Concrete Formwork Using Acrow "V-Shore" Or Similar.

Concrete formwork - Acrow "V" shore. "U"

screw jacks at the top support heavy timbers
which in turn support joists for play

Concrete formwork - Square plated screw

jacks at bottom, nailed to timber sole plates.
These under all of the steel support legs and
props.
On the right is the slab formwork for a suspended concrete slab to a multistory building, but this system of concrete
formwork could just as easily be used on an owner builder house.

What you see is a series of steel frames with cross braces holding them together.

They have adjustable screw jacks at the bottom and top.  The top jacks carry heavy timber bearers, (150 x 100) at say 1200
centers which in turn carry joists (100 x 75) at 400 centers.

At the base of the frames there are heavy timber pieces called sole plates.

The main purpose of the sole plates is to spread the load of the frame to the ground.

In this instance they are sat on the building pad, which is a stable pad of compacted earth and then road gravel that forms a
base for the building work.  

On the next floor up, the frames will be sat on the concrete floor, but the sole plates will still be used.  

Apart from spreading the load on the frame legs, the plates also have a function of stopping the frames moving around
under vibration.

This is particularly important with say a row of single steel props.  The sole plate not only spreads the load and provides a
firm base for the prop, but a couple of nails through the prop into the timber sole plate keeps the prop steady under vibration.

Concrete formwork - Slab support layout, steel frames and timber

 Concrete formwork - beam side layout.
Here is a sketch of the layout.  The frames are all the same width and come in about four different heights so that a
combination of different frame sizes and screw jack settings will cover any height.

I have put a larger detail of the side form for a beam here.  Some times they can be quite deep, so there may be a need for
braces.  

An important detail, are the provision of vertical spacers between the timbers making up the side form.  Say at 600 centers
these transfer the load from the top ply down to to next layer.  Without them the weight on the upper joists could push the
top timber off the ply.

Here's a few points that come to mind when using this sort of system.

 First and foremost, this type of system is no different to building and working on scaffolding, so the same safety
procedures apply.
 As you erect a section brace it off.
 Provide good planks for the guys erecting the next stage to stand on.
 If you are building a tall narrow section provide external braces.
 When building separate floor levels, similar to the sketch above with a lower beam section, the cantilevered ends
of the joists depend on the beam sides for support. Don't leave these cantilevers unsupported.
 Always provide a good solid base to work on.
 Sole plates should span at least two legs.
 The screw jacks come in solid and tubular form.  Don't extend the solid ones more than 600mm and the tubular
ones more than 450.

Concrete formwork - cross braces

 The system of two cross braces that are joined at the middle, and that are clipped onto the vertical members with
gravity toggles is common on quite a few scaffolding/support systems.  The word to remember is GRAVITY.  The toggle is
held level and the brace end is slipped over it.  When it is in the right position the toggle drops down into a secure position
by gravity.
 If a frame happens to be put in upside down, the toggles won't drop down.  So the cross brace will not be secure.
WATCH IT!  Make sure the frames are the right way up.
 Frames that are distorted, have broken or bent toggle lugs, or toggles that don't work, don't use them.

Concrete formwork - Early stage set up.

Here's a section of the job in the early stages.  You can see temporary planks here and there for the guys to stand on while
they are fixing the joists.  There will be a laser level set  up at the side somewhere and as the frames are fixed the screw
jacks will be brought up to level.
 Concrete formwork - slab falsework from the top.

Here's a shot of the job from the top.

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A Low Tech Way To Do Concrete Formwork For Slabs And Beams

Concrete formwork - Deck and beam low tech method

 Concrete formwork - Timber beam support
cross.

Concrete formwork - prop adjustment with

fox wedges.
I the sketch above I show the concrete formwork for a beam at the edge of a concrete slab, using all timber formwork, with
the exception of adjustable steel floor centers. We could of course have used timber joists as in the details above.  

We also could use the timber cross and beam shutters on their own, just to form up beams.
 
We never left the floor centers supported at the ends only.  There was always a least one timber bearer with props
supporting the centers also, to take a lot of the weight off the cross props shown above.

The main support for the beam and edge of slab was what we called a "cross" which is sketched out to the right.

These were made up out of sawn hardwood timber, usually, but I have worked on jobs where we used "bush props" with the
main prop consisting of 100 to 150m dia sapling trees.
Typically they were set up at 1200 centers.  (Depending on loads they could be closer of course.)

At the bottom, we used "fox wedges" to adjust for height.  These along with timber packers as needed were quite adequate.

