Fabric-formed concrete beams

摘要

This article looks at the use of fabric as flexible formwork for concrete structures. Much of this work stems from the fundamental work carried out by West in Canada, although significant advances in the technology are presented here. Patents exist from the late 1800s, which started to moot the idea of fabrics being used as formwork (Lamberton), and while various projects have incorporated the use of fabric formwork over the subsequent years, it is West, in particular, who is now looked at worldwide as the driver of this technology.