Concrete Form – Its Uses and Advantages
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.
An engineered formwork system includes either an aluminum frame, or a steel frame, that accompanies a prefabricated module. They have a great advantage over other formworks, due to the very fast assembly it provides when used in any type of construction job. This saves the project much more money, which makes it a popular choice for engineers.
The above advantage is a huge one, especially in the use of major projects where time is of the essence. The use of steel and aluminum as concrete forms saves further money because it can be used almost 2000 times, depending on how well they are maintained. The timber ones might only be used a few dozen times, after which it needs to be replaced.
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.
There is the permanent insulated formwork, which is also assembled on-site. They use insulated concrete forms, or ICF, to construct them. Insulated concrete forms are not removed after the pour settled, but it remains in its place. Its assembly speed and its superior strength make it another very popular choice in the construction industry. It saves the project money and valuable time too.
The last type is called the \’stay-in-place systems\’, is a formwork which is constructed on-site as well. They use reinforced plastic that are fabricated beforehand, in assembling these forms. They come in tubes that are hollow in structure and are commonly used in constructing piers and columns. They stay in place after it has cured as well, and afterwards they act as shear and axial reinforcement. They have another function, in that they protect the material against corrosion.
The time between when the mix was poured and the concrete 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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