High-rise Buildings: Formwork

FORMWORK FOR
HIGH-RISE STRUCTURES
Scaling New Heights in Technology
M.K. Prabhakar

he recent times have seen a spurt in

the construction of tall buildings
around the world. Super skyscrapers
seem to have become the norm, rather than
the exception, with nations vying with each
other to have the 'tallest 'of them all. The skyscraper bug has also caught India, with several ambitious projects being announced or
launched in the recent few years. The World
One Tower that lays claims to be among the
tallest in the world is a good example in
case. If one were to take analyze the reasons for the spurt in the number of skyscrapers, it would emerge that the latest

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formwork and scaffolding systems have a

key role to play. Gone are the days of systems made up of wooden poles. They gradually gave way to pre-engineered systems
that were made up of aluminium, plywood,
steel or even plastic in some instances.
Apart from considerably improving
construction efficiency, the latest formwork
and scaffolding systems also take care of
another crucial factor time. The modern
day contractor and engineer are always
racing against time, which has now become
the most precious element in maximizing
profits. This factor has had an influence on

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chancing the mindset of clients, who are

willing to shell out the moolah, provided the
projects are completed in time. Today, the
scene in India is such that almost every
major global player in the field of formwork
has set up shop in the country. Some of the
leading names in the fray include Peri, Doka,
Meva, and Tac Systems, to mention only a
few, who have a significant presence in the
Indian market.
Jump Start
The availability of jump forms, which are
climbing equipment, that take support from

High-rise Buildings: Formwork

the structure itself, without needing any

scaffolding system to support them from the
ground has played a key role in high-rise
building projects in the country. Jump forms
are ideally suited for high-rise construction
as compared to slip form equipment that are
more suited for other types of infrastructure
projects including dams, bridges, flyovers,
etc. The use of these 'climbing formwork
systems' have cut out the need for providing
scaffolding support to the formwork that
drapes the external wall.
Anchors are provided in the already cast
wall as part of the climbing formwork
system. A bracket is hooked onto the
anchors. The brackets are provided with
working platforms, which do not sway and
are safe for the personnel working on them.
Depending on the requirements of the
particular project, different types of jump
form systems can be used. In the case of
crane climbing formwork, for example, the
formwork around the structure is displaced
upwards using cranes, after ensuring that
the concrete has hardened enough.
The advent of automated or selfclimbing formwork systems has been a
major technology breakthrough in the field.
In this type the structure elevates itself with
the help of mechanical leverage equipment,
which are hydraulically operated. Yet
another variation of the systems is the
gliding formwork systems, wherein the
climbing process is continuous and not
intermittent as in the case of the former.
Taller, Safer, Faster
Based on the intricacies involved in the
high-rise project, engineers plan the type of
climbing formwork systems that need to be
used. A good example for the use of the mix
of jump form equipment can be found in the
case of Palais Royale, the 320 m tall project
in Mumbai. Explaining the type of formwork
that forms part of the project, Mr. Jens
Lutzow-Rodenwolt, of MEVA, said," Indias
largest building project, the Palais Royale, is
being built using four MEVA systems the
automatic climbing MAC, the guided
climbing system MGC, the slab system
MevaDec and the wall formwork system
AluFix. "
One of the key differences between
earlier formwork systems and the latest is

that in the case of the later, the formwork

takes the support from the structure itself.
This eliminates the need for layers of
brackets or additional scaffolding pipe
network in order to support the system. The
only additional requirement is that of the
access towers. These towers are used for
the transportation of concrete and labour.
Typically in the case of high-rise building
projects, passenger hoists are also included
as part of the formwork system.
The versatility of climbing formwork
systems is another factor that makes it the
favorite for high-rise construction. This type
of formwork system can be used in
structures of uniform, as well as variable
dimensions. The climbing formwork system
can be adjusted to the increase or decrease
in the dimensions of the structure as it is

being built. Peri, a global leader in formwork

systems, offers a variety of jump form
products such as the CB climbing system,
the ACS self-climbing system, the RCS rail
climbing system and the KG 240/KG 180
climbing system. Observing how the
company places emphasis on the longevity
of the formwork systems, Mr.Raj Lakhani,
MD, PERI India Pvt Ltd, said, "Our formwork
systems are designed with durability in
mind and manufactured to European
standards. The lifespan of our formwork
systems are longer than traditional
systems." The durability factor ensures that
the formwork systems can be used for
several repetitions during the construction
of a high-rise, thereby also ensuring a
significant reduction in project cost. Apart
from this, the use of formwork systems also

High-rise projects fuel upward growth of formwork systems market

MEVA Automatic Climbing MAC on the 320 m Palais Royale in Mumbai, India

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High-rise Buildings: Formwork

Indias largest building project,

the Palais Royale, is being built
using four MEVA systems the
automatic climbing MAC, the
guided climbing system MGC, the
slab system MevaDec and the
wall formwork system AluFix

Jens Lutzow-Rodenwolt
MEVA Schalungs-Systeme,
GmBH, Germany

enhances safety at a construction site, an

often neglected factor in India.
Another prominent feature of climbing
formwork system is the tier system. While
earlier in the case of slip form construction
technique only three decks used to be
present, in this instance a five-tier system is
used. While the first tier is used for concrete
placement, the second tier is used for
supporting the equipment with anchor bolts
and shutters. Anything concerned with the
rail is taken care off from the third tier
where provisions are made for the
extension of the railing system for smooth

upward ride of the formwork equipment.

