scope:

General

Forms shall be of wood, steel, or other approved material and shall be mortar tight and of sufficient rigidity to prevent objectional distortion of the formed concrete surface caused by pressure of the concrete and other loads incidental to the construction operations.

Forms for concrete surfaces exposed to view shall produce a smooth surface of uniform texture and color substantially equal to that which would be obtained with the use of plywood conforming to the National Institute of Standards and Technology Product Standard PS 1 for Exterior B-B Class I Plywood. Panels lining such forms shall be arranged so that the joint lines form a symmetrical pattern conforming to the general lines of the structure. The same type of form-lining material shall be used throughout each element of a structure. Such forms shall be sufficiently rigid so that the undulation of the concrete surface shall not exceed 0.125 in. (3 mm) when checked with a 5.0-ft (1500-mm) straightedge or template. All sharp corners shall be filleted with approximately 0.75-in. (20-mm) chamfer strips.

Concrete shall not be deposited in the forms until all work connected with constructing the forms has been completed, all debris has been removed, all materials to be embedded in the concrete have been placed for the unit to be cast, and the Engineer has inspected the forms and materials.