Advanced Form-

work Systems
CHAIR OF APPROPRIATE BUILDING
TECHNOLOGY
"Construction is an art, and formwork
is the canvas on which we build our
dreams." – Anonymous

"Formwork is the silent architect of a

concrete masterpiece, shaping
strength from the fluidity of
construction." – Anonymous
- ANONYMOUS
Outline
□ General Background
□ Advanced Formwork Systems
□ Shoring and Scaffolding

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Formwork

❑ Formwork is a typically temporary construction used to confine poured concrete, shaping it to the
desired dimensions and providing support until the concrete gains sufficient strength to stand on its
own.

❑ It is a structural system that necessitates careful design and construction, ensuring it can effectively
support the concrete during its initial stages.

❑ Comprising mainly the face contact material and the supporting bearers, formwork directly
influences the appearance and stability of the final concrete structure.

❑ Formwork is a crucial activity in the concrete construction process, playing a pivotal role in
achieving the desired shape and strength of the structure.

❑ The quality of formwork is paramount, as it significantly impacts the overall quality of the concrete.
Well-constructed formwork contributes immensely to the final excellence of the concrete structure.

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General Background
❑ requirements in concrete construction
are growing constantly

❑ requirements are becoming increasingly

complex as regards the quality of the
building and profitability

CHAIR OF APPROPRIATE BUILDING TECHNOLOGY 5

Cont.
❑ high quality and efficiency are more
important than ever before.

CHAIR OF APPROPRIATE BUILDING TECHNOLOGY 6

 Cont.

□ One of the most important factors in determining the success of a construction

project in terms of speed, quality cost and safety of work is the formwork used in the
project
□ Formwork costs can constitute from 35 to 60 percent of the concrete cost on projects
involving large quantities of concrete work.

□ The most efficient way to speed up the work in high-rise building construction is by
achieving a very short floor cycle. The floor cycle of a building mainly depend on the
formwork type as it is the main time factor of a building project.

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TECHNOLOGY
7
Floor cycle
❑ In the context of formwork in construction, the term "floor cycle" typically refers to the sequence of
activities involved in constructing one floor of a building using formwork. The floor cycle encompasses
the entire process, from setting up the formwork for the floor slab to pouring concrete, curing, and
eventually removing the formwork after the concrete has gained sufficient strength.

❑ Efficiency in managing the floor cycle is crucial for maintaining a construction project's timeline and
ensuring the quality of each floor. Advanced formwork systems and construction methodologies aim
to streamline the floor cycle, improving productivity and reducing construction timelines.
The floor cycle involves several key steps
❑ Formwork Setup: Erecting the formwork for the floor slab, which includes installing the molds or frames
that will define the shape and dimensions of the concrete slab.
❑ Reinforcement Placement: Placing the necessary reinforcement, such as steel bars or mesh, within the
formwork to enhance the structural strength of the concrete.
❑ Concrete Pouring: Pouring the concrete into the formwork to fill the space created by the molds.
❑ Compaction and Finishing: Compacting the concrete to remove air bubbles and achieve a dense,
uniform structure. Finishing activities may include smoothing the surface or applying specific textures.
❑ Curing: Allowing the concrete to cure and gain strength. This often involves maintaining optimal
temperature and moisture conditions for a specified period.
❑ Formwork Stripping: Removing the formwork once the concrete has sufficiently hardened and gained
the required strength to support its own weight.
❑ Repeat for Each Floor: The entire process is then repeated for each subsequent floor of the building.
Chair of Appropriate Building Technology 1
FORMWORK
CLASSIFICATIONS
 Classification according to
materials of construction
• Timber - still the most popular formwork material
for its relative low initial cost and adaptability

• Steel - in the form of either hot-rolled or cold-

formed sections and in combination with other
sheeting materials
• Full aluminum formwork systems: have been
used in some cases but the performance is still
being questioned, especially in concern to cost
and labour control.
• Other types of metals and alloys - still
uncommon on construction sites, due to their cost
and easy substitution by other common metals.

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Chair of Appropriate Building Technology 1
Classification according to
nature of operation
❑ Operated manually

❑ Power-lifted formwork

CHAIR OF APPROPRIATE BUILDING TECHNOLOGY 1

Cont.
Operated manually

□ Timber and aluminum forms are manually- operable types of formwork. They are designed and
constructed in ways that they can be completely handled independently without the aid of any
lifting appliances.

□ Some systems are equipped with a certain degree of mobility to ease the erection and striking
processes, or to allow horizontal moment using rollers, rails or tracks.
Cont.
Power-lifted formwork can be

❑ self-climbing

❑ crane- lifted types.

