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Insulating Concrete Forms - Concrete Placement

Insulating Concrete Forms or Insulated Concrete Forms (ICF or ICFs) are stay-in-place formwork for energy-efficient, cast-in-place (reinforced) concrete walls.

Concept

The forms, usually made of a foamed plastic, serve to create a cavity, or mould, for the structural walls of a building. Concrete is pumped into the cavity to form the structural element of the walls. Usually, reinforcing steel (rebar) is added before concrete placement to give the resulting walls flexural strength, as in bridges and high-rise buildings made of concrete (see Reinforced concrete).

After the concrete has cured, or firmed up, the forms are left in place permanently to serve as:

• Thermal and acoustic insulation
• Space to run electrical conduit and plumbing
• Backing for gypsum boards on the interior and stucco, brick, or other siding on the exterior

Benefits

This method of construction is revolutionizing building industries world-wide, especially in residential and light commercial construction. The advantages of structures built with this method include:

• Minimal, if any, air leaks → comfort, less heat loss
• Superior energy performance → Lower energy bills
• Fast construction → Competitive costs
• High sound absorption → Peace and quiet inside
• Little waste, local materials → Environmental friendliness
• Time-tested structural integrity → Resistance to forces of nature
• Low maintenance and high durability → Higher resale values
• Flame-retardant EPS → If a fire occurs, the EPS will only burn while a flame is applied directly to the foam; the resulting smoke from burning EPS is said to be "less toxic" than wood smoke

Types of systems

The forms are usually made of foam insulation, such as expanded polystyrene (EPS), and are either separate panels that are connected with plastic connectors or ties; or pre-formed interlocking blocks.

Different ICF systems also vary in the shape of the resulting concrete within the wall:

• "Flat" systems (3rd Generation ICF) form even thickness concrete throughout the walls, like a conventionally poured wall. In high seismic and wind threat zones, flat wall systems predominate as the systems of choice.
• "Waffle Grid" systems (2nd Generation ICF) create a waffle pattern where the concrete is thicker at some points than others.
• "Post-and-Beam" or "screen grid" systems (1st Generation ICF) form discrete horizontal and vertical columns of concrete (cannot be used as firewall).

External links

• Insulating Concrete Forms Association (US)
• Insulating Concrete Formwork Association (UK)
• Concrete-Home.com - Forum on ICF Construction
• ICF Info by the Portland Cement Association

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This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "insulated concrete forms".