Formwork is a temporary or movable structure mold into which freshly mixed concrete is poured and allowed to set. It consists of panels, supports, and ties that hold the concrete in the desired shape while it cures and gains structural strength. Formwork must resist the full hydrostatic pressure of wet concrete plus all construction loads (workers, equipment, vibration). Materials include timber (plywood and lumber), engineered wood systems, aluminum modular panels, steel frames, and plastic or fabric flexible forms. Proper formwork design ensures dimensional accuracy, surface finish quality, and structural safety during the pour cycle.
Accepted ontology entry
formwork
Formwork is a temporary or movable structure mold into which freshly mixed concrete is poured and allowed to set. It consists of panels, supports, and ties that hold the concrete in the desired shape while it cures and gains structural str…
Definition
Why it is in scope
A human-made temporary structure or mold used in construction to shape and support wet concrete until it cures and gains sufficient strength. Designed from timber, steel, aluminum, or plastic panels, formwork defines the geometry of structural elements — walls, columns, slabs, and beams — and bears the full weight of fresh concrete plus construction loads. Built to be assembled, used once (or reused), and dismantled, it is a tool of the building trade that bridges the gap between architectural design and built reality.
Names and aliases
- formworken · CANONICAL
Relations from this entry
- cms593vwa018ni9iq6vu1g0dzINSTANCE_OF →
formwork is a specific kind of mold — a temporary structure used to contain and shape poured concrete until it cures. A competent speaker would call formwork a type of mold. Direction tested: mold→formwork would be general→specific, backwards.
- cmrnx1an003g1d1nl7mov8575INSTANCE_OF →
Formwork is a specific kind of template: a mold into which concrete is poured to shape a structure. Per Law 9, a competent speaker would call formwork 'a template.' Direction: specific→general, correct.
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Record identity
- Created
- Jul 29, 2026, 12:51 AM UTC
- Content hash
- e4bdb6b74324de2e1c587e4a0b7a18ac71ae49a66848b7bd62a075f878d7b401