What is fabric forming?

Fabric formwork replaces conventional rigid forming materials such as plywood or steel panels with a thin, flexible sheet of fabric When concrete is contained by a thin fabric membrane, the flexibility of the container naturally produces a set of beautiful and structurally useful tension geometries.

In above-ground structures, fabric formwork is used to form:

• Foundation footings
• Columns
• Beams
• Trusses
• Walls
• Panels
• Shell structures

In surface and marine applications, fabric formwork is used for:

• Revetment blankets to prevent riverbank and shore line erosion
• Underwater pile jackets

Advantages of fabric forming

• Material Reduction: Fabric forms use hundreds of times less material than conventional rigid formwork. Concrete and steel can also be conserved by forming more efficient curved geometries.
• Cost Savings: Fabric forms cost far less than rigid forms due to the efficiency of the tensile-only membrane. In addition, certain fabrics can be reused many times over.
• Improved Concrete Quality: Permeable fabrics improve surface finish, compression, strength and impermeability by filtering air bubbles and excess mix water from the wet concrete.
• Waterproof Concrete: Inexpensive plastic-coated fabric forms provide a permanent waterproof shield when left on a concrete cast - useful, for example, in damp-proofing foundation footings.
• Beauty: Fabric-cast concrete is distinguished by its soft curves and immaculately detailed surfaces, offering unique forms of architectural beauty to concrete products and construction.