Cost Comparison of Different Types of Formworks

Formwork is the temporary moulds in the construction which is fabricated based on the drawing and design of the structure and into which the concrete is poured to form the required structure.Formwork is an essential part of the construction as it has been used by the Romans.The formworks must be strong enough to withstand all types of loads.The joint must be in proper condition to avoid any kind of leakages.The materials used for the formworks should be economical,easily available and durable.The formworks can be made up of different materials such as plywood,steel,aluminum,composite material,etc.In steel formwork the plates used for the slab support are made up of galvanized steel and these are fabricated as per the requirements.Aluminum plates are used in the aluminum framework along with the other components made up of aluminum.The selection of a suitable framework is important in any project because it bears about 25%to 30%cost of the total cost of construction.In the present study,different types of formworks such as steel,plywood and aluminum were studied in a project and a comparison was made on the reusability and easiness in handling and maintenance.Also,a comparison of the formwork used in the construction of the 5th and 11th-floor tower based on the specific plan and drawing was done.The results showed that the aluminum formwork was found to be efficient and suitable among all formworks,although the cost was higher compared to other formwork materials.

Safety Risk Assessment of Overturning Construction of Towering Structure Based on Cloud Matter–Element Coupled Model

Rapid urbanization has led to a surge in the number of towering structures,and overturning is widely used because it can better accommodate the construction of shaped structures such as variable sections.The complexity of the construction process makes the construction risk have certain randomness,so this paper proposes a cloudbased coupled matter-element model to address the ambiguity and randomness in the safety risk assessment of overturning construction of towering structures.In the pretended model,the digital eigenvalues of the cloud model are used to replace the eigenvalues in the matter–element basic element,and calculate the cloud correlation of the risk assessment metrics through the correlation algorithm of the cloud model to build the computational model.Meanwhile,the improved hierarchical analysis method based on the cloud model is used to determine the weight of the index.The comprehensive evaluation scores of the evaluation event are then obtained through the weighted average method,and the safety risk level is determined accordingly.Through empirical analysis,(1)the improved hierarchical analysis method based on the cloud model can incorporate the data of multiple decisionmakers into the calculation formula to determine theweights,which makes the assessment resultsmore credible;(2)the evaluation results of the cloud-basedmatter-element coupledmodelmethod are basically consistent with those of the other two commonly used methods,and the confidence factor is less than 0.05,indicating that the cloudbased physical element coupled model method is reasonable and practical for towering structure overturning;(3)the cloud-based coupled element model method,which confirms the reliability of risk level by performing Spearman correlation on comprehensive assessment scores,can provide more comprehensive information of instances compared with other methods,and more comprehensively reflects the fuzzy uncertainty relationship between assessment indexes,which makes the assessment results more realistic,scientific and reliable.

Unsymmetrical Fibre-Reinforced Plastics for the Production of Curved Textile Reinforced Concrete Elements

A new constructive and technological approach was developed for the efficient production of large-dimensioned, curved freeform formworks, which allow the manufacturing of single and double-curved textile reinforced concrete elements. The approach is based on a flexible, multi-layered formwork system, which consists of glass-fibre reinforced plastic (GFRP). Using the unusual structural behavior caused by anisotropy, these GFRP formwork elements permit a specific adjustment of defined curvature. The system design of the developed GFRP formwork and the concrete-lightweight-elements with stabilized spacer fabric was examined exhaustively. Prototypical curved freeform surfaces with different curvature radii were designed, numerically computed and produced. Furthermore, the fabric’s contour accuracy of the fabric was verified, and its integration was adjusted to loads.

Potential Use of Strain Hardening ECC in Permanent Formwork with Small Scale Flexural Beams

Utilizing pre-cast ECC panels as participating permanent formwork of concrete members, and the validity of using ECC to disperse the single crack in concrete into multiple ones in ECC were studied. In the process, totally two kinds of ECC with different tensile properties, 7 series of flat panels with different top surface figures and 3 U-shape panels with different inner surface forms were investigated. To evaluate the performance of the permanent formworks, small ECC-concrete composite beams were cast and tested mechanically. The 4-point bending test results show that the use of pre-cast ECC panels as permanent formwork can significantly improve the load capacity and toughness of a concrete member, effectively dispersing single widely opened crack in concrete into multiple ones in ECC. Most permanent formworks show perfect bond with the concrete cast on them, while the ones with partially debonded zone achieve the best mechanical performance. The U-shape permanent formworks show better performances than the flat ones, achieving much betler improvements in both the load capacity and toughness, together with better crack width control.

Deformation failure mechanism and application of the backfill along the goaf-side retained roadway

In order to determine the rational width of backfill in the goaf-side retained roadway, the deformation failure mechanism of surrounding rock in retained roadway is studied in the use of theoretical analysis, numerical simulation, etc., when the width of backfill is different. The results show that: with the increase of backfill width, the roof deformation above the backfill decreases; the outside of backfill obviously suffers from greater stress compared to the inner side of backfill; the damage firstly appears in the intersection of top backfill and roof; the plastic failure area is mainly distributed in the roof and floor of inside the roadway; 2 m wide backfill in the goaf-side retained roadway can meet the requirements of roadway deformation. Based on the original combination support of "anchor-mesh-belt-lock" in the haulage-track roadway, the study also considers the reinforced support of "anchor-mesh-belt" above the backfill, and 50 m ahead of working face, and 200 m behind the working face. This kind of support achieves a good result. The roadway deformation of field measurement shows that it can satisfy the need of the next working face.

