent/removed, resuable
materials separated

66