The history of concrete dates back to the Romans and Egyptians. The Romans and Egyptians used concrete in various forms for their infrastructure and buildings. The concept has been around since about 125 A.D. The Roman Pantheon an iconic structure of history was one of the earliest structures to use concrete formwork in its construction. The world of concrete has made numerous advances over the years, however concrete is still roughly just cement, aggregate and sand. Certain projects require the use of what is referred to as reinforced concrete. This is typically a steal framework like rebar which adds a tremendous amount of strength to the concrete.
There are many different types of concrete formwork systems. Concrete formwork systems can be temporary structures such as a patio, sidewalk or concrete steps; up to a complex building made of concrete reinforced with a steel structure. The formwork supports the weight of the concrete until it has had adequate time to dry into a specific shape and has enough strength to support itself. There are several types of concrete formwork.
• Timber formwork, moisture resistant and used for traditional types of structures, very simple and reusable.
• Engineered or prefab formwork molds typically built with metals allowing them to be re used over and over.
• Plastic formwork molds, used b y the mass housing developers, cheap to produce, easy to assemble and very re usable.
Concrete can also be used toward making a structure much more energy efficient. ICF or Insulating Concrete Form is a permanent structure put together somewhat like Lego blocks that are interlocked together. Once the pieces are interlocked together the structure is then filled with wet concrete. This produces a very strong and energy efficient structure. Although a little more costly, a concrete home not only would be cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter but take less energy to heat and cool the home, thus saving more money in the long run.
• ICF formworks produce minimal air leaks which improve comfort and reduce heat loss.
• Has a high thermal resistance
• Up to 10 times stronger than traditional wood frameworks
The world of concrete formwork has made leaps and bounds of positive improvements over the last 1000 years. All the way from the ancient Egyptians to the awesome sky scrapers of today and tomorrow. I believe the question is concrete formwork necessary for your construction project has been simply answered. Absolutely necessary, from simple sidewalk forms to complicated steel buildings, the formwork is what holds it all together.