If you’ve ever heard someone mention ‘nagbubuntis’ in a construction setup, chances are it doesn’t have to do with female reproduction. The term refers to a column or a slab that is weak in formworks and somehow bulges to resemble… you’ve guessed it… pregnancy. This is a typical construction term that Filipino workers use on site. What is its technical term?
The technical term for such a defect is called concrete bulging. Concrete bulging happens when tons of concrete are poured into an area with less wooden formwork and bracing. Basically, the lack of bracing allows the formwork to bow out at certain points that are not supported. Wooden formwork often warps due to heat and pressure and sometimes this may also be the reason for the bulge. Imagine that? The female form in a construction setting.
References:
F.a. “How to Prevent Concrete Bulging.” Forming America, August 8, 2017. https://www.formingamerica.com/how-to-prevent-concrete-bulging/#:~:text=There%20is%20a%20lot%20that,under%20pressure%2C%20causing%20bulging%20problems.