Formwork

Contents

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 1 Introduction
 2 Formwork specifications
 3 Beam formwork
 4 Column formwork
 5 Plastic formwork
 6 Requirements of good formwork
 7 Related articles on Designing Buildings Wiki

 7.1 External references

Introduction
Formwork is the term used for the process of creating a temporary mould into which concrete is
poured and formed. Traditional formwork is fabricated using timber, but it can also
be constructed from steel, glass fibre reinforced plastics and other materials.

While formwork is a broad term that is used in relation to the forming process using a wide variety
of materials, shuttering is a term that is often used to refer to the process of
using plywood to form the mould.

Shuttering is perhaps the most popular type of formwork and is normally constructed on

site using timber and plywood. A special grade of plywood is necessary for shuttering, and it must be
water-resistant. It is easy to produce, although it can be time consuming for larger structures. It is
used when the labour costs are lower than the cost of producing re-
usable formwork from materials such as steel or plastic. It also has the advantage of beingat a
significant amount of concrete can be poured at once.

Simple plank shuttering can be used for the construction of a path or hardstanding. The planks should

be trimmed so they are level with the top surface of the slab, allowing a tidy concrete finish to be
achieved.

Formwork specifications

When selecting formwork, the type of concrete and temperature of the pour are

important considerations as they both effect the pressure exerted.

The formwork sides must be capable of resisting the hydrostatic pressure of the wet concrete which

will diminish to zero within several hours depending on the rate of setting and curing.

The formwork base or soffit must be capable of resisting the initial dead load of the wet concrete and

the dead load of the dry set concrete.

Once the concrete has gained sufficient strength the formwork can be struck (removed). A

minimum value of 5 N/mm2 is recommended in all cases when striking vertical formwork as so not
to damage the permanent concrete in the process.

High quality workmanship and inspection are necessary to ensure a high standard and appearance of

the resulting concrete structure.

Both shuttering and formwork in its various forms will be supported by falsework. This refers to poles,

stabilisers, or other units that keep the shuttering or formwork in place as the concrete dries. For
more information, see Falsework.

Beam formwork
Formwork for beams takes the form of a three-sided box which is supported and propped in the
correct position and to the desired level. The removal time for the formwork will vary with air
temperature, humidity and consequent curing rate. Typical striking times are as follows (using air
temperature of 7-16 ºC):

 Beam sides: 9-12 hours.

 Beam soffits: 8-14 days.
 Beam props: 15-21 days.

Column formwork

This consists of a vertical mould of the desired shape and size of the column to be poured. As a
means of keeping the formwork material thickness to a minimum, horizontal steel or timber clamps (or
yokes) are used at equal centres for batch filling and at varying centres for filling that is completed in
one pour.

The head of the column formwork can be used to provide support for the beam formwork, but while

this gives good top lateral restraint it can make the formwork complex. Alternatively, the column can
be cast to the underside of the beams. Later on, a collar of formwork can be clamped around the
cast column to complete the casting and support the incoming beam formwork.

Plastic formwork

Re-usable plastic formwork is generally used for quick pours of concrete.

The formwork is assembled either from interlocking panels or from a modular system and is used for
relatively simple concrete structures. It is not as versatile as timber formwork due to
the prefabrication requirements and is best suited for lost-cost, repetitive structures such as
mass housing schemes.

Stay-in-place structural formwork is generally assembled on site using prefabricated fibre-

reinforced plastic. It is used for concrete columns and piers and stays in place, acting as permanent
axial and shear reinforcement for the structural member. It also
provides resistance to environmental damage for both the concrete and reinforcing bars.

Proprietary systems are used to support vertical formwork while concrete cures, consisting of a series

of tubes and ties.

https://www.designingbuildings.co.uk/wiki/File:Plastic-formwork.png

Requirements of good formwork

The following requirements should be satisfied by good formwork:

  Strong enough to withstand dead and live loads.
 Capable of retaining its shape by being efficiently propped and braced horizontally and
vertically.
 Joints should prevent leakage of cement grout.
 Should be capable of being removed in various parts without damaging the concrete.
 Material used be suitable for reuse.
 Should be set accurately to the desired line.
 As lightweight as possible.
 Material should not warp or distort on exposure to the elements.
 Should rest on a firm base.

Curing In Construction | Concrete Cure

Time | Methods of curing
What Is Curing In Construction?
Curing is the maintaining of adequate moisture content and temperature
in concrete at an early age so that it could develop properties the
mixture was designed to achieve.

Curing begins immediately after finishing and placement so that the

concrete can develop the desired durability and strength.

Without an adequate supply of moisture, the cementitious materials in

concrete can’t react to form a quality product.

Drying can remove the water needed for this chemical reaction called
hydration, and the concrete won’t achieve its potential properties.
Temperature is an important factor in proper curing, since the rate of
hydration, and therefore, strength development is faster at higher
temperatures.

Generally, the concrete temperature should be maintained above 50°F

(10°C) for an adequate rate of strength development.

