CM

CM 420
420

Temporary Structures
Formwork for Concrete

CM 420
Temporary Structures

Temporary
Structures

Formwork For
Concrete

CM
CM 420
420

Temporary Structures

CM 420 : Temporary Structures

The first part of CM 420 will deal with the materials,
methods and techniques associated with temporary
structures utilized in various construction operations,
such as:
concrete formwork construction
scaffolding
falsework/shoring
cofferdams
underpinning
diaphram/slurry walls
earth-retaining structures
construction dewatering.
A major emphasis will be placed on concrete formwork
construction covering detailed design analysis of both
vertical and horizontal timber formwork systems.
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CM
CM 420
420

Temporary Structures

CM 420 - Temporary Structures

There will be two midterm exams and three quizzes.

Quizzed will be given throughout the quarter, sometimes

unannounced.
The first exam will be given on Tuesday February 1st and the
second one on Thursday, March 8th.

Grading System:

The course final grade will be calculated based on

the following weights:
25% for homework assignments
15% for three quizzes
30% for each midterm exam.

All exams will be closed book.

3

Professor Kamran M. Nemati

Winter Quarter 2007

CM
CM 420
420

Temporary Structures
Formwork for Concrete
CM
CM 420
420

Temporary Structures

CM 420 - Temporary Structures

Recommended Textbooks:
Hurd, M. K., Formwork for
Concrete. 6th edition, American
Concrete Institute, Detroit, Michigan,
1995.
Ratay, Robert T., Handbook of
Temporary Structures in
Construction. 2nd edition, McGraw
Hill, New York, 1996.
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CM
CM 420
420

Temporary Structures

CM 420 - Temporary Structures

Class Web Site is located at:
http://courses.washington.edu/cm420/

CM
CM 420
420

Temporary Structures

Formwork for Concrete

Formwork development has paralleled the
growth of concrete construction
throughout the 20th century.
The increasing acceptance of concrete as
a major construction material presents
the form builder a new range of problems
in the development of appropriate
sheathing materials and maintenance of
rigid tolerances.
6

Professor Kamran M. Nemati

Winter Quarter 2007

CM
CM 420
420

Temporary Structures
Formwork for Concrete
CM
CM 420
420

Temporary Structures

Formwork for Concrete

Formwork is a classic temporary
structure in the sense that:
it is erected quickly
highly loaded for a few hours
during the concrete placement
and within a few days
disassembled for future use.
Also classic in their temporary
nature are the connections, braces,
tie anchorages, and adjustment
devices which forms need.
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CM
CM 420
420

Temporary Structures

Formwork for Concrete

The term "Temporary Structures" may not fully
imply the temporary, since some forms, tie
hardware, and accessories are used hundreds
of times, which necessitates high durability and
maintainability characteristics and design that
maximizes productivity.
Unlike conventional structures, the formwork
disassembly characteristics are severely
restricted by concrete bond, rigidity, and
shrinkage, which not only restricts access to the
formwork structure but causes residual loads
that have to be released to allow stripping from
the concrete which initiates disassembly.
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CM
CM 420
420

Temporary Structures

Formwork for Concrete

Lumber was once the predominant form
material, but developments in the use of
plywood, metal, plastics, and other materials,
together with the increasing use of specialized
accessories have changed the picture.
Formwork was formerly built in place, used
once, and wrecked.
Because of high labor costs in the U.S., the
trend today is toward increasing prefabrication,
assembly in large units, erection by mechanical
means such as flying forms into place by
crane, and continuing reuse of the forms.
9

Professor Kamran M. Nemati

Winter Quarter 2007

CM
CM 420
420

Temporary Structures
Formwork for Concrete
CM
CM 420
420

Temporary Structures

Formwork for Concrete

In 1908 the use of wood versus steel formwork was
debated at the ACI convention. Also, the advantages
of modular panel forming with its own connecting
hardware, and good for extensive reuse were realized.
By 1910 steel forms for paving were being produced
commercially and used in the field.

A 1909 construction
scene shows the
first application of
steel forms for
street paving.
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CM
CM 420
420

Temporary Structures

Formwork for Concrete

Today modular panel forming is the norm.

