Automatic Generation of Reinforced Concrete Structures Formwork Using A Parametric Model

Although there are currently means to automate formwork design for reinforced concrete structures, it is common to use manual methods or just electronic spreadsheets. This work aims to demonstrate the implementation of a parametric and generative model for timber formwork. A parametric geometric model was developed for a three-dimensional structure of rigid reinforced concrete frames with beams, columns, and solid slabs, with automatic formwork sizing based on ABNT NBR 15696 (2009) and ABNT NBR 7190 (2022). As a result, a geometric model is generated, where the thicknesses are visualized instantly in the CAD system window and updated according to changes in the input data. The parametric model that generates the components of timber formwork can significantly help optimize the structure in the design process. After sizing, the proposed parametric algorithm can be used to find an optimized solution with a reduced formwork rate per built area (m²/m²).