Large-scale concrete structure construction has been completely transformed by contemporary monolithic construction methods. The use of movable formwork systems is one of the major innovations in this field. In order to maintain the structural integrity and intended shape of the finished building, these systems are essential for shaping and supporting freshly poured concrete until it hardens.
Conveyable formwork, alternatively referred to as sliding formwork or slip forming, facilitates the controlled and uninterrupted casting of concrete. In contrast to conventional static formwork, which needs to be disassembled after every usage, movable formwork is intended to be adjusted and moved around the building site while the concrete cures. With the use of this technique, concrete walls, columns, and other vertical structures can be poured smoothly and uninterrupted.
Moveable formwork is made through a meticulously planned series of steps. The formwork is initially erected at the site of the construction. Hydraulic jacks or other mechanical systems progressively move the formwork sideways or upwards at a controlled rate, usually a few centimeters per hour, as concrete is poured into the forms. As the concrete gets stronger, this constant movement makes sure it stays supported and shaped correctly.
The capacity of movable formwork to shorten the construction schedule is one of its many important benefits. Instead of having to take down and reassemble formwork for every part of a structure, builders can finish projects more quickly than they could with more conventional techniques. High-rise structures and other major projects where time savings translate into cost savings will benefit most from this efficiency.
Moveable formwork improves concrete structures’ quality and consistency in addition to their speed. Defects like cold joints and honeycombing, which can eventually weaken the structure, are less likely to occur when the pouring and curing process is carefully regulated. Furthermore, the ability to keep an eye on and modify the rate of pouring guarantees that the concrete reaches the appropriate strength and finish, satisfying both structural and aesthetic standards.
To sum up, movable formwork is a significant development in contemporary monolithic construction. It is the material of choice for architects and builders who want to maximize time and resources in large-scale construction projects because of its adaptability, efficiency, and capacity to create high-quality concrete structures.
- Types of movable formwork
- Small-panel formwork system
- Assembly of a small-panel system
- Dismantling of small-panel formwork
- Large panel formwork
- Lifting and movable formwork
- Block-type formwork
- Video on the topic
- Small-panel formwork OPRM-1.
- Monolithic construction. TRIO
- Monolithic columns, walls and ceilings at the construction site of a multi-story building in Sochi
- PSK sliding formwork – demonstration of the speed of the system and the possibility of forming thin walls
Types of movable formwork
Volumetric formwork is classified into four primary categories based on the design:
- Small-panel. The maximum dimensions of the panel of this design are 1200 mm in width and 1500 mm in height. This type of formwork system is suitable for assembly and disassembly without the use of lifting equipment.
- Large-panel retractable formwork. The width of each module reaches 2400 mm, the maximum height is up to 3000 mm.
- Lifting and retractable. The peculiarity of this type is the fastening of the outer contour from the outside of the building using special anchors and embedded parts.
- Block-type retractable formwork. This type of formwork is made in the form of ready-made block forms.
Small-panel formwork system
The most popular use for this kind of volumetric reusable formwork in contemporary monolithic construction is because of its great adaptability, flexibility, and versatility when it comes to setting up columns, walls, shafts, foundations, and rounded structures.
One unique aspect of this system is that, because the largest element weighs no more than 60 kg, installation can be done manually without the need for lifting mechanisms.
Because of its adaptability, small-panel dismountable formwork makes it possible to quickly and efficiently construct or reconstruct a wide range of structures, including residential buildings, retail establishments, hotels, hospitals, cultural buildings, administrative buildings, silo towers, industrial buildings, treatment facilities, bridges, tunnels, and more.
The three companies that produce small-panel formwork systems the most frequently are "PBS" (Russia), "Doka" (Austria), and "MSK" (Russia).
Assembly of a small-panel system
First, the entire system—panels, corner pieces, extension beams, connecting locks, tie bolts, telescopic stops, spacer strips, scaffolding, and components for organizing door and window openings—is delivered to the assembly site.
The following is the order in which assembly is completed:
- First, 2 panels are attached to the corner element with locks. Depending on the manufacturer, the design of the locks differs (wedge, clamp or impact-rotary type), but, as a rule, they all have a quick-release design. The number of installed locks depends on the height of the shield (the higher the shield, the more locks are used to secure it).
- Then subsequent shields are sequentially attached to these shields.
- The panels have technological holes into which coupling bolts are inserted with a nut screwed on one (outer) side. A plastic tube is put on the bolt (to protect it from concrete mortar and facilitate dismantling). The length of the tube is equal to the thickness of the wall being constructed. This is the only non-removable structural element.
- To form the formwork of a wall with a length not multiple to the dimensions of a standard panel, additional beams are used.
- Next, parallel (internal) panels are installed, which are also secured with locks.
- Internal and external panels are fastened with coupling bolts.
- In the upper and end parts of the structure, spacer metal strips are used to tie the panels, which are secured with quick-release locks. With the help of these strips, the thickness of the wall is adjusted, they also act as tie bolts.
- On one side of the structure, special stops are installed, which provide stability to the structure and allow the installation of the panels to be adjusted vertically. The support bar (sole) of the stop is attached to the base using anchors. The correctness of the vertical installation is checked using geodetic instruments.
- Then scaffolds are attached to the panels, on which the boards are laid. As a result, a convenient flooring is obtained for pouring concrete.
- After the completion of concreting work, dismantling begins.
