Increasing adoption of Mivan shuttering to boost Indian formwork market

By: Deepika Ramanathan -- Research Analyst, Engineering and Constructi on

07 September, 2017
Abstract
Constructi on is one of the major growth sectors of any country. There are
various technological advancements happening in the sector which help to
increase effi ciency and build bett er infrastructural, residenti al and industrial
projects. While Formwork is an emerging trend in recent ti mes, it has been one
of the least adopted technological advancements in the Indian constructi on
sector. In this arti cle, the discussion is on Mivan Shutt ering-an aluminium
formwork technology developed by a Malaysian fi rm. It is being widely adopted
in the residenti al sector worldwide.
This arti cle helps in understanding:
1. Formworks
2. Emerging Trend-Mivan Shutt ering
3. Various formworks
4. Indian and Regional adopti on trends
5. Future Trends
Formwork
 Formwork is a temporary structure which is made to support fresh
concrete ti ll it becomes strong enough to sustain on its own weight. There
are various types of formworks adopted in the market such as wooden,
steel, plasti c and aluminium.
 Aluminium Formworks are emerging as a recent trend in developing
countries mainly in the high-rise residenti al constructi on due to its focus
on quality, safety and reducti on in constructi on waste generati on.
 The increase in adopti on of sustainable practi ces in developing countries
is driving the acceptance of aluminium and plasti c formworks mainly due
to its reusability.
 One of the other main drivers for the adopti on of aluminium formwork is
its light weight and low cost compared to other conventi onal opti ons
available in the market.
 The Aluminium Formwork has been widely adopted in developed regions
such as Europe and North America, but is a relati vely new emerging theme
in India.
  Formwork plays a vital role especially in high-rise buildings where it
becomes necessary to increase producti vity, decrease ti melines and uti lize
economies of scale to bring down unit cost.
Mivan / Aluminium formwork
 Mivan is an aluminium formwork system developed by the Mivan Company
Ltd from Malaysia. The technology has been used extensively in regions
such as Europe, Middle East and Asia.
 Mivan technology uses aluminium formworks to make the buildings more
strong and durable. It is a fast-paced technology and is advanced over
older methods adopted in India.
 Mivan shutt ering is emerging as a major technology in the residenti al and
high-rise building constructi on in India, as it helps reduce ti me taken for
constructi on, reduces dependence on labor and reduces cost of the fi nal
building.
 Mivan is only an emerging theme and not widely adopted in India. There
are various contractors promoti ng this technology as a move to reduce
constructi on lead ti me. This is also pushed by the government’s initi ati ve
“Housing for all”. Contractors are recognizing the impact that this
technology can provide when there are large numbers of similar projects
being constructed (Bulk Constructi on).

Some of the major characteristi cs of Mivan technology are:

Indian constructi on market
 India’s constructi on industry will conti nue to grow at a CAGR of 5.65
percent from 2016-2020. The residenti al and infrastructure constructi on
sectors are expected to be the major contributors with the highest growth
rate for the next two years.
 According to the 12th fi ve-year plan, an investment of around $1 trillion is
expected to be injected into the Indian infrastructure market by 2017 and
~$650 billion has been allott ed for urban infrastructure in the coming 20
years.
 Government policies expected in the 2017 budget namely the decrease in
interest rates, reducti on in land/property taxes and implementati on of
GST, would increase investments in residenti al constructi on followed by
investments in industrial plant constructi on.
 The Formwork market in India is esti mated to be INR 15 billion of which 20
percent of the projects are executed through modern formwork systems.
The remaining 80 percent projects are executed through conventi onal
methods and remain untapped.
 Due to the high growth in the residenti al and infrastructure sector, the
government has announced the usage of aluminium-plasti c formworks in
their housing projects to increase speed and quality.
              Sources: IBEF, CIDC, Beroe Analysis
Regional adopti on of Mivan technology
 The adopti on of Mivan formwork is very high in regions with very high
demand for residenti al constructi on which includes APAC, Middle East and
Africa.
 Mivan provides maximum advantage in bulk constructi on where a similar
design is applied across various housing units enabling the usage of the
same pre-fabricated formwork across locati ons.
Case Studies 
Comparison of various formworks

Conclusion
The increasing adopti on of Mivan and other formwork technology is expected to
drasti cally increase the constructi on speed and quality of buildings in India. With
very litt le knowledge about these emerging trends, the contractors should work
harder to market such technologies and showcase them as diff erenti ati ng factors
compared to their competi tors.
Governments of economies with very high demand for residenti al constructi on
should recognize these emerging themes and provide the necessary push to
increase the adopti on levels of these technologies in their region. Going forward,
there will be an increasing trend in the adopti on of plasti c formworks which is
sti ll at a very nascent stage. Research is underway in the formwork segment to
increase sustainability and identi fy environment-friendly methods to provide
bett er quality of constructi on.

