Column bars are installed on columns to facilitate formwork fixing. Since the floor is concrete, there is a flat surface and there is no element/edge to which the formwork needs to be fixed.
For this reason, kickers are constructed from concrete pillars. Furthermore, these kickers are also known as concrete kickers.
In addition to supports, support feet can also be built for concrete walls.
The concrete kicker is a very useful element in construction. However, there are some methods or alternatives to the support kicker. The following figure shows the concrete kicker designed for a column.
Column kicker construction
Let's discuss the construction of the support kicker and talk about what to consider during construction.
- Generally the column kicker height is 75mm.
- The horizontal dimensions are the same as the column.
- The quality of the concrete of the boom must match the quality of the pillar.
- Special attention must be paid to this and errors occurring during construction must be avoided.
- The supporting cantilevers must be sufficiently rough.
Advantages of Concrete Kicker
- Allows easier fixing of the formwork
- Column and wall dimensions are easy to maintain
- As the kicker is a small part of the pillar or wall, no errors can occur during concreting.
- The concrete covering of supports and walls can be maintained exactly.
Disadvantages of Concrete Kicker
- The same quality of concrete must be used. Delivering the small amount of concrete can be difficult
- Concrete is difficult due to the small quantity and small area.
- Compacting concrete is difficult due to the small quantity. The article Important Factors Affecting the Strength of Concrete Discuss the effects of concrete compaction.
- A small formwork is required for preparation
- The precision of the formwork is very important. A small design error can affect the design of the entire item.
- It is comparatively a difficult construction.
Alternative to Kicker
Due to the disadvantages and difficulties of construction, kickers are not built. Instead of building the kicker, plywood is attached around the column area.
The formwork is then attached to the plywood panel. The plywood sheet fixed to the concrete floor serves as a guide for fixing the formwork.
Using this method, most design errors can be avoided.
By properly designing and checking formwork after installation, errors during construction can be avoided.
Furthermore, as usual, the formwork is checked after concreting to determine whether there are any unacceptable deviations.
