Concrete Form – The Benefits And Various Applications

In the days when Rome and the Romans ruled the earth, the concrete form was born as well, when they started building with concrete. It is usually referred to as ‘formwork’ and it is also mainly described as moldings, temporary or permanent, that is used to pour materials like concrete into. Today, many different concrete forms are used in the construction industry.

First, and the more commonly used till, this day, is the timber formwork. This is built on the construction site and plywood and timber is usually used. The newest material is a moisture-resistant board that they also use nowadays. This type is very time-consuming to put together for bigger structures, but it is still used regularly for smaller structures. It remains the most flexible type to use, compared to the other types that are used.

The engineered formwork system consists of modules that are prefabricated. They include the aluminum or steel frame as well. The one advantage that they offer in the construction industry is the speed at which it could be erected. This alone makes it a very popular way to form structures, and it saves a project a lot of money.

An advantage like this saves an engineer valuable time too. Therefore, they are usually ideal for big projects where time is very crucial. The steel or aluminum form saves most projects much money through the fact that they can be used over, and over. On average, they could be used as many as 2000 times, whereas the timber forms only last for a couple of dozen uses, then they need replacing.

The reusable plastic-type of forms are made up of a system commonly used in construction. These are normally used to construct structures that are very simple in its design. Its panels can be very robust and is very lightweight. These features make them popular for the use in a low-cost housing development.

A permanent insulated formwork system is always constructed on-site. Insulated forms, also known as ICF, are used to build them on the construction site. An insulated concrete form is never removed after the pour cured fully. It stays in its original place. The big advantages of this system are the speed at which it can be built, and its strength abilities. This makes it a first-choice selection in many projects.

The stay-in-place structural formwork system is another one that is put together on-site. Fiber reinforced plastic, that is prefabricated is used to assemble these forms. They are found in a hollow tube form and are mostly used for the construction of a column, or a pier. They too, stay in place after the pour settled and then act as axial and shear reinforcements. Furthermore, they also provide protection to the concrete against corrosion.

The time between when the mix was poured and the Insulated Concrete Form were removed, usually depends on the specifications of the job. It is usually removed to reveal the finished surfaces, after about 24 hours. It often happens that the concrete form was under designed, which could lead to an accident or disaster on-site. To prevent this the engineers have to make 100% sure that their calculations are correct.

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