MIVAN TECHNOLOGY
1. INTRODUCTION
 Formwork is defined as temporary structure whose purpose is to provide support
and containment for fresh concrete until it can support itself. It moulds the concrete to the
desired shape and size and controls its position and alignment. The development of
formworks is parallel with the growth of concrete construction throughout the 20th century.
The advancement of technology, increase of population and the space limitation lead the
way to construct high-rise buildings. But the task was not very easy at the beginning but
now the man made the task easy by inventing new machinery and new techniques. The
most important factor in terms of cost, quality and speed in a high-rise building construction
project is the type of the formwork used in the project. The first formwork type to be used is
the conventional type formwork where the timber planks were supported on timber
columns. With the advancement of technology it developed gradually and people used ply
wood sheets instead of timber planks and steel pipes with jacks were used to support the
ply wood. Then people invented small units of formworks and connect the repeating units in
the construction. The larger units were invented like formworks for slab panels, formworks
for columns, beams etc. when the same elements are repeating. Then finally the whole
system of formwork is made and initially the material used to it was steel and it was very
heavy. Then the aim was to reduce the weight of the system and the materials for formwork
have extended to aluminium, plastic, fibre glass etc.

Aluminium formwork system provides aluminium formwork for RCC load bearing or
RCC framed multi-storied buildings and enables the walls and slabs to be poured in same
operation. These increases efficiency and also produces an extraordinarily strong structure
with excellent concrete finish. Due to the fine tolerance achieved in the machined metal
formwork components, consistent concrete shapes and finishes are obtained floor after
floor. This allows plumbing and electrical fittings to be prefabricated with the certain
knowledge that there will be an exact fit when assembled. As described by the
manufacturers a low-cost system for housing using aluminium formwork. Aluminium
formwork system is construction system for forming cast in place concrete structure of
building. It is also a system for scheduling and controlling the work of other construction
trends such as steel reinforcement, concrete placement and mechanical and electrical
conduits. This type of construction requires a restructuring of the entire conventional
construction process to enable interaction between the design phase and production
planning in order to improve and speed up the construction. The speed of construction by
this system will surpass speed of most of the other construction method.

2. INNOVATION IN CONSTRUCTION

The traditional mode of construction for individual houses comprising load bearing
walls with an appropriate roof above or reinforced concrete (RC) framed structure
construction with infill masonry walls would be totally inadequate for mass housing
construction industry in view of the rapid rate of construction. Further, such constructions
are prone to poor quality control even in case of contractors with substantial resources and
experience.

“For undertaking mass housing works, it is necessary to have innovative technologies

which are capable of fast rate construction and are able to deliver good quality and
durable structure in cost effective manner”.

Several systems are adopted at different places in the world; eventually the systems
which are reasonably economical and easy for operation with skilled labor are useful in
India. Certain systems are in vogue and more and more contractors are trying to bring in
new technologies. These are essentially based on the basis of mode of construction, namely,
pre-cast construction or in-situ construction.

2.1 Cast-in-Situ Construction

Pre-cast and cast-in-situ are techniques that are used for quick construction. Pre-cast
includes the wall-panel units and slab units directly added to building structure. The use of
aluminium also evolved as one of the technique for quick construction by use of aluminium
and steel (tunnel) formwork. As a matter of fact the cost of the formwork may be up to
25% of cost of the structure in building work, and even higher in bridges, it is thus essential
that the forms are properly designed to effect economy without sacrificing strength and
efficiency.

Certain patented systems based on imported technologies such as “Mascon System”

(Canada), “Mivan System” (Malaysia) have come on the Indian scene in recent years. In
these systems traditional column and beam construction is eliminated and instead walls and
slabs are cast in one operation at site by use of specially designed, easy to handle (with
minimum labor and without use of any equipment) light weight pre-engineered aluminium
forms. Rapid construction of multiple units of a repetitive type can be achieved with a sort
of assembly line production by deployment of a few semi-skilled labors.

The entire operation essentially comprises fitting and erecting the portion of
shuttering as already determined (the optimization in use is determined by appropriate
planning) and then carrying out concreting of the walls and slabs. Props are so designed that
they stay in position while de-shuttering of slabs and/or takes place. The dimensional
accuracy of the formwork is of high order. Therefore any possibility of errors does not rise.

2.2 “3-S” SYSTEM OF PRECAST CONSTRUCTION

An engineered system of building construction, namely “3-S” system was developed

by B.G.SHIRKE CONSTRUCTION TECH LTD., for achieving, speed, strength,
safety and economy in construction practices. The system involves structural elements such
as pre-cast hollow column shells pre-cast concrete beams, light weighed reinforced cellular
autoclaved concrete slabs for floor and roofs constituting the basic structural formwork.
The “3-S” system involves activities for construction of building such as:

I. Cast in-situ sub-structure including foundations, stem columns, plinth beams,

plinth masonry.