Further, a uniform temperature should be maintained through

the concrete section while it’s gaining strength to avoid thermal cracking.

For exposed concrete, relative humidity and wind conditions are also
important; they contribute to the rate of moisture loss from the concrete and
may result in cracking poor surface quality and durability.

Protective measures to control the evaporation of moisture from concrete

surfaces before it sets are essential to prevent plastic shrinkage cracking.

Why Is Curing of Cement Concrete

Required?
Predictable strength gain:

Laboratory tests show that concrete at a dry environment can lose up to

50% of its potential strength in comparison to similar concrete that’s moist
cured.
Concrete placed under high-temperature conditions will gain early
strength quickly, but later strengths may be reduced.

Concrete placed in cold weather will take longer to gain strength, delaying
form removal, and subsequent construction.

Improved durability:

Well-cured concrete has a better surface hardness and can withstand

surface wear and abrasion.

Curing also makes concrete more watertight, which prevents moisture and
water-borne chemicals from entering into the concrete, thus increasing
durability and service life.

Better serviceability and appearance:

A concrete slab that’s been allowed to dry out too early will have a soft
surface with poor resistance to wear and abrasion. Proper curing reduces
crazing, dusting, and scaling.

The Right Time of Curing of Concrete

Depends On:
Initial Curing – Bleeding of Concrete:

After the concrete is placed and compacted, bleeding of water occurs and

rises through the surface of concrete because of the settlement of
concrete.

The rate and duration of bleeding depend on many factors such

as concrete mix properties, thickness or depth of concrete, method of
compaction of concrete, etc.

This bleed water begins to evaporate from the surface.  When all the
bleeding water has disappeared from the surface, the drying of concrete
starts, then the initial curing of concrete must minimize the moisture loss
and prevent plastic shrinkage cracks to the concrete before and during
finishing operations.
The initial of concrete could be done by techniques like fogging or using the
evaporation reducers, or by providing the sunshades and windscreens.

Intermediate curing:

Intermediate curing is done when the concrete surface finishing

operations were carried out before the final setting of concrete.

This happens when the required surface texture of a concrete member is

achieved rapidly or if the setting of concrete is delayed.

Final Curing:

After the concrete is finished after the final setting of concrete, the final

curing of concrete should be done.

This helps to prevent surface drying of concrete because the loss of

moisture in the concrete surface occurs immediately.
Methods of curing
Moisture retention can be enhanced by several methods, including
moisture addition, moisture-retaining covers, and liquid membrane-forming
curing compound.

Water Curing
Water curing by ponding, sprinkling, or fogging is practical only for slab
areas without joints or where the water is positively confined by dams to
prevent flooding the base course or saturating the subbase/subgrade.

This is necessary to limit potential slab curling due to moisture gradients

and to preserve compaction of the soil-support system.

Water used for curing should be within 20 °F (7 °C) of the concrete

temperature to avoid thermal shock. Continuous wetting should be
maintained to avoid isolated dry spots.

Water curing of wet covering should be used for shrinkage-compensating

concrete slabs (ACI 223). The wet covering is generally the more practical
and satisfactory method of water curing.

Wet covering
When properly applied and maintained, burlap and other wet coverings
provide a continuous supply of moisture uniformly distributed on the
slab surface.
Burlap has been the most commonly used wet covering; wet burlap tends
to reduce the temperature of the hydrating concrete slabs.

Moist hay, straw, earth, or sand have been used, but their use is
usually too labor-intensive for large projects and can discolour the
surface.

If sand or earth is used, it should be applied at least I in. (25 mm) deep and
kept continuously wet during the curing period.

Wet coverings should be laid over the concrete as soon as finishing

operations are complete, and surface marring can be avoided.

Exposed concrete edges should be carefully covered. The coverings

should be kept wet so that a film of moisture remains continuously in
contact with the concrete throughout the curing period.

Burlaps are available that resist rot and fire or that reflect light reducing
heat absorption from sunlight or a combination thereof.

Coverings with burlap on one side and polyethylene on the other are also
available; the polyethylene is helpful in keeping the moist burlap longer, but
it makes rewetting more difficult.
Other polyethylene-backed fabrics are also available. These fabrics do not
stain concrete like some burlaps and are often lighter and more durable
than the burlap-backed product

Moisture retaining coverings

Although not usually as effective as water curing and wet coverings,
moisture-retaining coverings are widely used due to their convenience.

Polyethylene 
Polyethylene film and other plastic sheet materials are available in clear,
white, or black and are easily handled; the white is especially good for
covering fresh concrete subject to sunlight.

These films avoid leaving a residue that can prevent the bond of new
concrete to hardened concrete or the bond of resilient floor coverings to
concrete.

Plastic films are particularly effective for curing the base slab of two-course
floors. They can, however, leave blotchy spots on the slab and should not
be used for coloured concrete or where the appearance of the slab surface
is important.

The sheets should be spread as soon as possible after finishing operations

without marring the surface finish.

