FORMWORK DISASTERS

CHAPTER 2
We are reviewing Chapt. 1&2
and we assigned Chapt. 3 & 4 for
reading assignment!!!

Chapter One- Introduction to Forming

Chapter Two- General Objectives in
Formwork Building
Chapter Three-Overall Planning for
Formwork
Chapter Four-Materials, Accessories,
Proprietary Products
FORMWORK COST AND CONSIDERATIONS
What is forming and formwork?
What is its purpose?
What are the objectives of any form design?
The form design must provide,

THE BEST QUALITY

SAFETY

ECONOMICS

What kind of nomenclature or terminology

is associated with forming?
Discussion of some Case Studies
on Pages 2-4 to 2-8
 FORMWORK DISASTERS
New York Coliseum
Concrete was placed on the Main Exhibition Floor of the
New York Coliseum
Forms for the floor slab were being supported on two tiers
of shores
Bottom shores were wood 4x4s, capped with horizontal
4x4s and cross –braced horizontally.

Adjustable metal shores were placed directly over the 4x4

posts to form the second tier

There was little diagonal cross-bracing or horizontal bracing

on the adjustable shores.

At the time of the collapse there were eight or nine

motorized buggies transporting concrete to the area

A horizontal thrust developed through the combined effect

of the movement and sudden stopping of the buggies
FORMWORK DISASTERS
New York Coliseum

New York Coliseum where rapid deliveries

of power buggies introduced lateral forces
 FORMWORK DISASTERS
New York Coliseum
Increased diagonal bracing was added
to all remaining shoring for the New York
Coliseum following partial collapse of
formwork
 FORMWORK DISASTERS
Bailey’s Crossroads in Virginia
14 workers were killed
Flat plate apartment building had 26 stories plus penthouse
and four –story basement
Columns were normal weight concrete, and slabs were
lightweight concrete, 8 in thick.
One floor was cast per week. Forms were supported by
floor 7 days old or older, which in turn was propped to a
floor 14 days old or older.
24th Floor was being cast when collapse occurred.

24th Floor was shored to the 23rd Floor which was only
about 5 days old.

Workmen began knocking out the shores supporting that 5

day old floor (the 23rd), even though 2 full floors of
shoring was required in the design

The overloaded 23rd floor failed in shear around one or

more columns, triggering a collapse throughout the bldg.
FORMWORK DISASTERS

Bailey’s Crossroads in Virginia

14 workers were killed
FORMWORK SAFELY
More Accidents in Forming
15 injuries and one death
Contractor taking risk for economic reasons
FORMWORK SAFELY
Preventive Measures
High Shoring with a heavy load at the top is vulnerable to
eccentric or lateral loadings.

Diagonal bracing improves the stability of such a

structure, as do guys or struts to solid ground or
completed structure
SHORES AND RESHORES
Book Overview
Read Chapt. 5

Chapter Five- Loads and Pressures

What are the loads experienced in
formwork?

•Vertical Dead Load

•Weight of reinforced concrete (DL)
•Average unit weight of concrete is
considered 150 pcf (includingrebar)
•For slabs we use 12.5 #/sq ft.per
one inch of slab thickness

•Vertical Live Load

•Weight of material, workmen, and
equipment (LL)
•minimum LL is 50 psf (includes
workmen, runways, screeds, & equip.
•minimum LL is 75 psf when
motorized carts are used
What are the loads experienced in
formwork?

•Vertical Live Load & Dead Load

•Regardless of slab thickness,
minimum DL+LL is 100psf, and
125psf if motorized carts
•Forms and shores must be joined
securely and attached to base support
to insure against uplift loads
(see p. 5-3)
How do shores and reshores function
within our design?

•Shores and Reshores

•shores that support freshly placed
concrete may be supported by floors
that are exceeding there full design
strength, therefore shores must be
developed in as many floors as can
support the capacity
•10 considerations for shoring are
mentioned on p. 5-3
How do shores and reshores function
within our design?

•Reshores
•Reshores replace shores after stripping
•The sequence is as follows
•Set up forms and shores for new
concrete
•remove reshores at lowest floors
and forms and shores from next
level above
•replace reshores snugly under the
slab just stripped, but without
reshores carrying any load when
they are first placed
How do shores and reshores function
within our design?

•Reshores and Shoring Sample problem

•review assumptions for hand

calculation
•review table 5-2
Wooden ReShores from Text 4-68
Adjustable Shores from Text 4-70
Horizontal Bracing of Shores
@ 77 Hudson St.
Preparing for Fresh Pour on Top Floor
Metal Adjustable Shores @ 77 Hudson St.
Preparing for Fresh Pour on Top Floor
ReShores @ 77 Hudson St.
Supporting Floors that have been recently
poured and hardened
Metal Adjustable Shores @ 77 Hudson St.
Supporting Hardened Concrete Floor
Metal Adjustable Shores @ 77 Hudson St.
Next to open wooden form stairwell
Metal Adjustable Shores @ 77 Hudson St.
Wood Formed Stairwell
Calculations for Shoring and Reshoring
Two levels of shoring and one level of
reshoring
Calculations for Shoring and Reshoring
Calculations for Shoring and Reshoring
One level of Shoring and Two levels of
Reshoring
 Rules of Calculating Shoring Diagrams
Rule#1 – Freshly Poured Concrete
transmits it full load to shores below
Rule#2 – Hardened Concrete does not
deflect until shores are removed
Rule#2a – Hardened Concrete does not
transmit it loads into columns until shores
are removed (taking it own load)
Rule#3– Hardened Concrete that deflects
and is not connected to ground by shores,
shares the load with other floors that are
connected.
Rule#4– Loads are rebounded (lossed) in
Hardened Concrete when connected floors
are disconnected by removing shores