II. Erection of partial pre-cast components, jointing of these components using cast
in-situ concrete with appropriate reinforcement.

III. Lying of reinforced cast in-situ screed over slab panels, construction of panels,
construction of walling, flooring, plastering, water proofing etc.

Achieving the “3-S” system in the MIVAN formwork is quite easy. MIVAN formwork has got
the unsurpassed speed of construction due to saving time for required time in masonry and
plastering. The strength of raw aluminium is very less but when alloyed with other materials
prove to be strong enough to use as a formwork. To ensure safety in the site, an integrated
safety/ working platform is developed which ensures labor safety during erection and
striking of the formwork. Economy is also one of the main factors of any system. The MIVAN
formwork proves to cost efficient as it can be used efficiently for 250 times.

3. FORMWORK

 When concrete is placed, it is in plastic state. It requires to be supported by

temporary supports and castings of desired shape till it becomes sufficiently strong to
support its own weight. This temporary casing is known as
the formwork or forms or shuttering. The term moulds is sometimes used to indicate
formwork of relatively small units such as lintels, cornices etc.

3.1 Definition of formwork

“Forms or moulds or shutters are the receptacles in which concrete is placed, so

that it will have desired shape or outline when hardened. Once concrete develops the
adequate strength to support its own weight they can be taken out”.

“Formwork is the term given to either temporary or permanent moulds into

which concrete or similar materials are poured”.

3.2 Requirements of a good formwork

 The essential requirements of formwork or shuttering are: -

a) It should be strong enough to take the dead and live loads during construction.

b) The joints in the formwork should be rigid so that the bulging, twisting, or sagging
due to dead and live load is as small as possible. Excessive deformation may disfigure the
surface of concrete.

c) The construction lines in the formwork should be true and the surface plane so
that the cost finishing the surface of concrete on removing the shuttering is the least.

d) The formwork should be easily removable without damage to itself so that it could
be used repeatedly.

3.3 Types of Formwork

The material most commonly being used to date is timber. However, due to the
depleting forest reserves and increasing cost of timber the use of alternate materials such as
plywood and steel has become prominent. More recently, materials such as plastics and
fiberglass are also being used for pre-fabricating formwork. The type of material to be used
depends on the nature of construction as well as availability and cost of material. The
constraints on the project such as overall cost, time of completion also play a major role in
the use of a Particular material for formwork.

a) TIMBER FORMWORK

Timber is required for practically all jobs of formwork. The timber bring used for
formwork must satisfy the following requirements. It should be durable and treatable. It
should have sufficient strength characteristics. It should be light weight and well seasoned
without warping. It should hold nails well. It is economical for small construction jobs. It is
design flexible and easy to erect. It has good thermal insulation which makes it useful to be
used in colder Regions. It can easily be made into any shape or size. And it is easy for
transporting purpose for in between sites.
 Fig 3.1Timber Formwork

b) STEEL FORMWORK

Mostly used in large construction projects or in situations where large number of re-
uses of the same shuttering is possible. It is Suitable for circular or curved shaped structures
such as tanks, columns, chimneys etc. and also used for structures like sewer tunnel and
retaining wall. Strong, durable & have longer life. Reuses can be assumed to vary from 100
to 120 wares timber varies from 10 to 12.Steel can be installed & dismantled with greater
ease & speed resulting in saving in labour cost. Excellent quality of exposed concrete surface
obtained. No danger of formwork absorbing water from the concrete and minimizing
honeycombing.

Fig 3.2 Steel Formwork

c) PLASTICS FORMWORK

These forms have become increasingly popular for casting unique shapes and
patterns being designed in concrete because of the excellent finish obtained requiring
minimum or no surface treatment and repairs. Different types of plastic forms are available
like glass reinforced plastic, fiber reinforced plastic and thermoplastics etc. The material
allows greater freedom of design. Unusual textures and designs can be molded into the
form. It allows the contractor to pour structural and finished concrete simultaneously.
Because sections can be joined on the job site in such a way so as to eliminate joints, there
is no size limitation. If carefully handled, a number of reuses are possible making it highly&
Economical. It is lightweight and easily stripped. The disadvantage of using plastic forms is
that it does not lend itself to field fabrication hence, the design and planning of this form
must be carefully carried out. Also care must take not to damage the plastic by the heat
applied for accelerated curing of the concrete. Trough and waffle units in fiberglass are used
in construction of large floor areas and multistoried office buildings.
 Fig 3.3 Plastic Formwork

d) ALUMINIUM FORMWORK

Forms made from aluminum are in many respects similar to those made of steel.
However, because of their lower density, aluminum forms are lighter than steel forms, and
this is their primary advantage when compared to steel. As the strength of aluminum in
handling, tension and compression is less than the strength of steel, it is necessary to use
large sections. The formwork turns out to be economical if large numbers of reuses are
made in construction. The major disadvantage of aluminum forms is that no changes can be
made once the formwork is fabricated.

