Formwork

Construction Unit
Department of Real Estate and Construction
The University of Hong Kong
2024
 Contents
• Introduction
• Requirements
• Components
• Formwork for R.C. Elements
• Materials
• Erection, Striking and Specifications for Removing Formwork
• Proprietory Systems and Permanent Formwork
• SAQ

* Essential
** Further
 Formwork * (also known as Shuttering)
The temporary structure erected to contain the plastic fluid
concrete during its placing and initial stage of hardening.
Introduction* - The face texture and stiffness of formwork
can improve the finished appearance (fair-faced concrete
finish, patterned, etc.).
Introduction*
• Expensive and time-consuming to create.
• Carefully and properly handled, cleaned and stored, for
maximum reuses.
 Requirements of Formwork*
• Built and erected to obtain the required shape, size, position
and finish of the concrete.
• Strong enough to resist the pressure or weight of the concrete
or any other loads during construction.
• Easily and quickly erected and struck.
• Be able to be struck without causing damage to the concrete
and formwork.
• To be handled without much difficulty.
• Provide access for concreting operations.
• Joints between members must be tight enough to prevent grout
leakage.
 Components of Formwork*
• Sheathing (for slab) – In the form of panel/board to keep fluid
concrete in its required shape and position
• Stud – A vertical members to support sheathing panels and keep
them in position.
• Prop/ shore (for column) – supporting the joists/runners vertically
and horizontally
• Tie – A tensile unit used to connect the opposite sides of
formwork. Joist, runner/bearer (secondary/main beam) – beams
supporting the horizontal sheathing
• Spacer - provide a consistent gap between formwork faces,
allowing tie rods to be withdrawn for reuse.
 Spacers are made from plastic, and hence are
easy to insert and remove for reuse for cost-
efficiency.

Spacers and Steel Bars (Inside Formwork)*

Coil Tie/ Tie Bar /Rod**
 Formwork for
Reinforced Concrete Members*
Formwork is usually provided for the following R.C.
members:
• Beams
• Slabs
• Columns
• Walls
• Stairs
• Foundations
Beam Formwork*
Slab Formwork*

Why only props below the top floor?

Column Formwork*
 Wall Formwork*
• Walings (secondary
beams) – horizontal
members supporting
the sheathing
• Soldiers – vertical
members supporting
the walings
• Rakers (Braces) –
stabilise the formwork
Wall Formwork*
Why the twin soldiers (main beams) are often used?*
(Tip: think about the support to the tie bars).
 Stair Formwork*

?
Foundation Formwork*
 Materials for Formwork*
Timber (most common)*
• Plywood boards are the most common form
• Good workability (can be cut and assembled easily).
• Care must be taken to avoid damaging the soft faces and edges
at all stages.
 Materials for Formwork
Steel*
• Higher resistance to heavier loads but easily rust
• Suitable for re-useable systems
• Used mainly in proprietary systems and special purpose-made
forms.
 Materials for Formwork*
Aluminium*
• Lighter, antirust, carry lighter loads
 Materials for Formwork*
Glass-reinforced Plastic (GRP)*
• Polymer reinforced with glass fibres
• For repetitive moulds such as waffle slabs
Timber (Plywood) Formwork*
 Quiz
Why the plastic film is often used in plywood formwork?*
Timber Panels*
• Frame up the materials into the largest size of panels –
economic use of material.
• For large smooth areas, timber frames with a plywood face
are more economic than timber boards especially when
material reuse is wanted.
Timber Formwork for Columns*
Timber Formwork for Columns*

• The positioning of the tie bars

• The use of the walings in pairs
Timber Formwork for Columns*
GRP/PVC Circular Column Formwork*
(Permanent Formwork)
Glass-reinforced Plastic (GRP)*
• Weather-resistant
• Water resistant plastic for outer covering
• Oil lined inner for easy stripping
• Easy to set up and brace
• Superior strength-to-weight properties
• Easy to cut and drill at the job site
• Heat resistance eliminates form
deformation during the pour
• Set and pour multiple columns at one
time
Glass-reinforced
Plastic (GRP)
Formwork**
 Formwork Erection Procedures*
• Fix each panel at its correct position.
• All props, shores, walings are spaced properly.
• All props and shores are securely braced (fixed with diagonal
members).
• Tighten all ties.
• Lower the edges of the panel which are tight against the hardened
concrete.
• In-fill pieces or closure panels should match with the main formwork.
• Holes in the formwork should be neat.
• All inserts and boxes are secured in position.
• Keep the work tidy.
• Provide adequate access and working platform.
 Striking (Removing) the Formwork*
• Formwork can be removed when concrete has gained
enough strength to be self-supporting.
• Before striking the side forms, the ties and clamps are
gradually loosened first, a little a time, to prevent the last tie
from binding.
• If the forms do not immediately come away they should be
carefully prised loose using hardwood wedges.
• When releasing soffit formwork, release the props evenly in
small stages starting at the middle of the span and working
out towards the supports.
 Specification Requirements for
Removing the Formwork*:

Type of formwork Striking time

• Vertical formwork to columns,
beams and walls (unloaded) 24 hours
• Soffit formwork to slabs (props
left under) 3 days
• Props to slabs (unloaded) 7 days
 Slab Formwork
(Note from the photo only props below the floor, why?)*
 Specification Requirements for
Removing the Formwork*:
• Soffit formwork to beams
(props left under) 7 days
• Props to beams (unloaded) 16 days
• Props to cantilevers (unloaded) 28 days

