Insulating Concrete Forms

Some innovative construction technologies that speed up and optimise the construction process of buildings are becoming widespread throughout the world. The reasons are to be found in the ever increasing difficulty of finding skilled labour, as well as in the need to contain costs and to create buildings that are safe and efficient from a structural and energy point of view. Among these technologies, one of the most promising is represented by the ICF (Insulating Concrete Form) construction system, which consists of insulating polystyrene formworks that are laid on site and filled with concrete castings, to create load-bearing walls in pre-insulated reinforced concrete. This technology combines the advantages of the industrial production of formwork with the compositional freedom that is necessary on site, and with the safety that comes from reinforced concrete structures. This volume is unique for its completeness and the analyticity of its content. It illustrates the ICF construction system thoroughly, from theoretical aspects to those concerning design and execution. There is also a very important section in which some examples of buildings made with the ICF system are shown, in order to understand what can be achieved.