Fig 3.4 Aluminium Formwork

3.4 Loads acting on Formwork

In Construction, the formwork has to bear, besides its own weight, the weight
of wet
concrete, the live load due to labor, and the impact due to pouring
concrete and workmen on it. The vibration caused due to vibrators used to compact the
concrete should also be taken care off. Thus, the design of the formwork is an essential part
during the construction of the building.
 For the design of planks and joists in bending & shear, a live load including the
impact may be taken as 370kg/m². It is however, usual to work with a small factor of safety
in the design of formwork. The surfaces of formwork should be dressed in such a manner
that after deflection due to weight of concrete and reinforcement, the surface remains
horizontal, or as desired by the designer. The sheathing with full live load of 370 kg/m²
should not deflect more than 0.25 cm and the joists with 200kg/m² of live load should not
deflect more than 0.25cm.

In the design of formwork for columns or walls, the hydrostatic pressure of the

concrete should be taken into account. This pressure depends upon the quantity of water in
the concrete, rate of pouring and the temperature.

The hydrostatic pressure of the concrete increases with the following cases:-

· Increase in quantity of water in the mix.

· The smaller size of the aggregate
· The lower temperature.
· The higher rate of pouring concrete

If the concrete is poured in layers at an interval such that concrete has time to set,
there will be very little chance of bulging. Aluminium as usual is not a very strong material.
So the basic elements of the formwork system are the panel which is a framework of
extruded aluminium sections welded to an aluminium sheet. It consists of high strength
special aluminium components. This produces a light weight panel with an excellent
stiffness-to-weight ratio, yielding minimal deflections when subjected to the load of weight
concrete. The panels are manufactured in standard sizes with nonstandard elements
produced to the required size and size to suit the project requirements.

4. MIVAN: - A Versatile Formwork

The system of aluminum forms (MIVAN) has been used widely in the construction of
residential units and mass housing projects. It is fast, simple, adaptable and cost – effective.
It produces total quality work which requires minimum maintenance and when durability is
the prime consideration. This system is most suitable for Indian condition as a tailor–made
aluminum formwork for cast–in–situ fully concrete structure.

4.1 Background

Mivan is basically an aluminium formwork system developed by one of the

construction company from Europe. In 1990, the Mivan Company Ltd from Malaysia started
the manufacturing of such formwork systems. Now a days more than 30,000 sq m of
formwork used in the world are under their operation. In Mumbai, India there are number
of buildings constructed with the help of the above system which has been proved to be
very economical and satisfactory for Indian Construction Environment.

The technology has been used extensively in other countries such as Europe, Gulf
Countries, Asia and all other parts of the world. MIVAN technology is suitable for
constructing large number of houses within short time using room size forms to construct
walls and slabs in one continuous pour on concrete. Early removal of forms can be achieved
by hot air curing / curing compounds. This facilitates fast construction, say two flats per day.
All the activities are planned in assembly line manner and hence result into more accurate,
well – controlled and high quality production at optimum cost and in shortest possible time.

 In this system of formwork construction, cast – in – situ concrete wall and floor slabs
cast monolithic provides the structural system in one continuous pour. Large room sized
forms for walls and floors slabs are erected at site. These forms are made strong and sturdy,
fabricated with accuracy and easy to handle. They afford large number of repetitions
(around 250). The concrete is produced in RMC batching plants under strict quality control
and convey it to site with transit mixers.

The frames for windows and door as well as ducts for services are placed in the form
before concreting. Staircase flights, facade panels, chajjas and jails etc. and other pre-
fabricated items are also integrated into the structure. This proves to be a major advantage
as compared to other modern construction techniques.

The method of construction adopted is no difference except for that the sub –
structure is constructed using conventional techniques. The super–structure is constructed
using MIVAN techniques. The integrated use the technology results in a durable structure.

4.2 Modular Formwork

The formwork system is precisely-engineered system fabricated in aluminium. Using

this system, all the elements of a building namely, load bearing walls, columns, beams, floor
slabs, stairs, balconies etc can be constructed with cast in place concrete. The resulting
structure has a good quality surface finish and accurate dimensional tolerances. Further, the
construction speed is high and the work can be done in a cost effective manner.

The modular nature of the formwork system allows easy fixing and removal of
formwork and the construction can proceed speedily with very little deviation in
dimensional tolerances. Further, the system is quite flexible and can be easily adapted for
any variations in the layout.

The availability of concrete from ready mix concrete facility has augured well for the
use of this work system. However, the proliferation of RMC facilities in the cities in India and
the willingness to use mechanized means of transport and placing of concrete, the use of
aluminium formwork system has received a boost. The quality of the resulting concrete is
found to be superior.