SAQ:
• Must we follow all these guidelines?
• Can we remove the formwork earlier? If yes, what evidence
would be needed?
 Cleaning*
• As soon as it has been struck, all types of formwork
should be cleaned.
• A stiff brush is used to remove dust and grout.
• Steel forms should be lightly oiled to prevent rusting.
 Release Agents*

Purpose - make it easy to strike the

form from the concrete face.
• Only the right amount of release
agent is applied by brush, roller
or spray.
• Too much can stain the concrete.
If not enough is applied, striking
would be difficult and both the
concrete and form face can be
damaged.
 Release agents – Types**
• Neat oils with surfactants – mainly used on steel
faces (water can form the rust).
[Surfactants lowers the surface tension, oil can break
into smaller droplets].
• Mould cream emulsions – for use on timber and ply.
• Chemical release agents – all types of form face.
 Proprietary
Formwork/ Falsework System
 Traditional vs Proprietary*
Traditional formwork:
• Limited re-uses
• Rising labour cost

Proprietary system:
A combination of units of components protected by
patent rights, designed and marketed under trade
names by specialist companies.
 Proprietary System*
• Can be re-used quickly for repetitive work
• Purpose-made for a particular section of work, e.g. tunnel,
culverts, table forms, tanks, etc.
• May possess traveling facility
• Steel-framed panels, with plywood or steel facing
• Telescopic centers
• Adjustable props
• Strong backs (as deep beams for extra stiffness)
• A variety of ties for slabs, beams, columns and walls.
 Proprietary System*

Load Gathering
• The accumulated concrete pressure of large areas of
formwork is loaded onto stronger members which
collect the loads.
• Plywood sheets are supported by horizontal members
which in turn are supported by twin steel or aluminum
soldiers. (similar to slabs are supported by beams)
Telescopic (伸縮式的) Centres*
 Double-headed
Adjustable Props*

(To meet the formwork

removal specification
requirements)

(Also see Drop Head)

 Wall Formwork Proprietary Systems*
Modular Wall Panel System*
• Made up of units of standard panel and
fractional form to give adjustment for length,
height and corner.
• The panel, steel-faced or ply-faced, is
stiffened by perimeter ribs to reduce panel
face deflections.
• Ties will be connected through specially
made steel channel soldiers.
 Modular Wall Panel System*
• Used to resist low concrete pressure such as straight
walls without projections like corbels, fixings, openings,
etc. as drilling holes may damage the form.
• Slots around the panel frame to enable connections be
made on all four sides.
Panels are stripped individually or
moved as a whole by crane*
 Column Proprietary Formwork System*

• The modular panel system is

suitable for casting standardized
columns where the dimensions
do not change considerably at
every floor.
• The column sizes should be
compatible with those of the
panels and fractional forms.
 Climbing Formwork**
A complete formwork system for crane handling of self-
climbing operations specifically designed for the repetitive
construction of concrete walls.
 Soffit Formwork Systems*

Modular soffit panel systems

• Same as wall panel systems supported by
steel/aluminum beams or adjustable floor centers.
• A drop-head device is installed at the falsework to
free the soffit form material which supports the slab
during concreting.
(Compare with the double-head props)
Modular Soffit Panel System**
 The Drop-head*
(See also Double-headed
Adjustable Props)
• The support at the top of the falsework
remains in contact with concrete and
prevents sudden deflections of fresh
concrete.
• The system is applicable for concreting
large area of slab or extensive repetition
of floors as a quick return of form is
possible.
 Table Form*
The propping system (falsework) is permanently attached to the
decking and the form is to be struck as a whole for each re-use.
Table Form*
• The decking is lowered and the
framework on wheels is rolled
forward and lifted to next
position for stabilizing and re-
jacking.
• Suitable for reuse if slab
between column/ wall grids is
repetitive and with few beams.
• Savings in skilled labour and
timber. The debris from
stripping timber formwork
disappears.
 Flying Form*
(A table-form which flies from a floor to the floor above)
Flying
Form**
 Tunnel/Half-tunnel Forms*
• Similar to table forms, these systems enable the slab and
the supporting wall to be cast together.
• The cross section resembles a tunnel.
 Half-tunnel Form*
(split the tunnel form into two identical halves
 Permanent Formwork – Expamet Hy-rib* (Trade Name)

• Mainly for forming construction joints in

foundations.
• Manufactured from hot-dip zinc coated
steel sheet.
• Allow concrete slurry to flow through the
key joint, ensuring aggregate interlock
• Produce a surface requiring no preparation
for bonding to the next pour.
• Can be installed in less time and is left in
place – no need to strip the formwork.
Permanent Formwork – Expamet Hy-rib
 Falsework
– U Head & Prop*

Circular Formwork*
 Self-assessment Questions
• Sketch the basic forms of formwork for various essential
R.C. elements.*
• Explain the reasons of using proprietary systems in
formwork construction.*
• Explain why formwork as a temporary construction
element is often measured and paid.*
• Discuss the future use of formwork in concrete
construction.*
 Way Forward**
The ability of 3D printers to construct buildings
without formwork (the concrete molds that cement is
typically poured into) can significantly reduce overall
use of the material, which is responsible for about
8% of global CO2 emissions annually. (CNN, 4 Nov.
2021)
- END -