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CM
CM 420
420

Temporary Structures

Objectives of Form Building

Forms mold the concrete to desired size
and shape and control its position and
alignment.
But formwork is more than a mold; it is a
temporary structure that supports:

its own weight +

the freshly placed concrete +
construction live loads (including materials,
equipment, and personnel).
12

Professor Kamran M. Nemati

Winter Quarter 2007

CM
CM 420
420

Temporary Structures
Formwork for Concrete
CM
CM 420
420

Temporary Structures

Objectives of Form Building

Basic objectives in form building are three
fold:

Quality - In terms of strength, rigidity,

position, and dimensions of the forms
Safety - for both the workers and the
concrete structure
Economy - the least cost consistent with
quality and safety requirements

Cooperation and coordination between

engineer / architect and the contractor are
necessary to achieve these goals.

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CM
CM 420
420

Temporary Structures

Objectives of Form Building

Economy is a major concern since formwork
costs constitutes up to 60 percent of the total
cost of concrete work in a project.
Form w ork
Labor
Cost

Form w ork
m aterial
cost

Concrete,
rebar,
footings,
placem ent

In designing and building formwork, the

contractor should aim for maximum economy
without sacrificing quality or safety.

CM
CM 420
420

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Temporary Structures

How Formwork Affects Concrete Quality

Size, shape, and alignment of slabs, beams,
and other concrete structural elements depend
on accurate construction of the forms.
The forms must be:

Sufficiently rigid under the construction loads to

maintain the designed shape of the concrete,
Stable and strong enough to maintain large
members in alignment, and
Substantially constructed to withstand handling and
reuse without losing their dimensional integrity.

The formwork must remain in place until the

concrete is strong enough to carry its own
weight, or the finished structure may be
damaged.

15

Professor Kamran M. Nemati

Winter Quarter 2007

CM
CM 420
420

Temporary Structures
Formwork for Concrete
CM
CM 420
420

Temporary Structures

Causes of Formwork Failure

Formwork failures are the cause of many accidents and
failures that occur during concrete construction which
usually happen when fresh concrete is being placed.
Generally some unexpected event causes one member
to fail, then others become overloaded or misaligned
and the entire formwork structure collapses.

Formwork collapse
causes injuries, loss
of life, property
damage, and
construction delays
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CM
CM 420
420

Temporary Structures

Causes of Formwork Failure

The main causes of formwork failure are:

1 - Improper stripping and shore removal

2 - Inadequate bracing
3 - Vibration
4 - Unstable soil under mudsills*, shoring
not plumb

5 - Inadequate control of concrete

placement

6 - Lack of attention to formwork details.

*Mudsill: A plank, frame, or small footing on the ground used as a base for a
shore or post in formwork.

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CM
CM 420
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Causes of Failure

Temporary Structures

Improper Stripping and Shore Removal

Premature stripping of forms, premature removal of
shores, and careless practices in re-shoring can
produce catastrophic results.
Case study:
Too early shore removal at Bailey's
Crossroads in Virginia (1972):
26-stories + apartment building
Forms were supported by floors 7-days
old or older
Failure occurred on the 24th floor, where
it was shored to the 5-day-old 23rd floor.
The overloaded 23rd floor failed in shear
around one or more columns,
triggering a collapse that carried through
the entire height of the building.
18

Professor Kamran M. Nemati

Winter Quarter 2007

CM
CM 420
420

Temporary Structures
Formwork for Concrete
CM
CM 420
420

Temporary Structures

Causes of Failure

Inadequate Bracing

The more frequent causes of formwork failure,

however, are other effects that induce lateral
force components or induce displacement of
supporting members.
Inadequate cross bracing and horizontal
bracing of shores is one of the factors most
frequently involved in formwork accidents.
Investigations prove that many accidents
causing thousands of dollars of damage could
have been prevented only if a few hundred
dollars had been spent on diagonal bracing for
the formwork support.
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CM
CM 420
420

Temporary Structures

Causes of Failure
Inadequate Bracing Use of Diagonal Bracing
High shoring with heavy load at the top is
vulnerable to eccentric or lateral loading.