Self-climbing formwork - uses built-in hydraulic or screw jack systems under full-form
or sectioned arrangement.

Since the lifting power of the jacks is enormous, a supporting gantry system for the
erection of the formwork panels as well as an enclosed scaffold system with inner and
outer work platforms are usually provided to form a convenient and self- supporting work
station for casting works.
Self-climbing formwork

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Cont.
This system consists of upper form(s), and
lower lifters (self- raisers).
The lifters are attached to the wall already
cast below the form.
Step 1. The forms and lifters are placed
against the wall, as they were after the last
lift of concrete was placed.
Step 2. The lifters are unbolted from where
they are attached and pulled away
horizontally by stripping jacks.

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Cont.
Step 3. The lifters are lifted by hydraulic,
pneumatic, or electric jacks to a new
position immediately below the forms. It
should be noted that the top pour has to
gain enough strength to support the weight
of the lifters.

Step 4. The lifters are pushed back against

the wall by stripping jacks, and then re-
anchored to the wall just below the forms.

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 Cont.
Step 5. The forms are unbolted, stripped, and
dragged with the stripping jacks.
Step 6. The forms are lifted to the next casting
position.
Step 7. The forms are brought into line, ties rods are
installed, and the concrete is placed below the top of
the form. It should be noted that the first two floors
above the ground should be formed by a
conventional forming systems before the self-raising
form is used.
Crane-lifted systems
Crane-lifted systems are usually in the form of large
panels (sometimes called the gang form). They are
fabricated either in steel sections and sheeting, or using
plastic sheeting and stiffened by metal studs and soldiers.

These large panels can be stood on solid slab or fixed on

brackets in case they are used for external walls or
shafts.
Cont.
▪ Other forms of operation include the gantry-type, traveling or tunnel form.

▪ These are more suitable for use in long repeated sections such as in railway
stations, terminal buildings or other large horizontal structures.

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Classification according to
Conventionality and Modernity
❑ Convectional

❑ Modern conventional
❑ Moder
Conventional
□ The oldest type of formwork,
□ uses timber, bamboo and
carpentry,
□ very much suitable for small
houses with two to three storeys
□ not suitable for big projects or
high-rise buildings,
□ has low initial cost, low weight
poor finish,
□ high labor requirement,

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Modern Conventional Formwork
□ very much closer to the conventional formwork but one step advanced than the
conventional type.

□ The same technique has used in the both types but in modern conventional formwork
more advanced materials are used and they can be reused for several times.

□ The differences of both types are that steel props and various types of jacks (U jacks,
T jacks) are used as supports in the formwork instead of timber supports and ply
wood sheets are used instead of timber planks on slab decks, beams and columns.

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Cont.
advantages
□ Low initial cost,
□ low skilled labor requirement,
□ can even be used in small places and when there are lot of deviations in the structure

disadvantages
□ Better than conventional but still poor finish of the concrete surface,
□ high labor requirement
Modern Formworks
MIVAN
Technology

System formwork Tunnel Formwork

system

MODERN
FORMWORK
Slip formwork SYSTEMS Climbing formwork

Ganged Formwork Flying formwork

Jump formwork

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Innovative construction technologies
have the following features in
common:
❑ Engage fewer resources to achieve the same output
❑ Yield better performance when compared to traditional methods
❑ Ability to cater for other associated works during the construction process in a
more coordinated manner
❑ Better adaptability to cope with variances and changes in the design
❑ Achieve the task neatly and faster
❑ Safer work processes
❑ More environmental friendly

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Examples of some common brand names for formwork

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 start

System Formwork
□ Built of prefabricated modules with the frames and
patented plywood sheathings.
□ Since 1980, the concept of system formwork is improving
tremendously due to the advancement in forming
technology and fabrication process.

□ New and innovative materials such as Plastic, FRP (Fiber

Reinforced Polymer), Aluminum, etc., are used as an
alternatives for the timber components.

