Pouring concrete is an art and a science when you erect a column that will stand the test of time. A concrete column must be designed, planned, proportioned and built with accuracy and finesse, ensuring that everything participates in the column’s integrity from the bottom up, from the base to the apex.
Preparation is Key
Once the formwork goes up, before there’s any concrete even directly around it, the groundwork or forming components of the initial step is most critical to the quality and accuracy. The site is prepped, the forms are cast, and the rebar is set.
Mixing for Perfection
The concrete mix – the blood of the column – must be conducive to the vendor’s needs. It must have the correct viscosity, the correct strength, the right plasticity or firmness.
The best mix can only be achieved by correcting the chemical and aggregate composition, intervening at the right time in the process, or pouring with the right technique.
The Pouring Process
Pouring concrete is a dance of synchronised movements where timing matters. The concrete needs to be poured into the column continuously and evenly, or the column will develop long air pockets and could be weakened as a result.
Pouring it means watching and listening so that the column fills correctly, watching it curing from above – seeing that it’s not drying too fast or expanding too unevenly.
Finishing with Finesse
Then, the concrete hardens, and the finishing touches can move in. The surface is smoothed, the forms are carefully removed, and the curing process begins. It’s a dance of letting the concrete set and shielding it from the weather.
A Testament to Craftsmanship
The pride that goes into a properly cast concrete column rewards careful observation.
Concrete columns are crucial structural elements of buildings and bridges that are constructed across the globe today. Here, pouring concrete into a concrete column is a central task.
When performed correctly, the process allows people to shape the columns to the exact strength and stability that structures need to grow taller against strong winds and earthquakes and against the weight of additional floors.
What Creates the Frame of the Columns for the Pour?
Concrete columns are built up around a framework called formwork or shuttering – a temporary supporting structure that remains in place until the concrete has hardened and gained enough strength.
Most commonly, formwork is made from steel, aluminium or timber in order to precisely define and hold the shape of the concrete.
Key Components of Formwork for Concrete Columns
Moulds: These are the forms into which concrete gets cast to give it a particular shape. Naturally, they should be rigid and tough to withstand the forces exerted by the wet concrete mass and not get distorted while being filled.
Reinforcement Bars (Rebar): These are embedded into the formwork before pouring. They provide the tensile strength the concrete lacks.
Spacers and Chairs: These tiny components are responsible for boring the hole in the concrete and holding the rebar in the exact centre of the formwork at the required cover depth to protect the steel from corrosion.
Release Agents: Applied to the internal surface of the formwork to prevent easy bonding between the concrete and the formwork so that the concrete can be easily removed when fully set.
This formwork is put together piece by piece, checked for watertightness, and checked to ensure there’ll be no structural shock to the concrete when it is poured. The concrete is poured, set, and the forms carefully removed. The column beneath emerges.
Formwork is the unheralded star of concrete column construction, a task with a delicate waltz-like shape change to execute – not helped by the short lifespan of the formwork, which needs to hold its shape through concrete pouring and as the concrete sets. All this ingenuity and skill goes into the skeleton of our built world.
The Significance of Concrete Columns
Concrete columns are an essential construction element because they provide the required strength to support heavy loads and prevent bending or buckling.
They transfer loads from beams and slabs to stable foundations, ensuring the stability of the whole structure. In addition, the strength and durability of concrete make columns withstand fire and weather, which ultimately results in improved life and building safety.
Pitfalls of Incorrect Pouring
Poorly executed concrete pouring can result in several problems:
Structural Weaknesses: Improperly poured columns or pylons may contain air pockets or incorrect material distribution, leading to uneven weaknesses within the structure that could compromise structural integrity.
Lower Ultimate Load Capacity: It only takes professional inspection to realise the column was improperly constructed. Hence, it cannot support as much load as expected, thereby increasing the risk of collapse.
Longevity Issues: As poor pouring concrete practices leave entrapped air in the column, the structure becomes susceptible to damage from environmental factors, thus reducing the lifespan.
Safety Hazards: A worst-case scenario for a failure in a concrete column includes potentially catastrophic collapse of the structure, endangering occupants and the public.
Summary
Pouring concrete for columns requires precision, exactness, and adherence to the best ways of doing things. Concrete columns are important in a building and need a balance to make the structure meaningful. Not pouring it on time and right can have consequences for the structure and the people using it.
The team at LFCS have been doing FRP - Formwork, Reinforcement, and Concrete Pour work for years bringing the knowledge and experience to get your project completed the right way.
Comments