Advances in formwork for high-rise structures

The shuttering system is the heart of a high-rise. Advancement in formwork has made it easier for every process owner involved – architects, project manager or structure designers. It has provided the flexibility with much evolved accuracy that architects were looking for ages.    “Different types of formwork are available for different types of construction; these include self climbing system, wall panels, grid element slab form, circular formwork, monolithic formwork, etc,” says Nayan Raheja, Executive Director, Raheja Developers.    Recommending aluminium shuttering, which is also now available for columns, Dr HM Raje, Director, Raje Structural Consultants, says the box-type methodology has better structural stability to protect horizontal deformation. “Also, there are new capsules introduced, injected in columns or beams,” he adds. “These inhibitors, in capsule form, break inside and form vapours.”    Generally, for a high-rise building, jumpform is used. “Most of the tall buildings including the Burj Khalifa in Dubai as well as tall buildings in Mumbai, Delhi or Kolkata, all use jumpform,” shares Ani Ray, Managing Director, ACC (Arabian Construction Company). Lodha World One is using column formwork, hybrid systems and jumpform from Grocon and Peri and others. Ray further informs, “In jumpform, which costs about Rs 60,000-80,000 vertical per sq m, the shutter automatically goes up after the casting is done, assuring verticality.”   Omkar 1973 has used Grocon and Doka shuttering systems procured from an Australian and Austrian company, respectively. Also, we have procured Aluminium scaffolding from an Irish company, shares Raman Sapru, President-EPC, Omkar Realtors & Developers.   Formwork is certainly the way up for high-rises.