What are Steel Formworks? How are They Used for Large Concrete Works?

Concreting works need form works to place concrete in required shape without leaking valuable water and cement to have excellent finishing surface as well as desire strength properties. Steel form works are strong, durable and can be used for several times with advantage of installation and dismantling with in small time. We will not discuss advantages of steel form works. In this post we will try to have overall idea of steel form works. 

These form works are fabricated in panels having thin steel plates which is stiffened by steel angles along all edges or as designed or strength requirement.

Sometimes diagonal flat bar are used to provide additional strength and stiffness. There have some arrangement like clamps, bolts to have make panels to work together. Horizontal or vertical centering of steel or timber facilitates the shuttering to keep in alignment and make the form work serviceable. The panels may of different shape and size. Usually a slab or wall panels are of (60 cmX60cm)-(60cmX120cm).

In case of curved shaped or circular structures like chimneys, columns, tanks etc, steel form work are essential to give the required shapes.

Steel form works are used in large construction works where several reuses of form works are required. In precast concreting process, these forms are used advantageously for repetitive casting operation.

Though they are relatively costly form works i.e. they require higher initial cost, they can be used more than a order of 100 times and economy is achieved for medium to large construction projects.