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Cont.
□ has prefabricated modular components
with casting panels
□ fabricated as it suits the required shape
□ biggest advantage - the speedy and
quality construction
□ main disadvantage - high initial cost hence
it is not economical to use in low – rise
buildings
□ the most economical form of formwork type
to be used in high- rise building construction
when it is having few typical storeys

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Tunnel formwork technology
❑ Highly efficient Industrialized System of on-Site
Construction, which enables putting-up stable
structure on a 24-Hour cycle basis
❑ Combines the speed, quality and accuracy of
factory/offsite produced ready-mix concrete and
formwork with the flexibility and economy of cast in-
situ construction

Half Tunnel Formwork

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Cont.
❑ Used to form repetitive cellular structures (hotels, low
and high rise housing, student accommodations, prison
and barracks accommodation

❑ Widely recognized as a moder innovation that enables

the construction of horizontal and vertical elements (walls
and floors/slabs in one operation on daily cycle) together.
Tunnel Formwork

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Cont.
It consists of:
❑ Deck panel: The thick steel skin used to form the ceiling and floor of each module

❑ Wall panel: Also made of a thick steel skin, used to form the walls between two
adjacent modules

❑ Waler and waler splices: Stiffer deck and wall panels to minimize deflection due to
concrete lateral pressure

❑ Diagonal strut assembly: Used to provide additional support for the floor slab
and keep walls and floors perpendicular.

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Flying formwork system
□ A relatively new formwork system that was developed to reduce labor cost
associated with erecting and dismantling formwork
□ The name ‘‘flying formwork’’ is used because forms are flown from story to story
by a crane

□ Best utilized for high-rise multistory buildings such as hotels and apartment buildings,
where many reuses are needed.

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Cont.
The basic construction sequence using this
formwork:

□ The assembled table formwork units are rolled in to position

and sealed along the joints to form the floor to be cast.
□ Steel reinforcement is fixed in place and concrete is
placed
□ Once struck, the formwork units are lowered and rolled out
from underneath the newly formed slab
□ They are then taken by crane and placed at the next position
or level.

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 Cont.
Advantages:
□ Speedy construction for large floor layouts
□ Fully assembled units can be maneuvered quickly into place, rather than
transporting individual components from one location to another and
reassembling
□ High quality surface finishes can be achieved
□ The individual components of the formwork system are highly engineered
and can be precisely adjusted
□ The high degree of repetition simplifies work practices.
□ Reduced workforce requirement on site. However, the initial assembly of the
formwork can be labor intensive depending on the size of the table unit .

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Climbing formwork systems
Types of climbing formwork system
□ The Climbing formwork, sliding formwork, jump formwork are synonymously used
and in some instances the horizontal Slipform, travelling formwork are also
interpreted as climbing formwork system.
□ generally classified based on the verticality of the construction as Horizontal or Inclined
Climbing Formwork System and Vertical Climbing Formwork System.
□ classified based on the mode of operation, as Climbing Formwork System, CFS
(Crane-dependent System), Automatic or Self Climbing Formwork System,
ACFS/SCFS (Crane-independent System), Semi-Automatic or Semi-Self Climbing
Formwork System, SACFS/SSCFS (Crane dependent only up to certain height).

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Cont.
□ a forming method for tall structures in which concrete is poured into a
continuously moving formwork
□ is surrounded by a three-story-high platform on which workers stand, place steel
reinforcing rods into the concrete and ensuring a smooth pour and finish the later part
of finished concrete surface.
□ the concrete form and working platform is raised together, by means of hydraulic
jacks fixed over rail on the external surface.

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 Cont.
Types of climbing
formwork system

Horizontal Climbing Inclined Climbing Vertical Climbing

Formwork System Formwork System Formwork System

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TECHNOLOGY 40
 Jump formwork system
□ are used where no floor is available on which to support the wall formwork, or the
wall and column proceed ahead of the floor
□ consist of a framed panel attached to two or more strong backs
□ can be one floor high, supported on inserts set in the lift below.

CHAIR OF APPROPRIATE BUILDING TECHNOLOGY 41

Cont.
Three types of jump forms are in general use:
❑ Normal jump/climbing form – units are individually lifted off the structure and relocated
at the next construction level using a crane.

❑ Guided-climbing jump form – also uses a crane but offers greater safety and control
during lifting as units remain anchored/guided by the structure.

❑ Self-climbing jump form – does not require a crane as it climbs on rails up the building
by means of hydraulic jacks, or by jacking the platforms off internal recesses in the
structure. It is possible to link the hydraulic jacks and lift multiple units in a single
operation.

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 Slip formworks
□ similar in nature and application to jump form,
but the formwork is raised vertically in a
continuous process
□ a method of vertically extruding a reinforced
concrete section and is suitable for
construction of core walls in high-rise
structures, lift shafts, stair shafts, towers, etc.

CHAIR OF APPROPRIATE BUILDING TECHNOLOGY 43

Cont.
□ Fresh concrete is placed or pumped into the forms.
□ After two to three hours, the concrete reaches the initial set and loses its plasticity
and starts supporting the newly fresh concrete above.
□ The rate of movement of the forms is controlled and matches the initial setting of
concrete so that the forms leave the concrete after it is strong enough to retain its
shape while supporting its own weight.
□ The forms move upward by mean of jacks climbing on smooth steel rods embedded in
the hardened concrete and anchored at the concrete foundation base.

