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(Dec. 5, 2007) -- Dokamatic, the fast pre-assembled slab formwork system that has become the standard for forming slabs on many construction sites in Europe, was introduced to the U.S. market in 2004. Because the completely assembled (including plywood) system saves manpower and crane time, the Dokamatic Tables quickly gained popularity for medium to large single- and multi-story cast in-place slabs. Since the system is available in standard table sizes, it can be moved by just one field worker with the aid of a powered drive unit and shifting trolley. Large pre-assembled work platforms mount directly to the Dokamatic Table, which provide an extremely safe environment for working at the slab edge and also help increase overall production. Plus, when combined with the flexible handset system, Dokaflex S, it provides a fully engineered system that covers all slab areas and can adapt to any building plan.
The system has now been enhanced with the development of the Doka Table Lifting System (TLS). The TLS is an electric powered lifting platform that allows Dokamatic table forms to be cycled between floors without the need for a crane. The system is adaptable to any building structure and can be used from the ground floor up. It attaches to the previously cast slab with embedded anchors and cantilevers from the building as a mechanical outrigger platform.
“Crane time is a valuable asset on concrete building projects, and if not planned for properly, it can be the driving force of production on any jobsite,” said Michael Schaeffer, Product Manager of Doka. “The Doka TLS was designed with this in mind and takes the crane completely out of the formwork cycle schedule, thereby increasing production and greatly reducing bottom-line costs.”
Construction of the River House Condominiums, a 36-story horizontal and vertical post-tensioned concrete structure began in 2006. Upon completion, this structure will be the second tallest building in the state and will provide additional residences for people who want to live in the downtown area.
Concrete contractor Kent Companies of Grand Rapids is constructing the concrete frame for River House. During their visit to World of Concrete 2007 – the concrete industry’s leading trade show -- they quickly recognized how the TLS system was ideal for this project. For non-typical floors 1 through 5, Kent utilized the versatile Dokaflex system. Dokamatic Tables were then introduced with the start of typical Level 6 and the Doka’s Table Lifting System on Level 7. More than 30,000 square feet of tables have been supplied and all tables and loose Dokaflex formwork is being cycled from floor to floor, independent of the crane, with the TLS.
“Without the TLS, we would not be as far along on the project as we are,” said Paul Bowne, Kent Companies Project Manager.
According to Schaeffer, while engineered table systems are becoming increasingly popular, just like job built and other engineered systems, crane time is still the bottleneck on many multi-story jobsites. Doka recognizes this and developed a system to completely eliminate the crane time out of the formwork cycle, he said.
"Since most of the TLS is delivered preassembled on the River House project, we completely assembled the unit and flew it into position in one day with one Doka service technician and a forklift operator,” said John Waters, Doka Field Service Manager. “Electrical commissioning and training a few operators took half a day, and the unit was ready for use. Jobsite progress is up to stripping and setting 71 tables (11,500-square-feet) in a 10-hour period without the use of a tower crane and the customer believes they can improve this progress. I recently spoke to the jobsite superintendent for Kent Companies who commented that the Dokamatic Tables with TLS is ‘slick,’ especially since they can maintain their cycle even with various jobsite interruptions."
Doka’s Frami wall formwork system also is being used on the project for all vertical concrete on the typical floor – columns, shear walls and cores. The building is expected to be complete in April 2008.
The TLS also proved beneficial for the Renaissance Hotel, a new 10-story hotel structure with a post-tensioned slab built over two levels of parking under construction at North Hills, a new three-city block mixed-use district in Raleigh, N.C. The 229-room four-star luxury hotel will anchor the district and feature six luxury suites and one presidential suite as well as a club level, 8,000 square feet of meeting space, a 5,500-square-foot ballroom, and an upscale restaurant. The hotel will connect directly to a European-style day spa and guests will have access to a new 50,000-square-foot Gold's Gym Athletic Club. Construction is underway with an anticipated opening in 2008.
According to Valdimir Lugin, Doka Engineer, “because of the proximity of the existing structures, roadways and sidewalks, the use of a large table system was not practical as the contractor would have to interrupt pedestrian and possibly automobile traffic. Further, hand-setting involves the risk of dropping equipment on pedestrians. The TLS ensures safety for pedestrians as well as savings in terms of the schedule.”
By installing the Table Lifting System to the structure in order to move the tables from floor to floor, the crane was free to move the shear wall formwork and rebar as well as unload trucks for all contractors at the same time. Juvenal Ibarra, General Superintendent of United Forming, said, “I like the TLS for two reasons -- it takes less labor and no crane time to move the tables, and it is much safer then pulling them out with a crane.”
Concrete contractor United Forming Inc. began using the TLS on level four in August and will top out in January 2008.
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