Structurally speaking, the adoption of the closed box system using monolithic
concrete construction has been found to be the most efficient alternatives. The stresses in
both the concrete and steel are observed to be much lower even when horizontal forces
due to wind or earthquake are taken into consideration.

The formwork system can be used for construction for all types of concrete systems,
that is, for a framed structure involving column beam –slab elements or for box-type
structure involving slab-walls combination.

4.3 FORMWORK – COMPONENTS

The basic element of the formwork is the panel, which is an extruded aluminium rail
section, welded to an aluminium sheet. This produces a lightweight panel with an excellent
stiffness to weight ratio, yielding minimal deflection under concrete loading. Panels are
manufactured in the size and shape to suit the requirements of specific projects. The panels
are made from high strength aluminium alloy with a 4 mm thick skin plate and 6mm thick
ribbing behind to stiffen the panels.

The panels are manufactured in MIVAN’S dedicated factories in Europe and South
East Asia. Once they are assembled they are subjected to a trial erection in order to
eliminate any dimensional or on site problems.

All the formwork components are received at the site whining three months after
they are ordered. Following are the components that are regularly used in the construction.

4.3.1 WALL COMPONENTS

1) Wall Panel: - It forms the face of the wall. It is an Aluminium sheet properly cut to fit the
exact size of the wall
 FIG 4.1 WALL PANEL

2) Rocker: - It is a supporting component of wall. It is L-shaped panel having allotment holes
for stub pin

FIG 4.2 ROCKER

3) Kicker: - It forms the wall face at the top of the panels and acts as a ledge to support.

FIG 4.3: KICKER

4) Stub Pin: - It helps in joining two wall panels. It helps in joining two joints
 FIG 4.4 STUB PIN

4.3.2 BEAM COMPONENTS:

1) Beam Side Panel: - It forms the side of the beams. It is a rectangular structure and is cut
according to the size of the beam

FIG 4.5 BEAM SIDE PANEL

2) Prop Head for Soffit Beam: - It forms the soffit beam. It is a V-shaped head for easy
dislodging of the formwork.
 FIG 4.6 PROP HEAD FOR SOFFIT BEAM.

3) Beam Soffit Panel: - It supports the soffit beam. It is a plain rectangular structure of
aluminium.

FIG 4.7 BEAM SOFFIT-PANEL

4) Beam Soffit Bulkhead: - It is the bulkhead for beam. It carries most of the bulk load.
 FIG 4.8 BEAM SOFFIT BULKHEAD

4.3.3 DECK COMPONENT

1) Deck Panel: - It forms the horizontal surface for casting of slabs. It is built for proper
safety of workers.

FIG 4.9: - DECK PANEL

2) Deck Prop: - It forms a V-shaped prop head. It supports the deck and bears the load
coming on the deck panel.
 FIG 4.10 DECK PROP

3) Prop Length: - It is the length of the prop. It depends upon the length of the slab.

FIG 4.11 DECK PROP LENGTH

4) Deck Mid – Beam: - It supports the middle portion of the beam. It holds the
concrete.
 FIG 4.12 DECK MID-BEAM

5) Soffit Length: - It provides support to the edge of the deck panels at their perimeter of
the room.

FIG 4.13 SOFFIT LENGTH

6) Deck Beam Bar: - It is the deck for the beam. This component supports the deck and
beam.
 FIG 4.14 DECK BEAM BAR

4.3.4 OTHER COMPONENTS

1) Internal Soffit Corner: - It forms the vertical internal corner between the walls and the
beams, slabs, and the horizontal internal cornice between the walls and the beam slabs and
the beam soffit.

FIG 4.15 INTERNAL SOFFIT CORNER

2) External Soffit Corner: - It forms the external corner between the components
 FIG 4.16 EXTERNAL SOFFIT CORNER

3) External Corner: - It forms the external corner of the formwork system.

FIG 4.17 EXTENAL CORNER

4) Internal Corner: - It connects two pieces of vertical formwork pieces at their exterior
intersections.
 FIG 4.18 INTERNAL CORNERS

4.4 CONSTRUCTION ACTIVITIES WITH MIVAN FORMWORK

The construction activities are divided as pre – concrete activities, during concreting
and post – concrete activities. They are as follows:

4.4.1 PRE – CONCRETE ACTIVITIES:

a) Receipt of Equipment on Site – The equipments is received in the site as ordered.

b) Level Surveys – Level checking are made to maintain horizontal level check.

c) Setting Out – The setting out of the formwork is done.

d) Control / Correction of Deviation – Deviation or any correction are carried out.

e) Erect Formwork – The formwork is erected on site.

f) Erect Deck Formwork – Deck is erected for labours to work.

g) Setting Kickers – kickers are provided over the beam.

