Expanded Metal Sheets

Stop End Rib Sheets can be used in three distinct manners, vertical stop ends, horizontal stop ends and soffit formwork for
suspended slabs. Each application requires the system to be supported at varying centres depending on the dimensions of
the concrete element. Please see the following tables for each application. In addition the horizontal ribs of the Stop End Rib
system should be placed pointing into the pour and perpendicular to the supports being utilised. As an added indicator of the
correct placement, the colour coding system should be visible on the face exposed to the second pour (external face of the
formwork).
As with the reinforcement steel in the structure, adequate concrete cover to the sheet should be provided around any edges
likely to be exposed in the completed structure, this is normally achieved by fixing timber battens around any edges of the
product subject to exposure in the finished concrete. These items should be removed prior to the following pour. If any
increase in the 445mm width of the material is required then sheets should be joined by nesting the last rib of the sheet with
the first rib of the next sheet and then tying them together at minimum 150mm centres. If increases in the length of the
material is required then the sheets must be overlapped by a minimum of 50mm and be tied at each rib, the joint should
always be supported along its length by one of the formwork supports. Pouring The Concrete.
Stop End Rib Sheets can be used readily with concrete slumps in the range 70mm to 100mm. Slumps in a range above this
and up to 180mm can be used but the use of vibrating equipment. To minimise potential damage to the joint face concrete
pouring should be carried out at a distance no less than 500mm from the rib sheet product allowing the concrete to flow
towards the material at its own rate. If this is not possible every precaution should be taken not to damage the sheets in the
process. During the normal process vibrating pokers can be used, but should not be used continuously at a distance less than
450mm from the sheets. This distances can be reduced but the poker should only be used in short bursts of four or five
seconds. The Stop End Rib joint face should be monitored during the pour process and full compaction is complete at the
joint face when pea sized beads of concrete appear on the exposed surface. Vibration of the concrete in this area should stop
at this point. Once the concrete has cured sufficiently timber supports and any battens used to provide cover to the sheets
should be removed.