Stay in Place-Formwork for Commercial Construction: Renewable Energy, Civil Projects, Infrastructure, Institutional, and Technology

Stay in Place-Formwork for Commercial Construction: Renewable Energy, Civil Projects, Infrastructure, Institutional, and Technology

Concrete forming is evolving as projects demand tighter schedules, more complex geometry, and higher durability, especially in infrastructure and data center construction. This course introduces modern stay in place forming systems as a practical and reliable alternative to traditional plywood formwork. These systems offer a lightweight, galvanized steel mesh that simplifies rebar and conduit penetration and remains in place after concrete is poured. Contractors often use this method for duct banks, equipment pads, retaining walls, generator or HVAC enclosures, blindside walls, tunnels, below grade bulkheads, and shotcrete-backed structures. Participants will see how this system can cut jobsite labor significantly, eliminate form stripping and disposal, and improve jobsite safety and speed. We also review how the system performs under load, how the mesh surface aids concrete consolidation and bond strength, and explore applications in data centers, civil infrastructure, and specialty shotcrete projects. By the end of this course attendees will know when and how to specify stay in place formwork to meet structural, scheduling, and sustainability goals.

Learning Objectives: 
  1. Explain how stay in place forming systems support structural safety by meeting key guidelines from ASTM A653 for material performance and ACI 347 for formwork design, including load resistance, bracing practices, concrete pressure considerations, and the surface characteristics required for proper construction joint bonding.
  2. Describe how the open mesh and ribbed steel design improves concrete consolidation, reduces trapped air, manages water displacement, and provides a roughened surface that supports construction joint bond requirements outlined in ACI 301, which helps protect long term structural integrity and occupant safety.
  3. Identify a range of suitable applications (duct banks, data center slabs and pads, equipment enclosures, blindside walls, tunnels, shotcrete-backed walls, bulkheads, and grade beams) and evaluate when stay in place formwork offers advantages over traditional form systems.
  4. Recognize how stay in place forming systems reduce waste, eliminate the hazards associated with stripping heavy forms, support domestic sourcing requirements, and improve project sustainability by minimizing material handling, disposal, and site disturbance, all of which contribute to better environmental and community welfare outcomes.
Provided By: 
Available Regions: 
Continental US
Design Category: 
(03) Concrete
Applicable Credits