Dismantling of small-panel formwork
The order of disassembly is the opposite of that of assembly. But pouring a lot of identical elements is often required in typical construction. For instance, when the wall arrangement is the same on each floor. The formwork system does not need to be disassembled in its entirety in this instance.
Brackets for installing brackets to secure the cables of lifting mechanisms are included in the upper end portion of the panels. Therefore, all that is required is the installation of shipping brackets, partial disassembly (removing tie bolts and corner components), and the use of a crane to rearrange the formwork in whole ready-made fragments (cards). This lets you cut down on construction time considerably.
Large panel formwork
Large-panel adjustable formwork is structurally very similar to small-panel formwork. The main difference is the size of the panels used to form the formwork system (maximum panel size: width – 2.4 m, height – 3.0 m; the weight of one element can reach 400÷500 kg). Therefore, installation of a large-panel formwork system is possible only with the use of lifting equipment. For the manufacture of shield stiffeners, a high-strength steel profile is used (from 64⨯64 mm to 114⨯114 mm). In addition to linear panels, the set of large-panel collapsible formwork also includes corner elements, brackets for scaffolds and fences, fastening locks, leveling beams, tie bolts, stops, narrow additional panels of various widths.
Large-panel movable formwork can be assembled and disassembled similarly to small-panel formwork. This type’s primary benefit is that standard wall arrangements don’t require panel connections made vertically.
Large-panel formwork "Peri" (Germany) is the most widely used.
Lifting and movable formwork
This kind of movable formwork is comparable to large-panel formwork in many aspects. However, the installation process differs significantly:
- Initially, embedded parts for installing fastening anchors are arranged in the concrete base along the entire perimeter from the outside.
- Then, a large element of the formwork system (card) with an area of up to 80 m² is assembled on a horizontal surface. Scaffolding for arranging the flooring and technological ladders are attached to the card.
- Using a crane, the assembled card is brought to the concrete wall of the base and attached to it using anchors.
- The remaining cards are collected in the same way and mounted on the outside along the entire perimeter of the structure.
- Then they start installing the internal contour of the formwork system.
- The concrete mixture can be poured simultaneously over the entire floor of the building being erected.
- After the concrete has hardened, the cards are disconnected from each other, the fastening anchors are unscrewed and they are moved to the next level using a crane.
The cards are assembled and then moved in assembled form from level to level to construct the first floor’s walls. Such formwork guarantees high concrete laying speed and is perfect for a wide range of multi-story building construction applications.
The most well-known producer is "FORA" (Russia).
Block-type formwork
This kind of volumetric relocatable formwork is produced as big U- and L-shaped components or as prefabricated block forms. Only assembled items may be transported to the construction site due to the non-separable design. Such formwork is installed and disassembled with the use of equipment with the proper load capacity. Basically, foundations, columns, and other free-standing building structures are poured using this type of mobile formwork. Prefabricated spatial structures have a limited range of uses. It is only economically viable to use this kind of reusable volumetric movable formwork when producing a sizable quantity of comparable reinforced concrete structures.
Advantages | Allows for flexible designs and shapes in concrete structures |
Reduces construction time and labor costs significantly | |
Eco-friendly as it reduces material wastage | |
Can be reused multiple times, making it cost-effective in the long run | |
Disadvantages | Requires skilled labor for proper assembly and dismantling |
Initial setup costs can be higher compared to traditional formwork | |
Requires careful planning and coordination to ensure proper functionality |
The invention of movable formwork systems has greatly benefited modern monolithic construction. These systems, which offer flexibility, efficiency, and cost-effectiveness, have completely changed the way large concrete structures are constructed. Moveable formwork enhances overall project sustainability by reducing material waste and construction time by enabling formwork to be repositioned and reused multiple times on a construction site.
Moveable formwork’s versatility in meeting project specifications and various architectural designs is one of its main benefits. These systems can be moved and adjusted to create different shapes and sizes without requiring a lot of disassembly and reassembly when building walls, columns, or slabs. This adaptability not only increases construction accuracy but also makes it easier to realize complex geometries that may be difficult to achieve with conventional formwork techniques.
Furthermore, by reducing the need for heavy material handling on-site, movable formwork fosters safer working conditions. Employees can move, assemble, and dismantle formwork components more quickly, which lessens physical strain and the possibility of accidents. This factor is essential for raising overall project productivity and making sure construction crews are working in a safer environment.
When it comes to controlling costs and managing schedules, movable formwork systems are a great asset for project managers. These systems help reduce delays and cost overruns frequently associated with traditional formwork methods by streamlining the construction process and optimizing resource utilization. This efficiency is especially helpful for large-scale projects where money and time are crucial considerations.
To sum up, movable formwork is a major development in contemporary monolithic construction techniques. It is a popular option for many building projects nowadays because of its capacity to improve flexibility, efficiency, and safety while lowering environmental impact. More formwork system innovations are anticipated as technology develops further, helping to mold the future of construction toward more efficient and sustainable methods.
Moveable formwork is essential to modern monolithic construction because it is efficient and flexible. Moveable formwork systems, in contrast to conventional static molds, allow for multiple adjustments and reuses, which expedites and lowers the cost of construction. This article examines how these cutting-edge formwork options are transforming the concrete market and empowering builders and architects to construct intricate structures in a more sustainable and cost-effective manner. It illustrates the reasons why movable formwork has become essential in modern construction methods and is influencing the direction of concrete architecture by stressing its main advantages and useful uses.