Formwork lateral pressure of precast normal-concrete composite shear walls infilled with self-compacting concrete

Wall cracking and mold expanding due to concrete vibrations can be effectively solved through the application of precast normal-concrete composite shear walls infilled with self-compacting concrete(SCC). However, the high liquidity of SCC will induce a higher lateral pressure. Therefore, it is important to obtain a better understanding of the template lateral pressure. In this work, nine composite shear walls were experimentally investigated, focusing on the effects of two parameters, i.e., the casting rate and the section width of the formwork. The time-varying pressure was monitored during the SCC pouring. It is found that the increase of casting rate from 3.2 m/h to 10.3 m/h resulted in a higher maximum lateral pressure. The higher casting rate led to a longer time required for the lateral pressure to drop to a steady value. There was no correlation between the section width and the rate of decrease in the initial formwork pressure and stable value. Based on the test results, a formula considering the effect of casting speed for the calculation of SCC formwork pressure was established to fill the gap in the current standards and for engineering applications.

Interactions between Superplasticizer and Release Agents at the Concrete/Formwork Interface

Improving the knowledge of rheological and tribological characteristics of fresh concrete is important to contribute to the progress of construction sites and the final quality of the work. The objective of this study is to identify the effect of a superplasticizer based on polycarboxylic ether on the tribological behavior of fresh concrete at the concrete/formwork and concrete/oil/formwork interfaces. Friction tests on fresh concrete were carried out using a plan/plan tribometer. In order to study the behavior of the superplasticizer close to the formwork, three concretes with 30% of paste and different dosage of superplasticizer were formulated. The results show that the increase of the dosage of superplasticizer reduces the friction stress. The properties of the superplasticizer generate a deflocculating action of concrete grains and lead to a stabilisation of the soap-oil micellae present in the vicinity of the formwork. Thus, the efficiency of superplasticizer depends on the quantity of fines, on the quantity of soap formed and so, on the release agent formulation.

Function-Integrative Textile Reinforced Concrete Shells

This paper presents the development and technological implementation of textile reinforced concrete (TRC) shells with integrated functions, such as illumination and light control. In that regard the establishment of material, structural and technological foundations along the entire value chain are of central importance: From the light-weight design idea to the demonstrator and reference object, to the technological implementation for the transfer of the research results into practice. The development of the material included the requirement-oriented composition of a high-strength fine grained concrete with an integrated textile reinforcement, such as carbon knitted fabrics. Innovations in formwork solutions provide new possibilities for concrete constructions. So, a bionic optimized shape of the pavilion was developed, realized by four connected TRC-lightweight-shells. The thin-walled TRC-shells were manufactured with a formwork made of glass-fibre reinforced polymer (GFRP). An advantage of the GFRP-formwork is the freedom of design concerning the formwork shape. Moreover, an excellent concrete quality can be achieved, while the production of the precast concrete components is simple and efficient simultaneously. After the production the new TRC-shells were installed and assembled on the campus of TU-Chemnitz. A special feature of the research pavilions are the LED light strips integrated in the shell elements, providing homogeneous illumination.

Application of Mobile Formwork Cast-In-Situ Beam Technology in Bridge Construction

The application of mobile formwork cast-in-situ beam technology is conducive to providing quality assurance for bridge constructions.At the same time,it can improve the overall mechanization level of the construction process and further accelerate the construction progress,so as to shorten the construction period and improve the economic benefits of enterprises.In fact,this construction method has been widely applied.In order to assure a positive outcome from the use of this technology,this paper analyzes the application of mobile formwork cast-in-situ beam technology in bridge construction to provide reference.

Experiments in Modernizing Cob Construction

This paper will discuss experiments using various forming systems combined with utilizing mechanical equipment,from cement mixers to excavators and skid steers with attachments,to accelerate construction of cob homes and greatly reduce the labor involved.Cob is a colloquial term for monolithic adobe,and refers to a masonry building technique used since ancient times that uses locally-sourced clay as a binder,with various aggregates from sand to small grit or stone,woven together with straw or other fiber and built in continuous layers to form a monolithic structure.

Experimental study on flexural behavior of ECC/RC composite beams with U-shaped ECO permanent formwork

To enhance the durability of a reinforced concrete structure, engineered cementitious composite (ECC), which exhibits high tensile ductility and good crack control ability, is considered a promising alternative to conventional concrete. However, broad application of ECC is hindered by its high cost. This paper presents a new means to address this issue by introducing a composite beam with a U-shaped ECC permanent formwork and infill concrete. The flexural performance of the ECC/RC composite beam has been investigated experimentally with eight specimens. According to the test results, the failure of a composite beam with a U-shaped ECC formwork is initiated by the crushing of compressive concrete rather than debonding, even if the surface between the ECC and the concrete is smooth as-finished. Under the same reinforcement configurations, ECC/RC composite beams exhibit increases in flexural performance in terms of ductility, load-carrying capacity, and damage tolerance compared with the counterpart ordinary RC beam. Furthermore, a theoretical model based on the strip method is proposed to predict the moment-curvature responses of ECC/RC composite beams, and a simplified method based on the equivalent rectangular stress distribution approach has also evolved. The theoretical results are found to be in good agreement with the test data.

Shanghai Tower

Owner:Shanghai Tower Construction & Development Co.,Ltd.Contractor:Shanghai Construction Group Co.,Ltd.Architectural Designer:Gensler,USA Structural engineer:Thornton Tomasetti,USA Construction Drawing Designer:Tongji Architectural Design(Group)Co.,Ltd.With a height of 632 m,the Shanghai Tower stands