What structural element is essential for maintaining the position of wall forms?

The structural element that is essential for maintaining the position of wall forms is a brace. Bracing is typically used to provide lateral stability and support to the wall forms during the concrete pouring process. This prevents the forms from shifting or collapsing under the pressure of the wet concrete, which is crucial for ensuring that the walls are formed correctly and meet design specifications.

Using braces effectively helps to distribute the forces exerted by the concrete and keeps the forms aligned. This is particularly important in ensuring that there are no deformations in the wall that could affect the structural integrity once the concrete has hardened.

In contrast, the other options—column, footing, and sheathing—serve different purposes in construction. Columns support vertical loads, footings provide a stable base for structures, and sheathing offers a surface for siding on walls, but none of them are specifically designed to stabilize wall forms during the pouring process like braces are.