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Ganged Formworks
□ large wall form units that are made of
panels joined together with special
hardware and braced with strong backs or
special steel or aluminum frames
□ can be made on the site, rented, or
purchased from formwork
manufacturers
□ The advantages of manufactured forms
over site made is that they are precise in
dimension and can be reused a larger
number of times

CHAIR OF APPROPRIATE BUILDING TECHNOLOGY 45

Cont.
Advantages:

□ productivity is higher than traditional forms because

they are assembled on the ground and stripped as one
unit.
□ produce high-quality smooth concrete with fewer joints.
Also, form liners
□ have higher reuse value than traditional all wood
formwork systems. Also, plywood can be replaced
without any need to replace the supporting frame.

Chair of Appropriate Building Technology 46

Cont.
Limitations:

□ The major limitation of gang is that before moving gang forms vertically or horizontally
to the next pouring position, they have to be brought down to the ground for cleaning
and oiling. This process substantially increases the cycle time between two lifts.
□ Gang forms are not suitable for small walls or walls interrupted by pilasters.
□ Because of their large sizes, safety is a major concern when moving ganged forms.

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MIVAN Technology
❑ an aluminum formwork technology

❑ cast – in– situ concrete wall and floor slabs cast

monolithic provides the structural system in one
continuous pour
❑ Large room sized forms for walls and floors slabs are
erected at site.
❑ are made strong and sturdy, fabricated with accuracy and
easy to handle.
❑ afford large number of repetitions (around 250)

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Joist-Slab forming system
□ A one-way joist slab is a monolithic combination of regularly spaced joists arranged in
one direction and a thin slab cast in place to form an integral unit with the beams
and columns.
□ One-way joist slabs have frequently been formed with standard steel pans.

CHAIR OF APPROPRIATE BUILDING TECHNOLOGY 49

Shoring
SAFEGUARDING STRUCTURES
AND WORKERS
Introduction to Shoring
Definition of Shoring: Temporary support systems used in construction to prevent collapse or
movement of soil, structures, or excavations.
Importance in Construction Projects: Ensuring safety, stability, and structural integrity.
Overview of Presentation Sections:
◦ Requirement of Shoring
◦ Types of shoring
◦ Factors influencing design
◦ Safety considerations
◦ Case studies
◦ Best practices
◦ Future trends
Requirement of Shoring
❑ If the wall shows signs of bulging out due to bad workmanship.

❑ To repair a crack on the wall due to unequal settlement of the foundation.

❑ When an adjacent structure is to be dismantled.

❑ If openings are to be made or enlarged in the wall.

❑ To give support to walls that are dangerous or are likely to become unstable because of
subsidence, bulging, or leaning.

❑ For avoiding failure of sound walls caused by the removal of underlying support

❑ During demolition works to give support to an adjacent building or structure.

Types of shoring
❑ Vertical Shoring

❑ Raking Shoring

❑ Dead Shoring

❑ Flying Shoring

❑ Soil Nailing Shoring

Vertical shoring
Explanation: Supports vertical excavations or walls.

Components: Soldier piles, lagging, cross braces.

Applications: Deep foundation excavations, basement

construction.

Benefits: Provides lateral support, minimizes ground

movement.
Raking Shoring
•Explanation: Uses inclined supports to stabilize
walls or slopes. Components: Rakers, struts, Wales.

•Applications: Slope stabilization, retaining walls.

•Benefits: Reduces horizontal pressure, increases

stability.

Sheeting

Rakers
Struts

Wales
Dead Shoring/
Scaffolding
Explanation: Utilizes dead weight to stabilize structures.

Components: Timber bracing, concrete blocks.

Applications: Underpinning, trench shoring.

Benefits: Provides vertical support, cost-effective.

Flying shoring
• Explanation: Flying shoring is a support system that
provides horizontal support to two parallel party walls.

•Components: Suspended platforms, trusses.

• Applications: Bridge construction, facade retention.

• Benefits: Maximizes workspace, reduces ground

disturbance.
Soil Nailing Shoring
Soil nailing is a method of shoring in which an excavation,
soil slopes, or retaining walls are strengthened by inserting
reinforced elements in them like steel reinforcing bars. The
hole in the soil is a pre-drilled hole and then grouted into
place or drilled and grouted simultaneously.

These elements are generally inserted at a slight

downward inclination which offers better protection against
any drawdown action.
Shoring failures