Edges of sheets should be lapped a sufficient distance to prevent moisture

loss and sealed with tape, mastic or glue, or held in place with wood planks
or sand. Construction traffic should be restricted because the film can be
extremely slippery

Water-Proof Paper
The water-Proof paper has the same advantages and disadvantages as
plastic film, except that discoloration is less likely.
It should be light in colour; the edges should be lapped and sealed and left
in place for the duration of the curing period. Tears caused by construction
traffic should be repaired to maintain proper moisture retention.

Liquid membrane-forming Curing Compounds

The application of liquid membrane-forming curing compounds is the
most widely used method for curing concrete.

Advantages are relatively low in-place cost, early access to the floor,
elimination of the need to monitor the curing process, and the opportunity
for longer uninterrupted cure.

The membrane should be protected from damage due to construction

traffic. Disadvantages include the potential for insufficient and uneven
coverage, conflict with regulations on the release of volatile organic
compounds, interference with a bond of surfacing materials, and variability
of quality and solids content.
Liquid membrane-forming curing compounds should be applied as soon as
finishing operations are complete while the surface is still damp but without
free water.

Machine spraying is preferable, but manual spraying is acceptable if

accomplished with sufficient care to ensure uniform and complete
coverage.

The manual application should be accomplished by either spraying or

rolling and by backrolling with a wide short-nap paint roller.

This can ensure full coverage without ponding of the curing compound in
low spots. White-pigmented or fugitive-dye compounds help ensure even
coverage and can be considered to reflect light and heat for floors exposed
to sunlight.

Generally, the curing compound should meet or exceed the minimum

moisture retention requirements of ASTM C 309 or ASTM C 1315.

Curing is a term applied to the chemical process that describes a change in the state of materials,
usually as they turn from liquid (or semi-liquid) to solid. It can apply
to cement, concrete, adhesives, plasters, thermosetting plastics and other materials. It usually has
important implications for strength development and so its effects must be considered carefully in
the construction industry.
Concrete

The curing time for cast-in-place concrete can be anything from three days to two weeks. The process
involves an exothermic reaction, i.e heat is given off. Ensuring the
correct conditions for curing requires protecting the concrete from both high and low temperatures.

If freshly-poured concrete is not cured properly, it may:

 Set incorrectly and suffer fine cracking (‘crazing’) from shrinkage.

 Have an ultimate strength lower than the required design strength.

Both consequences could be catastrophic as cracks can allow the ingress

of humidity and water which can cause corrosion of steel reinforcement or frost damage; while failing
to reach its design strength will mean a weaker concrete than designed with potentially
serious consequences.

Hydration

The strength of concrete depends on the reactions in its matrix and in particular on the growth of

crystals. These are the result of the hydration process – the reaction between water and Portland
cement. This process will continue almost indefinitely as long as there is water in the matrix. But a
deficiency in water content will mean the crystals will not develop as they should and the concrete will:

 Not reach its design strength.

 Not achieve volume stability.
 Not be resistant to freeze-thaw cycles.
 Have lower resistance to abrasion and scaling.
 May not achieve target durability.

Temperature

Maintaining the correct temperature of the concrete is critical. It is currently thought that below 10°C
sees a slow-down in hydration, while 4°C signals a virtual stop. In contrast, a temperature that is too
high speeds up the exothermic reaction causing temperature differentials within the concrete that
can lead to cracking. This causes weaker strength development as the matrix crystals have not
developed as they should have.

Methods of curing concrete

Curing aims to control the rapid loss of moisture from the setting concrete, so the aim is to provide a
seal to prevent or slow down the rate of water evaporation. However, methods differ according to the
type of structure or curing requirement. Some of the more common curing methods include:

 Covering concrete work with polythene sheeting, particularly for

vertical elements e.g columns.
  Covering with damp sand or damp hessian – applied as soon as the concrete hardens
otherwise surface damage may result.
 Sprinkling or spraying.
 Ponding – can be used for horizontal surfaces such as slabs, roads, pavements etc. Involves
placing small ponds of clay or sand across the surface which are filled with water.
But water can leak out of the ponds and cause staining, and it is impractical for large areas.
 Steam curing.
 Membrane curing.
 Spray-on compounds.
 Formwork – can provide a degree of protection but this will depend on when it is struck. If it is
left in place for four days or more, there may be no need to provide further protection after
the formwork is removed. Time will therefore be an important consideration, as will the
degree of exposure of the concrete work. Even if formwork is used as a method of
protection, the tops of walls and columns will still require curing.

Curing time

The length of time for proper curing to take place will depend on specific conditions, national codes,
etc. Flat concrete (e.g pavements, driveways, car parks etc)
and structural concrete (e.g beams, columns, slabs, walls, retaining walls etc) typically require a
seven-day curing time when temperatures are above 4°C. This usually allows the concrete to attain
70% of the specified compressive strength.

Curing time will depend on:

 Ambient weather conditions.
 Mix proportions.
 Specified strength.
 Size and shape of concrete being cast.