EVALUATION OF TUNNEL FORM SYSTEM FOR CONDOMINIUMS AND HORIZONTAL HOUSING PROJECTS: STANDARDIZING TUNNEL FORM SYSTEM IN CONSTRUCTION HOUSING PROJECTS

Abstract

The Tunnel Form System (TFS) has emerged as an innovative construction technology designed to enhance efficiency, structural quality, and safety in mid- to high-rise building projects. This study evaluates the extent to which TFS offers advantages over traditional and other construction methods in terms of time efficiency, cost implications, labor requirements, dimensional accuracy, structural uniformity, concrete finish quality, and overall site safety, with a view toward standardizing its use in Philippine condominium and horizontal housing construction. Using a descriptive, mixed-method (triangulated) design, the study integrates quantitative survey data from 41 construction professionals with qualitative insights from semi-structured interviews and site observations of TFS implementation. Findings show that TFS significantly accelerates project timelines through its repetitive, monolithic wall-and-slab casting process, which reduces cycle time and formwork-related delays. Although the initial investment in TFS is higher than for traditional formwork, respondents reported long-term savings from reduced labor dependency, lower material wastage, and fewer dimensional inconsistencies requiring rework. Respondents also reported improvements in structural uniformity, concrete finish quality, and on-site safety, attributed to the precision-engineered steel forms and to the safety controls that mechanized lifting operations require. Sustainability considerations pointed to reduced waste generation and improved resource efficiency from formwork reuse. The study concludes that the Tunnel Form System offers substantial operational, economic, and safety benefits that can support the Philippine construction industry's demand for faster, safer, and more sustainable housing delivery, provided that its adoption is supported by technical standards, a specialized skills-training program, and site-selection guidelines that account for its limitations on irregular or sloped sites. Because the findings rest on perception-based survey and interview data rather than verified project records, they should be read as an evaluation of practitioner experience rather than an audited cost-benefit analysis; an expanded cost-benefit analysis across building types and an evaluation of long-term structural performance under local conditions are recommended for future research.