The next two tiers consist of the hydraulic
jacks and the deck to ensure painting of the
structure. This systematic tier system that
is provided both inside and outside the
structure ensures faster construction,
lesser labour and enables strict adherence
to project completion schedules.
Speed of construction is another factor
that has led to the increased use of climbing
formwork systems, especially in the case of
high-rise construction projects. The speedy
completion of a high-rise project using jump
form equipment depends on a variety of
factors. For example the dimensions of a
structure need to be considered. Similarly,
the tonnage of reinforcement bars that
needs to be carried by the equipment is
another factor. The quantity of concrete that
needs to be poured is another crucial aspect
that needs to be considered in order to
calculate the speed of construction. Giving
an insight into how modern day formwork
systems enable saving of precious time,
Mr.Ivan Teh, Managing Director, Tac
System Formwork, a company whose
products have been an integral part of many
a high-rise project, explained, "Our system
allow 100% of the building to be completed
at a rate of 4 to 5 days per floor against the
traditional approach which will take at least
12 days a floor." What this means is that the
total structure is completed in a third to a
quarter of the time required to build
conventionally. This apart, it also means

that the developer takes the high-rise

project to the real estate market faster,
which a critical factor is considering the
increasing competition prevalent, especially
with respect to the commercial realty market,
which takes up the vast majority of space,
offered in skyscrapers.
No Structure a Tall Order
Another project where climbing formwork
systems played an important role in
adherence to quality, as well as time
schedules can be found in the form of the
landmark Bandra-Worli Sea Link in Mumbai,
where the 128 m pylons presented a
challenge as complex as any tall structure.
Climbing formwork systems from Doka
played a key role behind the competition of
the spectacular pylons. Going into the
details of the project Mr.K.V.Srikanth,
Sr. Sales Manager, Doka India, during an
interaction with the Masterbuilder pointed
out how the the main bridge consisting of
two V-A shaped, four legged pylons which
are inclined towards one another; their
geometry and exacting surface quality
requirements make them a formwork
technology challenge of the first order. The
features of the pylon tower which made
complex and challenging from the point of
view of constructability & formwork are the
varying section with height, horizontal
grooves at every 3m height and vertical
grooves for circular portion that requires
special form liners as well as it requires

Our formwork systems are

designed with durability in mind
and manufactured to European
standards. The lifespan of our
formwork systems are longer than
traditional systems

Raj Lakhani
Peri Formwork at Work

82

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MD, PERI India Pvt Ltd

High-rise Buildings: Formwork

Our system allow 100 % of the

building to be completed at a rate
of 4 to 5 days per floor against the
traditional approach which will
take at least 12 days a floor

Formwork systems hold the Key to High-Rise Projects

attention for de-shuttering, inclination of

tower legs in two directions, which creates
complexities in alignment and climbing of
climber profiles.
Dwelling on the technicalities of the project Mr.Srikanth remarked, "We used Top 50
large area formwork raised by 48 Doka Self
climbing equipment SKE 100 units for form-

We used Top 50 large area

formwork raised by 48 Doka Self
climbing equipment SKE 100
units for forming these 128 m tall
pylons. With Doka's experience
and expertise in field of climbing
technologies, we used 'Total
Formwork Solutions' keeping into
account of the above elaborated
complexities of the Pylon tower
which enabled construction
operations to proceed swiftly and
efficiently even when dealing
with tough requirements such as
inclined structure members and
complicated cross-sections.

Srikanth
Sr.Sales Manager, Doka India

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ing these 128 m tall pylons. With Doka's

experience and expertise in field of climbing
technologies, we used 'Total Formwork Solutions' keeping into account of the above elaborated complexities of the Pylon tower
which enabled construction operations to
proceed swiftly and efficiently even when
dealing with tough requirements such as
inclined structure members and complicated cross-sections. The 3m high concreting sections were completed in a record
time of 3 days cycle time in some lifts." Doka
had also provided over 5000 square metres
of self-climbing wall formwork and four
climbing and support systems for concrete
placing booms in yet another complex highrise project- Burj Khalifa, Dubai- the world's
tallest man made structure.
Vertical Growth
The spurt in high-rise projects around

Ivan Teh
Managing Director,
Tac System Formwork

the country has been instrumental in giving

the much needed fillip to climbing formwork
systems. With a perceptible shift in buyer
behaviour, contractors today have today
become aware that the significant cost and
time saving accrued due to the use of
climbing formwork systems; can help offset
the perceived high initial capital, in a
rather quick period of time. Rental
companies too have taken a clue from the
market trends and are today incorporating
formwork and scaffolding systems as part
of their product portfolio in increasing
numbers. With newer high-rise projects
being launched, almost every alternate day,
the market for climbing formwork systems,
is expected to quite literally, touch dizzy
heights in the next few years.

Doka Self Climbing SKE100 Formwork System used in Bandra Worli Pylon

The Masterbuilder - May 2011 www.masterbuilder.co.in