Formwork and Concrete Pour

With the crushed stone poured and the ground graded, crews working for S. & F. Concrete began form work this week. Footings and steel reinforcing bar, also known as rebar, were put in to place (pictured below).

If a material with high strength in tension, such as steel, is placed in concrete, then the composite material, reinforced concrete, resists compression but also bending, and other direct tensile actions. A reinforced concrete section where the concrete resists the compression and steel resists the tension can be made into almost any shape and size for the construction industry. (Wikipedia.com)

In this picture, Foreman for S. & F. Concrete Gifford Lawrence, Local 624, works on the support system for the concrete forms. He uses the sledgehammer to drive a strongback, which helps maintain vertical alignment.



The forms, the red steel in the picture above, have plywood faces. The plywood is sprayed with a releasing agent. When the concrete is set, metal clamps are released that keep the structure in place and the forms are removed, cleaned and reused.

The concrete was poured this afternoon.

For an interesting article on developments in concrete check out this NY Times article.