E – 2047 Structural Analysis, Design and Construction of Concrete Formwork

The objective of this course is to assist a licensed design professional, practicing structural engineers, forensic structural engineers, consulting engineers, building officials, educators, students or/and a licensed general contractor to deeply know, and understand the structural analysis, design and construction of concrete formwork. The importance of this course lies in the fact that there are no sufficient number of references dealing with this topic, so the course was designed to be a guide for the structural engineers. This course is intended especially for the practicing structural engineer, though it will also be useful for building officials, educators, and students.

Concrete formwork serves as a mold to produce concrete elements having a desired size and configuration. It is usually erected for this purpose and then removed after the concrete has cured to a satisfactory strength. In some cases, concrete forms may be left in place to become part of the permanent structure. For satisfactory performance, formwork must be adequately strong and stiff to carry the loads produced by the concrete, the workers placing and finishing the concrete, and any equipment or materials supported by the forms.
For many concrete structures, the largest single component of the cost is the formwork. To control this cost, it is important to select and use concrete forms that are well suited for the job. In addition to being economical, formwork must also be constructed with sufficient quality to produce a finished concrete element that meets job specifications for size, position, and finish. The forms must also be designed, constructed, and used so that all safety regulations are met.