Builders use steel formwork to create temporary structures for pouring and setting concrete. Steel is strong enough to support large amounts of weight, but heavy and difficult to transport and store. Corrugated steel can also be used as a permanent structure to increase the strength of finished concrete.
Anyone taking a stroll through a big city will likely notice countless concrete structures, from bridges to buildings and even streets. To create all those concrete forms, builders have to use steel formwork or, in some cases, plywood formwork. Formwork is essentially a temporary structure into which concrete can be poured and set as it hardens. The steel formwork features large steel plates bolted together with bars and pairs known as falsework. Using steel is a good choice for builders because steel will not bend, warp, or otherwise deform during the concrete curing process.
The steel formwork is also strong enough to support the weight of large amounts of concrete. While plywood formwork may be appropriate for smaller projects, it may not be able to support larger amounts of weight, thus leading to warping, splitting, cracking, or complete form failure. Steel is mostly inflexible and concrete does not generally adhere to steel plates. These steel plates can also be stacked to create taller structures. They can interlock and false work can hold the panels together for added stability. The downside to steel formwork, however, is the weight: the plates can be difficult to lift into place, meaning heavy machinery may be required to position the panels correctly.
Another drawback of steel formworks is the difficulty with which they can be transported and stored. Panels can be exceptionally heavy, which means transporting them can be difficult, especially in bulk. Panels are usually easy enough to clean, although storing large quantities of them can be difficult. Sometimes the steel shapes aren’t panels at all, but other shapes specific to a certain type of structure. This too can make storage and transportation difficult, although the benefit of such shapes is easily apparent during the casting process. Forms can be placed more easily and quickly, reducing mock construction time.
Some types of steel formwork are not temporary structures at all, but rather permanent structures that increase the strength of the finished concrete. Such shapes are usually made of corrugated steel. The corrugation allows the concrete to adhere more effectively to the steel; holding the shape in place after the concrete has hardened will reduce the amount of rebar, or steel reinforcing bars, that need to be placed within the concrete to increase its tensile strength.
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