The  beam soffits were set up on the cross props between columns.  The cross props were nailed at the top to the shutters,
they were nailed at the bottom to the sole plates, and unless they were fairly short, we used to nail 75 x 25 braces on them
in the middle also.
I once did a job that some comedian nailed a ply sign on the outside, "Bill's Jungle".  It didn't bother me at all, I'd sooner be
seen as the guy who put too many props and braces in. than remembered as someone who didn't do enough.
 Concrete formwork - jig for making wedges
The sketch to the right has my idea of a simple jig for cutting consistent wedges on a bench saw.

Easily made up out of a bit of scrap timber. 

 If you are making say 50mm thick wedges for formwork use a bit of 150 x 50 for your jig.Cut a length of say 150 x
50 hardwood into 250 long lengths.
 After the first wedge is cut flip the material length wise to cut the next wedge and so on.
 Always use a push stick , never be tempted to get that last one out of a piece. Keep your fingers AWAY from the
blade.
 The saw bench insert should be in good condition, as there is a tendency for the thin end of the wedge to drop and
jam at the front edge of the blade.

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A Modular Panel System

 Concrete formwork - A modular panel system

Here is another system for forming slabs.  

This type of modular system works well for simple plans, as here where the slab is spanning between concrete blockwork
walls, and there is no requirements for forming up beams within the slab.

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Why Use Steel Residential Construction.

Take a drive around any industrial area in the world and look at the main materials used on large buildings.  The
warehouses, the factories.  Fairly obvious, it is going to be steel.  For everything but the concrete floors.  "So what has this
gotta do with my new house"? You may ask, you don't want to build an aircraft hanger.  Well....... I'll give you the drum!

With the demand for larger cost effective structures, there has been an ever increasing surge of development and
competition to provide stronger, lighter, cheaper materials.  These materials like the dozens of standard steel sections, the
incredibly efficient "Z" purlins, etc. etc. are starting to be taken up by the home building industry in a big way.
 Steel residential construction - Combination
of roll formed steel stud wall frames and
RHS sections to provide external walls.

In my fifty years or so in the building and construction industry, I have seen the use of steel residential construction increase
from almost nothing to in many cases approaching almost 100%.  I am a carpenter by trade and while I clearly have a love
of working with timber, in my design and building work I have to use steel, because of it's many benefits.

Considering where I live, in a cyclone prone area, this is not surprising, the need for increased strength has been the driving
force, but also architects have long appreciated the flexibility of design that steel provides.  We don't have to live in concrete
"bunkers" or "dog boxes" any more, just because we get severe weather.

I often say that we are overly regulated, but in respect of building regulations, regarding strength and living amenity, I am all
for them.  In fact if anything over the years I have always erred on the side of extra strength, and I would suggest that any
prudent home builder or renovator consider upping the strength of their next project.  It may not be strictly necessary, but in
this age of extreme weather events it is comforting to know that your family is as safe as possible.  I've been there and done
that!

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Where Do We Find Steel In Modern Residential Construction.

Easy answer, just about everywhere.

Slightly longer answer below.

 Concrete foundations and raft slabs in most houses contain a few tonnes of rebar or reinforcing steel, nicely
hidden away but never the less doing an excellent job.
 Houses raised off the ground use steel columns, steel floor bearers and in many cases steel floor joists. (As in
steel purlins).
 Steel residential wall framing is extremely strong, lightweight and very cost effective.  The system of bracing it is
simple and strong.  It can take all the traditional siding, cladding or sheeting materials.
 The wall framing itself can incorporate steel RHS (rectangular hollow sections) around openings to provide extra
strength, which carry the roof loads to the foundations.
 Whatever the type of wall construction, the roof structure almost always has some steel in it, be it a couple of steel
beams over patios, bolts and angle brackets to conventional timber or truss framing.
 More often we are seeing complete steel truss layouts, with steel battens and steel roof sheeting.

Steel residential construction - A steel PFC external deck beam.

The above shot shows an external deck, with a steel PFC (parallel flange channel) sat on SHS (square hollow section) steel
columns.  The handrail supports (some of them extending up to support the roof) are also SHS.   The corrosion protection
system is hot dip galvanising.  The balustrade wires are SS (stainless steel).

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Benefits Of Using Steel Over Other Materials.

Steel residential construction - A

stack of steel roof battens, they are
cheaper, straighter, longer, less
waste, lighter, easier and quicker to
fix than the hardwood 3"x2" that they
have replaced.
 I will just list a few generalisations here, and go into more detail on the other pages in this section.