Diagonal bracing improves the stability of such

a structure, as do guys or struts to solid ground
or competed structures.
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CM
CM 420
420

Temporary Structures

Causes of Failure
Inadequate Bracing
The main exhibition floor of the New York Coliseum
collapsed when concrete was being placed.
Forms for the floor slab were supported on two
tiers of shores.
Case study:
New York Coliseum
Formwork collapse,
where rapid
delivery of
concrete
introduced lateral
forces at the top of
high shoring.
21

Professor Kamran M. Nemati

Winter Quarter 2007

CM
CM 420
420

Temporary Structures
Formwork for Concrete
CM
CM 420
420

Temporary Structures

Causes of Failure
Inadequate Bracing Use of Diagonal Bracing
Case study: New York Coliseum
Increased diagonal bracing was added to all
remaining shoring, following partial collapse of
formwork.

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CM
CM 420
420

Temporary Structures

Causes of Failure
Inadequate Bracing Use of Diagonal Bracing
When a failure occurs at one part, inadequate
bracing may permit the collapse to extend to a
large portion of the structure and multiply the
damage.
Suppose a worker accidentally rams or
wheelbarrow into some vertical shores and
dislodges a couple of them. This may set up a
chain of reaction that brings down the entire floor.
One major objective of bracing is to prevent such
a minor accident or failure from becoming a
disaster.
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CM
CM 420
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Temporary Structures

Causes of Failure

Vibration
Forms sometimes collapse when their
supporting shores or jacks are displaced by
vibration caused by:
passing traffic
movement of workers and equipment on
the formwork
the effect of vibrating concrete to
consolidate it.
Diagonal bracing can help prevent failure
due to vibration.
24

Professor Kamran M. Nemati

Winter Quarter 2007

CM
CM 420
420

Temporary Structures
Formwork for Concrete
CM
CM 420
420

Temporary Structures

Causes of Failure

Unstable Soil under Mudsills, Shoring not Plumb

Formwork should be safe if it is adequately braced
and constructed so all loads are carried to solid
ground through vertical members.
Shores must be set plumb and the ground must be
able to carry the load without settling.
Shores and mudsills must not rest on frozen
ground; moisture and heat from the concreting
operations, or changing air temperatures, may
thaw the soil and allow settlement that overloads
or shifts the formwork.
Site drainage must be adequate to prevent a
washout of soil supporting the mudsills.
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CM
CM 420
420

Temporary Structures

Causes of Failure

Inadequate Control of Concrete Placement

The temperature and rate of vertical placement of
concrete are factors influencing the development of
lateral pressures that act on the forms.
If temperature drops during construction operations,
rate of concreting often has to be slowed down to
prevent a build up of lateral pressure overloading the
forms. If this is not done, formwork failure may result.
Failure to regulate properly the rate
and order of placing concrete on
horizontal surfaces or curved roofs
may produce unbalanced loadings
and consequent failures of formwork.

Fresh
Concrete
H

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CM
CM 420
420

Temporary Structures

Causes of Failure

Lack of Attention to Formwork Details

Even when the basic formwork design is soundly
conceived, small differences in assembly details may
cause local weakness or overstress loading to form
failure.
This may be as simple as insufficient nailing, or failure
to tighten the locking devices on metal shoring.
Other details that may cause failure are:

Inadequate provisions to prevent rotation of beam forms

where slabs frame into them on the side.
Inadequate anchorage against uplift for sloping form faces.
Lack of bracing or tying of corners, bulkheads, or other
places where unequal pressure is found.
27

Professor Kamran M. Nemati

Winter Quarter 2007

CM
CM 420
420

Temporary Structures
Formwork for Concrete
CM
CM 420
420

Temporary Structures

Planning for Safety

OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health
Administration) regulations, American Concrete
Institute (ACI) recommendations, and local code
requirements for formwork should be followed:

Supervision and Inspection

Platform and Access for Workers
Control of Concreting Practices
Improving Soil Bearing and Bracing
Shoring and Re-shoring
Relationship of Architect, Engineer and Contractor
Maintaining and Coordinating Tolerances
Preparing a Formwork Specification
28

Professor Kamran M. Nemati

Winter Quarter 2007

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