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CONCRETE FORMWORK DESIGN

CONSIDERATIONS
Designingandbuildingformwork
effectivelyrequiresabasic
understandingofhowconcrete
behavesasitexertspressureon
formwork.Concreteexertslateral
pressureontheformwork.The
formworkisdesignedbasedonthese
lateralforces.
Lateralconcretepressureon
formworkisaffectedby:
1)Heightofconcretepour
2)Concretepourrate
3)Weightofconcrete
4)Temperature
5)Typeofcement
6)Vibration
7)Concreteslump(watercementratio)
8)Chemicaladditives
1)Heightofconcretepour:Beforeconcretehardens,itactslikealiquidandpushes
againsttheformsthewaywaterpressesagainstthewallsofastoragetank.The
amountofpressureatanypointontheformisdirectlydeterminedbytheheightand
weightofconcreteaboveit.Pressureisnotaffectedbythethicknessofthewall.
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Fig:Lateralconcretepressureonformwork
2)Concretepourrate:Concretepressureatanypointontheformisdirectly
proportionaltotheheightofliquidconcreteaboveit.Ifconcretebeginstoharden
beforethepouriscomplete,thefullliquidheadwillnotdevelopandthepressure
againsttheformswillbelessthanifthepourwerecompletedbeforeanyofconcrete
hardened.
Onceconcretehardensitcannotexertmorepressureontheformseventhoughliquid
concretecontinuestobeplacedaboveit.Thefollowingdiagramsillustrateshowform
pressurevarieswhenthepourrateisincreasedfromoneleveltoanotherlevel.For
easeofexplanation,itisassumedthatconcretehardensinonehour(typically)at
21C.

Fig:Concretepressureonformworkduringhardening
Whenthepourrateisincreasedthepressurealsoincreasesasshownbelow:
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Fig:Concretepressureonformworkduetohigherpourrate
3)WeightofConcrete:Pressureexertedagainsttheformsisdirectlyproportionalto
theunitweightofconcrete.Lightweightconcretewillexertlesspressurethannormal
weightconcreteasshownbelow:

Fig:Pressureonformworkduetonormalandlightweightconcretes
4)Temperature:Thetimeittakesconcretetohardenisinfluencedgreatlybyits
temperature.Thehigherthetemperatureoftheconcrete,thequickeritwillharden.
Mostformworkdesignsarebasedonanassumedaverageairandconcrete
temperatureof21C.Atlowairtemperatures,thehardeningofconcreteisdelayedand
youneedtodecreaseyourpourrateorheatyourconcretetokeepthepressure
againsttheformworkfromincreasing.Ideally,concreteshouldbepouredat
temperaturesbetween16Cand38C.Outsidethistemperaturerangethereisoften
insufficientmoistureavailableforcuring.Ifadequatewaterforcuringisnotavailableor
freezes,thestrengthoftheconcretewillsuffer.
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5)TypeofCement:Thecementtypewillinfluencetherateatwhichconcrete
hardens.Ahighearlystrengthconcretewillhardenfasterthannormalconcreteandwill
allowafasterpourrate.Whenusingacementwhichaltersthenormalsetand
hardeningtime,besuretoadjustthepourrateaccordingly.
6)Vibration:Internalvibrationconsolidatesconcreteandcausesittobehavelikethe
pureliquid.Ifconcreteisnotvibrated,itwillexertlesspressureontheforms.ACI
recommendedformulasforformpressuresmaybereduced10%iftheconcreteis
spadedratherthaninternallyvibrated.Revibrationandexternalvibrationresultin
higherformloadsthaninternalvibration.Thesetypesofvibrationrequirespecially
designedforms.
7)ConcreteSlump:Whenconcretehasverylowslump,itactslesslikealiquidand
willtransmitlesspressure.Whenusingconcretewithaslumpgreaterthan100mm,
theformworkshouldbedesignedtoresistfullliquidhead.
8)Chemicaladditives:Whenusingchemicaladditivesi.e.retarders,plasticizers,
etc.makesuretorefertothevendorsapplicationdata.

Related Topics

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