 Steel has the highest strength to weight ratio of all the other comparable building materials.   There are materials
that are stronger, lighter, corrosion proof etc. but we are talking about houses here, not Stealth Bombers.
 Section size, for a given span and loading, a steel section will take up less space.  It may be a steel beam like the
one above, that because of it's less depth than a timber beam doing the same job, will give greater head height.  Also
compared to timber it takes up less space in transport.
 Weight, The cold rolled, or roll formed lighter sections, for example, wall frame studs and plate, fascias, ceiling and
roof battens are sometimes many times lighter than the timber that they replace.
 Length, steel comes in stock lengths, but the ability to weld sections together, with sometimes invisible joins,
means that long continuous lengths are possible in the average house.  Giving greater spanning capacity over supports. 
Again with roll formed sections the manufacturers produce the product in lengths to suit a typical job, and the available
transport. For example, a popular wall frame height is 2700mm.  So the roll formers produce standard lengths of 8100mm
to get three studs out of a length with no waste.  They will of course produce it longer or shorter if the need is there.  I once
fixed two steel fascias that were 22M long.   No joins, rolled on site.

Steel residential construction - Steel

connection detail, steelwork prefabricated
off site and galvanised before fixing.

 Fire resistance.  A fairly obvious advantage over timber.

 Termite resistance.  A real advantage where I live, but also in many parts of the world.
 Low wastage.  Because of the ability to weld steel sections, small lengths are not thrown away.  Most welding
shops have piles of offcuts that are regularly picked through for small jobs or for adding to longer lengths. All this apart,
when steel does get thrown out, it is still recyclable.  Many times with timber we have bought longer lengths, knowing that
we would be throwing maybe 20% to waste, because the correct size was not available.
 Stable  Because it is inorganic, steel will not rot, shrink,twist or split. For the most part all steel sections and made
up components will retain their shape during the building process and after.  They will not rack out of square and their
joints will not loosen up.
 Steel residential construction lends itself to prefabrication for remote housing locations and also is adaptable to
total on site fabrication.
 Steel residential construction - The whole of this complex house frame was fabricated off
site, sent to be hot dip galvanised and assembled on site with crane, nuts and bolts and
spanners.

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Some Drawbacks Of Using Steel.

 In certain locations, geographic (as in near the coast), or in the house (as in bathrooms and other wet areas), there
is need for extra corrosion protection over and above the normal.
 Thermal expansion and contraction in some surfaces, especially sprung curved roofs causes loud movement
noises.  Similarly heavy rain noise can be intrusive.
 Aesthetics.   None of us want to live in steel sheds, that's for sure, but there are enough examples of good design
about, to show that houses can be built out of primarily steel materials and still be pleasing to the eye, and more
importantly, pleasing to live in.
 Thermal insulation.  Steel is a good conductor of heat or cold, and as such extra measures have to be taken to
insulate the residence.  There are many cost effective methods of doing this.

STEEL BUILDS BETTER STRUCTURES

There are many reasons why steel framing has come to the forefront as one of the best and most feasible alternative
building materials for residential and commercial construction. Steel is a Superior Construction Material

1. Highest strength-to-weight ratio of any building material

2. 100% recyclable
3. 68% industry recycling rate
4. Non-combustible - does not burn nor contribute fuel to the spread of a fire
5. Inorganic - will not rot, warp, split, crack or creep
6. Dimensionally stable - does not expand or contract with moisture content
7. Consistent material quality - produced in strict accordance with national standards, no regional variations

Benefits to the Builder

 1. Substantial discounts on builders risk insurance
2. Lighter than other framing materials
3. Noncombustible
4. Easy material selection - no need to cull or sort the pile and small punch list.
5. Saves job-site time with ease of panelization off-site
6. Straight walls and square corners
7. Windows and doors open and close as they should
8. Less scrap and waste (2% for steel vs. 20% for lumber)
9. Price stability - price spikes are extremely rare
10. Consumer perceives steel as better

Benefits to the Consumer

There are many reasons why homeowners are turning to steel framing:

1. High strength results in safer structures, less maintenance and slower aging of structure
2. Fire safety
3. Not vulnerable to termites
4. Not vulnerable to any type of fungi or organism, including mold
5. Less probability of foundation problems - less weight results in less movement
6. Less probability of damage in an earthquake
7. Lighter structure with stronger connections results in less seismic force
8. Less probability of damage in high winds
9. Stronger connections, screwed versus nailed