After the above activities have been completed it is necessary to check the following.

i. All formwork should be cleaned and coated with approved realize agent.
ii. Ensure wall formwork is erected to the setting out lines.
iii. Check all openings are of correct dimensions, not twist.
iv. Check all horizontal formwork (deck soffit, and beam soffit etc.) in level.
v. Ensure deck and beam props are vertical and there is vertical movement in the prop
lengths.
vi. Check wall ties, pins and wedges are all in position and secure.
vii. Any surplus material or items to be cleared from the area to be cast.
viii. Ensure working platform brackets are securely fastened to the concrete.
 Fig 4.19 Fixing Mivan Plates

4.4.2 ON CONCRETE ACTIVITIES:

At least two operatives should be on standby during concreting for checking pins,
wedges and wall ties as the pour is in progress. Pins, wedges or wall ties missing could lead
to a movement of the formwork and possibility of the formwork being damaged. This –
affected area will then required remedial work after striking of the formwork. Things to look
for during concreting:

i. Dislodging of pins / wedges due to vibration.

ii. Beam / deck props adjacent to drop areas slipping due to vibration.
iii. Ensure all bracing at special areas slipping due to vibration.
iv. Overspill of concrete at window opening etc.
 Fig 4.20 Concreting Work of Column, Beam, Slab

4.4.3 POST – CONCRETE ACTIVITIES:

i) Strike Wall Form- It is required to strike down the wall form.

ii) Strike Deck Form- The deck form is then removed.

iii) Clean, Transport and stack formwork

iv) Strike Kicker Formwork – The kicker are removed.

v) Strike wall – Mounted on a Working Platform the wall are fitted on next floor.

vi) Erect Wall – Mount Working Platform and the wall is erected.

Normally all formwork can be struck after 12 hours. The post – concreting activities includes:

4.4.4 CLEANING:

All components should be cleaned with scrapers and wire brushes as soon as they
are struck. Wire brush is to be used on side rails only. The longer cleaning is delayed, the
more difficult the task will be. It is usually best to clean panels in the area where they are
struck.
4.4.5 TRANSPORTING:

There are basic three methods recommended when transporting to the next floor:

i. The heaviest and the longest, which is a full height wall panel, can be carried up the
nearest stairway.
ii. Passes through void areas.
iii. Rose through slots specially formed in the floor slab for this purpose. Once they have
served their purpose they are closed by casting in concrete filter

4.4.6 STRIKING:

Once cleaned and transported to the next point of erection, panels should be
stacked at right place and in right order. Proper stacking is a clean sign of a wall – managed
operation greatly aids the next sequence of erection as well as prevents clutters and impend
other activities

Fig 4.21: - Erection of Platform

 Fig 4.22:- Striking of formwork

Fig 4.23: - Positioning of Platform

 Fig 4.24: - Removal of kicker

4.5 SPEED OF CONSTRUCTION

4.5.1 Work cycle

 MIVAN is a system for scheduling & controlling the work of other connected
construction trades such as steel reinforcement, concrete placements & electrical inserts.
The work at site hence follows a particular sequence. The work cycle begins with the
deshuttering of the panels. It takes about 12-15hrs. It is followed by positioning of the
brackets & platforms on the level. It takes about 10-15hrs simultaneously.

The deshuttered panels are lifted & fixed on the floor .The activity requires 7-10hrs
Kicker and External shutters are fixed in 7 hrs. The wall shutters are erected in 6-8 hrs. One
of the major activity reinforcement requires 10-12 hrs. The fixing of the electrical conduits
takes about 10 hrs and finally pouring of concrete takes place in these.

This is a well synchronized work cycle for a period of 7 days. A period of 10-12 hrs is
left after concreting for the concrete to gain strength before the beginning of the next cycle.
This work schedule has been planned for 1010-1080 sq m of formwork with 72-25cu m of
concreting & approximate reinforcement.

The formwork assembling at the site is a quick & easy process. On leaving the MIVAN
factory all panels are clearly labeled to ensure that they are easily identifiable on site and
can be smoothly fitted together using formwork modulation drawings. All formwork begins
from corners and proceeds from there.
 The system usually follows a four day cycle: -

Day 1: -The first activity consists of erection of vertical reinforcement bars and one side of
the vertical formwork for the entire floor or a part of one floor.

Day 2: -The second activity involves erection of the second side of the vertical formwork and
formwork for the floor

Day 3: - Fixing reinforcement bars for floor slabs and casting of walls and slabs.

Day 4: -Removal of vertical form work panels after 24hours, leaving the props in place for 7
days and floor slab formwork in place for 2.5 days.

4.6 FEATURES OF MIVAN FORMWORK

1) Sheet Thickness & Panel Sizes

• The concrete face of panels (Al Sheet) is 4 mm thick.

