Evaluation of Kumkang Aluminum Formwork Performance in Federal Housing Corporation Projects

Abstract

Due to the rapid population growth and urbanization in Ethiopia over the past decades, there is a shortage of affordable standard housing projects in all towns. To meet the requirements of more housing projects in a short period, the construction firm is in charge of selecting proper formwork material, but one of the major constraints for the timely completion of the housing projects are the formwork used by the company. Conventional formwork construction system in Ethiopia takes relatively longer time to construct, add cost to the project, reduce productivity and quality of concrete surface mostly not good. Thus, the objective of this study is to evaluate the kumkang aluminum formwork performance in federal housing corporation projects. In order to achieve the research objectives, this study targets the total ongoing projects which are owned by federal housing corporation in Addis Ababa city. Due to less number of ongoing projects and the form work system which is applied by one of federal housing projects, the census sampling method was used. The data were collected through a combination of interviews, questionnaires, and case studies. There were 75 questionnaires distributed in all ongoing federal housing projects and 61(81.3%.) were returned and for purpose of the interview, 20 different professional respondents were taken. The data collected by quantitative method were analyzed using statistical package for social science and Microsoft Excel 2007 and Origin pro used for supporting the data analysis and present through Frequency tables, percentages, bar charts, and other descriptive measurements. Qualitative data which is interview also analyses differently and present in a combination of quantitative data. The case studies comparison was present by using tables and graphs. The study result indicates that the kumkang formwork system can construct through manually by unskilled labour and the formwork costs less than wooden formworks, it saves almost 173.29 Birr/m 2 or 40% of formwork cost in construction is reduced by using Kumkang Aluminium formwork. In terms of time, 7 days utilized to construct one-floor formwork by kumkang including formwork strip, while the conventional formwork takes 21 to 31 days for erection only. This implies a 3- 4 floor formwork construction time in kumkang aluminum formwork and the Kumkang Aluminum formwork have improvements on conventional formworks with greater than 60% in all quality of finished concrete measurements. The kumkang aluminum formwork have less risk and better safety during construction in the aspect of health and safety factors. The Kumkang Aluminium formwork is also beneficial for enhancing sustainable construction. Nearly all of the sustainable formwork system elements are fulfilled by this formwork. The productivity of labour in Kumkang Aluminum formwork have an improvement with 0.91, 3.61, 4.59 m2 /hr. for stair, wall and floor slab respectively in formwork erection than in wooden formwork and during formwork stripping the productivity of labour in kumkang formwork enhance the wooden formwork by 0.85, 5.18, 5.95 m2 /hr. in a stair, wall, and floor slab respectively and the monthly progress of labour productivity was increase from month to month in kumkang aluminum formwork but, the reverse in the case of wooden formwork. From the findings of this study, it can be generalized that the kumkang aluminum formwork have a great advantage and better performance with regard to minimize the cost of construction, speed the construction time, good quality of finished concrete, safer construction environment, enhancing sustainable construction, and increasing labour productivity. As an initial study on the performance of kumkang aluminum formwork, further and more detailed studies should be conducted on such formwork system application, construction methodology, design, and formwork management.