Clip-on connection system for stay-in-place form-work

A kit for assembling at least a portion of a stay-in-place form-work for casting a structure from concrete or similar curable construction materials, the kit comprising:

• a first elongate panel comprising a first edge component;
• a second elongate panel comprising a second edge component;
• and
• a clip comprising first and second arms defining a receptacle therebetween;
• the first and second panels connectable in an edge-to-edge relationship wherein the first and second edge components engage one another and the clip engages the first and second edge components in a locked configuration wherein the clip is resiliently deformed such that the clip exerts restorative deformation forces against the first and second edge components to thereby lock the first and second panels in the edge-to-edge relationship.

A stay-in-place form-work for casting a structure from concrete or similar curable construction materials, the stay-in-place form-work comprising:

• a plurality of elongate panels interconnectable in edge-to-edge relationship via complementary edge components on their longitudinal edges to define at least a portion of a perimeter of the form-work, the plurality of panels comprising a first panel comprising a first edge component and a second panel comprising a second edge component;
• and
• a clip having first and second arms defining a receptacle therebetween;
• wherein the first and second panels are connectable to one another in edge-to-edge relationship by:
• aligning the first and second panels relative to one another such that the first and second edge components proximate to one another;
• loosely seating a clip onto the first and second edge components such that at least one of the first and second edge components extends at least partially into the receptacle of the clip;
• and
• forcing the clip into a locked configuration wherein the first and second edge components extend at least partially into the receptacle of the clip and restorative deformation forces associated with the clip act to retain the first and second edge components in the locked configuration.

A method for interconnecting edge-adjacent panels of a stay-in-place form-work for casting a structure from concrete or similar curable construction materials, the method comprising:

• providing a first panel comprising a first contoured connector component on a first longitudinal edge thereof, the first connector component comprising a receptacle;
• providing a second panel comprising a second contoured connector component on a second longitudinal edge thereof, the second connector component comprising a protrusion;
• providing a clip having first and second arms defining a receptacle therebetween;
• effecting a loose-fit connection between the first and second panels by extending the protrusion of the second connector component into the receptacle of the first connector component;
• loosely seating the clip onto the first and second contoured connector components in the loose-fit connection such that at least one of the first and second contoured connector components extends at least partially into the receptacle of the clip;
• and
• forcing the clip into a locked configuration wherein the first and second contoured connector components extend at least partially into the receptacle of the clip and restorative deformation forces associated with the clip act to retain the first and second contoured connector components in the locked configuration.