• Standard sizes of Panels are: 2000x600, 2000x300, 1200x300, 850x300.
• Apart from above any size as required shall be manufactured and delivered.

2) Load Carrying Capacity

• High load carrying capacity of 7-8 Tonnes Per square meter

• Weight
• Light weight is the main advantage over conventional formwork technology.
• Aluminium formwork weighs around 18-20 kg per meter square.

3) Cycle Time

High speed of construction can be achieved by this system that means faster
completion of project. 7 Days per floor.
4) Striking time

• Vertical (Wall) Formwork – 12 hours after concreting or when concrete strength has
reached 2N/mm2.

• Horizontal (Deck) Formwork – 36 hours after concreting or when concrete strength has
reached 10N/mm2.

5) Pouring System

Monolithic pouring for:

• Slabs

• Walls

• Columns

• Beams

6) Durability

• The panels are made out of Structural Grade Aluminium alloy.

• Around 200 repetitions can be achieved while using Aluminium Formwork System.

4.7 Design Aspects

The comparison is done between buildings constructed by: -

i) Conventional RC columns, beams, and slab construction (RC moment resisting

frame d structure)

OR

ii) RC load-bearing walls and slabs.

In the case of RC moment-resisting framed structures, the horizontal forces due to

wind or earthquake are resisted by the frames resulting in the bending moments in columns
to resist bending moment and vertical loads would be more than that required to resist
vertical loads without bending moment. Similarly, additional reinforcement will be required
in beams at supports. In the case of RC load-bearing walls, monolithic casting of slab along
with RC walls results in a box type structure, which is very strong in resisting horizontal
forces due to wind or earthquake. In view of large depth of shear walls, the resulting
stresses due to bending moment and vertical loads are smaller and in many cases, concrete
alone is capable of resisting these forces.

On evaluating these alternatives, it is seen that the beam column frame system in

i) Performs poorly against earthquake forces compared to RCC wall and slab
construction. Recent changes in the IS Codes, as well as recommended good practice
demand provision of additional reinforcement comply with ductility requirements.

ii) The sizing and detailing of columns needed to be –that they are 20% stronger than
beams they support.

4.8 ECONOMY

The cost per flat (or per m² built up area) using MIVAN shuttering system depends
upon the number of repetition and period of completion of the project. As the formwork
can be reused over 250 times, the initial cost per unit of forming area is less when compared
to traditional methods. The reduction of cost is also due to the elimination of brickwork and
plaster and also due to reduction in time. The cost of the project gets substantially reduced
due to shear wall construction. These are due to the reduced consumption of steel,
masonry, and plaster even though the use of concrete decreases. For the same number of
repetition, the cost will be less if the period of completion is longer. This is because for a
shorter completion period, the area of formwork is more than required for longer
completion period. Cost of formwork is illustrated in Table 4.1.

The aluminium formwork provides an integrated scaffolding system which reduces

the cost of scaffolding requirements. The mechanical and electrical installation is simplified
as conduits are embedded in the structure by precise engineering of outlets and service
ducts. Thus, we can conclude that the overall cost of the project is lesser when compared to
project using traditional methods of formwork.

4.8.1 Cost comparison of mivan and conventional formwork

Initial cost of mivan formwork is high when compared with conventional formwork.
Mivan formwork is economical when floors are typical and also labour cost for mivan is
slightly less when compared with conventional formwork. Aluminium formworks are more
durable, maximum repetition of 300 can be achieved where as in conventional maximum
repetition of 10 can be achieved which makes aluminium formwork more economical.
 Table 4.1 COST COMPARISON

Following the graphical representation of the above study of rates at the different
rates of formwork. The chart shows the aluminium formwork is economical when the use of
cycle. The steel formwork is economical than the other formwork.
 Fig 4.25 Cost Analysis Graph

4.9 Comparison of Aluminum Form Construction Technique over

Conventional Forms:

Table 4.2 Comparison Between Mivan and Conventional Form Work

5. HONEYCOMBING AND CRACKS IN SHEAR WALL

The mivan technology follows monolithic construction i.e. all the structural member
viz. beam, shear wall, slab are casted at same time. In conventional construction the
concrete is placed from height of 0.6 to 1 meter, and that is what recommended height to
place the concrete. In Mivan Technology of construction the concrete is placed from height
of 3 meter in shear wall and compacted using vibrator, now as height of placing concrete is
more there are chances of segregation in concrete resulting in honeycombing and cracks in
wall. In mivan construction it is generally happened that after removing formwork there is
honeycombing in shear wall, in this project we had tried to fix the problem of
honeycombing in shear wall. We had gone to BASF The chemical company pertaining this
problem; they suggested us to use the MasterGlenium ACE 30JP as admixture to concrete so
as to increase the workability of concrete to reduce honeycombing and increase the
strength of concrete. One of the measures to check the workability of concrete is its slump
and to check the strength is compressive strength. In this project we have compared the
slump and strength of concrete using admixture and no admixture by slump cone test and
compressive testing machine respectively. Following are the details.

