Aluminum formwork system: loss and productivity

• Published in: Built environment project and asset management 2019-11, Vol.9 (5), p.616-627
• Main Authors: Macedo de Abreu, Marina, Lordsleem, Alberto Casado
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Aluminum; Apartments; Business metrics; Case studies; Concrete; Concrete mixes; Concreting; Construction costs; Construction industry; Consumption; Cost estimates; Data collection; Flooring; Formwork; Housing; Indicators; Labor; Labor economics; Labor productivity; Pouring; Reinforced concrete; Research methodology; Residential buildings; Trucks; Weight reduction
• ISSN: 2044-124X; 2044-1258
• DOI: 10.1108/BEPAM-04-2018-0070

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to establish and evaluate the concrete loss and labor productivity (LP) indicators in the concreting step of aluminum formwork system (AFS) in construction in Brazil. The loss and productivity indicators are directed to a regional database (Pernambuco, Brazil).Design/methodology/approachCase study was selected as the most appropriate approach. The methodology included data collection in the construction project with 10 residential towers of 320 apartments, in the city of Jaboatão dos Guararapes, Brazil, throughout 82 concrete pouring days using 415 concrete mixer trucks, with a total of 2,582.50 m3 of concrete.FindingsThe findings identified an average concrete loss of 2.6 percent and the LP indicator varying between 0.15 and 0.97 WH/m3. It could be verified that the loss indicators were influenced mainly by the learning effect associated to the qualification of the labor. In addition, the productivity indicators were strongly influenced by delays at the beginning of the concrete pouring and by problems coming from the sequence of concrete supply.Originality/valueLP indicators are still literature restricted, especially considering only the concreting step. The direct observations of this study allow the identification of factors that inhibit productivity. The comparison of indicators for the concreting service between the ASF and the conventional system attests to the speed, low cost and efficiency of the system studied in this paper.