A. Specification of MasterGlenium ACE 30JP

Appearance: Brownish Liquid

Specific gravity -1.02 g/cm3 

pH Value: 6-9

B. Concrete mix design 

Grade designation: M35

Type of cement: OPC 53 Grade 

Reduced water content for admixture: 20 %

Mix design

Conventional Concrete: 1:1.4:2.2

Concrete using admixture: 1:1.2:3.2

C. Slump cone test result

Table 4.3 SLUMP CONE TEST RESULT

 D. Compressive strength testing result

Table 4.4 Compressive strength testing result

By using admixture the workability of concrete is increased by 120 % whereas the

strength of concrete is increased by 13 %

6. THE ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF MIVAN:

6.1 Advantages:

The MIVAN formwork is specifically designed to allow rapid construction of all types
of architectural layouts.

1) Total system forms the complete concrete structure.

2) Custom designed to suit project requirements.

3) Unsurpassed construction speed.

4) High quality finish.

5) Cost effective.

6) Panels can be reused up to 250 times.

7) Erected using unskilled labor.

 Quality and speed must be given due consideration along with economy. Good
quality construction will never deter to projects speed nor should it be uneconomical. In
fact, time consuming repairs and modifications due to poor quality work generally delay the
job and cause additional financial impact on the project. Some experts feel that housing
alternatives with low maintenance requirements may be preferred even if the initial cost is
high.

6.2 LIMITATION OF MIVAN FORMWORK:

Even though there are so many advantages of MIVAN formwork the limitations
cannot be ignored. However the limitations do not pose any serious problems. They are as
follows: -

1) Because of small sizes finishing lines are seen on the concrete surfaces.
2) Concealed services become difficult due to small thickness of components.
3) It requires uniform planning as well as uniform elevations to be cost effective.
4) Modifications are not possible as all members are caste in RCC.
5) Large volume of work is necessary to be cost effective i.e. at least 200 repetitions of the
forms should be possible at work.
6) The formwork requires number of spacer, wall ties etc. which are placed @ 2 feet c/c;
these create problems such as seepage, leakages during monsoon.
7) Due to box-type construction shrinkage cracks are likely to appear.
8) Heat of Hydration is high due to shear walls.

7. CONCLUSION

The task of housing due to the rising population of the country is becoming
increasingly monumental. In terms of technical capabilities to face this challenge, the
potential is enormous; it only needs to be judiciously exploited.

Civil engineers not only build but also enhance the quality of life. Their creativity and
technical skill help to plan, design, construct and operate the facilities essential to life. It is
important for civil engineers to gain and harness the potent and versatile construction tools.

Traditionally, construction firms all over the world have been slow to adopt the
innovation and changes. Contractors are a conservative lot. It is the need of time to analyze
the depth of the problem and find effective solutions. MIVAN serves as a cost effective and
efficient tool to solve the problems of the mega housing project all over the world. MIVAN
aims to maximize the use of modern construction techniques and equipments on its entire
project.
 We have tried to cover each and every aspect related to aluminium (MIVAN) form
construction. We thus infer that MIVAN form construction is able to provide high quality
construction at unbelievable speed and at reasonable cost. This technology has great
potential for application in India to provide affordable housing to its rising population.

Thus it can be concluded that quality and speed must be given due consideration
with regards to economy. Good quality construction will never deter to projects speed nor
will it be uneconomical. In fact time consuming repairs and modification due to poor quality
work generally delay the job and cause additional financial impact on the project. Some
experts feel that housing alternatives with low maintenance requirements may be preferred
even if at the slightly may preferred even if at the higher initial cost.

REFERENCES

1. IOSR Journal of Mechanical and Civil Engineering (IOSR-JMCE), Miss. Patil Dhanashri
Suryakant1 , Prof. Desai D B

2. International Journal of Innovative Research in Science, Engineering and Technology Vol. 3,

Issue 6, June 2014, Patel Abhiyan S, Neeraj Sharma D, Bhavin K Kashiyani.

3. International Journal of Innovations In Engineering Research And Technology

[IJERT] issn: 2394-3696 volume 2, issue 3 march2015, Mr. Shankar Bimal Banerjee.

4 Jain and Jain., “(1993)”. “Design of Formwork”. “Design of Concrete Structures.”, Edition
1993, pp 595-606.

5. Kulkarni., D., V., “(2001)”. “ First Rate Forms”. “Times Journal Construction and Design”. Oct-
Dec 2001, pp 22-23.

6. International Journal of Engineering and Technical Research, Kushal Patil, Ajitkumar Jadhav,

Nikhil Shingate