Post Tensioning Slabs

PRINCIPLE

– Using high tensile

strength steel alloys
producing permanent
pre-compression in
areas subjected to
Tension.

• STEEL BARS BEING STRETCHED

BY JACKS
METHODS

a) Pretensioning
b)Post-tensioning

• PRETENSIONING :-

»Pre tensioning is defined as “ A method of presterssing

concrete by tensioning the tendons before hardening
the concrete”

• POST-TENSIONING :-
–Post tensioning is defined as “A method of prestressing
concrete by tensioning the tendons against hardened
concrete”
 POST - TENSIONING
WHAT IS POST-TENSIONING?

• A method of reinforcing
concrete (strengthening) or
other materials with high-
strength steel strands
called tendons.

• Requires specialized
knowledge and expertise
to fabricate, assemble and
install.

• After adequate curing of

concrete, reinforcing
tendons (placed in side the
voids of the structure) are
tensioned/stretched by
jacks on the sides & grouts
filled with appropriate mix.
• Post tensioned slabs are designed referred to IS 1343:1980.
• Post tensioning construction has for many years occupied a
very important position especially in the construction of
bridges and storage tanks.
• Post tensioned construction has also come to be used in
many buildings, corporate office etc.
• The first post tensioned slabs were erected in USA in 1955 .

• Stages of Post-tensioning

• In post-tensioning systems, the ducts for the tendons (or

strands) are placed along with the reinforcement before the
casting of concrete.
• The tendons are placed in the ducts after the casting of
concrete.
• The duct prevents contact between concrete and the
tendons during the tensioning operation.
• Unlike pre-tensioning, the tendons are
pulled with the reaction acting against the
hardened concrete.
• If the ducts are filled with grout, then it is
known as bonded post tensioning.
• The grout is a neat cement paste or a sand-
cement mortar containing suitable
admixture.
• The profile of the duct depends on the
support conditions.
• For a simply supported member, the duct
has a sagging profile between the ends.
• For a continuous member, the duct sags in
the span and hogs over the support.
Methods of post tensioning

There are two methods of post tensioning they are:

Bonded post tensioning
Unbounded post tensioning
BONDED POST TENSIONING:-
• In bonded systems, two or more strands are fished
into a metal or plastic duct that is embedded in the
concrete.
• The strands are stressed with a large, multi-strand
jack and anchored in a common anchorage device.
• The duct is then filled with a cementatious grout that
provides corrosion protection to the strand and bonds
the tendon to the concrete surrounding the duct.
• Bonded systems are more commonly used in bridges,
both in the superstructure (the roadway) and in cable-
stayed bridges, the cable-stays.
• In buildings, they are typically only used in heavily
loaded beams such as transfer girders and landscaped
plaza decks where the large number of strands
required makes them more economical.
• They normally contain tendons comprising four
strands of nominal diameter 13mm (0.5”), which have
proved to be logical for constructional reasons.
 • An unbonded tendon is one in which the
UNBONDED POST prestressing steel is not actually bonded to
TENSIONING the concrete that surrounds it except at the
anchorages.
• In unbonded post-tensioning, as the name
suggests, the ducts are never grouted and the
tendon is held in tension solely by the end
anchorages
• The most common unbounded systems are
monostrand (single strand) tendons, which
are used in slabs and beams for buildings,
parking structures and Slabs-on-ground.
• A monostrand tendon consists of a Seven-
wire strand that is coated with a corrosion-
inhibiting
• Grease and encased in an extruded plastic
protective Sheathing.
• The anchorage consists of an iron casting and
a conical, two piece wedge which grips the
strand.
• Strands sheathed in this manner are known
as monostrands.
• The nominal diameter of the strands used is
13mm (0.5”) and 15mm (0.6”).
 General Work Procedures:
• Post Tensioning tendons shall be installed in accordance
with the “Approved Drawings issued for Construction”.

• For Post Tensioning slabs construction:-

 first Install bottom slab reinforcement when the

slab formwork is ready.
 Provide sufficient cover to the bottom slab reinforcement.
 Install tendons in accordance with the shop drawings.
 Install top slab reinforcement.

• For Post Tensioning beams construction

– Install bottom and side reinforcements and links.
– No capping links shall be installed at this stage.
– Install tendons in accordance with the shop drawings.
– Install top reinforcements and capping links of the beam.
Construction procedure:-
• The construction of a post tension slab is broadly similar to that of an
ordinary reinforced slab.

• Difference arises in the placing of the reinforcement, the stressing of the

tendons and in respect to the rate of construction.

• The placing work consists of three phases.

• First, the bottom ordinary reinforcement of the slab and the edge
reinforcement are placed.

• Second, the ducts or tendons profile must then be positioned fitted with
support likes chairs and fixed in place.

• Bending moment of tendon profile is low at slab portion and it is high at

columns as negative bending moment acts at column and positive
moment at middle of slab.
Generally length of tendon is 4.7mts and thickness varies from
2mm, 3mm, and 5mm.

• Ducts are made up of

galvanize ion.
• At the live load and dead
load (i.e.; at the beginning
and the ending) vent
couplers are placed and
at the intermediate
joining of one ducts to
other duct plane couplers
are used.
• Strands are placed inside
the tendons according to
the design.
These are the indications given in the design to place the strands
inside the tendon

2 strands slab tendon

3 strand slab tendon

(No marking) 4strand

slab tendon

5 strand slab tendon

post tensioning method

If we forget to place a coupler at joining of tendon

beam coupler is placed by sticking with plaster.

And third phase, this is followed by placing the top

ordinary reinforcement
 The stressing of the tendons and, in the case of bonded
tendons the grouting also, represents additional constructing
operations as compared with a normally reinforced slab.
 The minimum period between concreting and stripping of
form work is 48 to 72 hours, depending upon concrete quality
and ambient temperature.
 When the required concrete strength is reached, the full
prestressing force can usually be applied and the form work is
stripped immediately after wards.
 Depending up on the total size, the construction of the slabs
are carried in to number of sections.

 The divisions are a questions of the geometry of the

structure the dimensions, the planning the construction
procedure, the utilization of form work material etc
.
The construction joints that
do occur are subsequently
subjected to permanent
compression by the
prestressing so that the
behavior of the entire slab
finally is the same
throughout.
The weight of a newly
concreted slab must be
transmitted through the
form work to slab beneath
it.
Since this weight is usually
less than that of a
corresponding
reinforcement of concrete
slab, the cost of the
supporting structure is also
less.
Stressing:-
Stressing shall not commence unless the main contractor has
confirmed that the slab / beam has achieved the minimum cube
strength of 25 N/mm2 at transfer for all cubes
 Preparation for Stressing:-

 Removal of the side formwork and anchorage block

outs (polyfoam).
 Placing of wedge plates and wedges.
 This operation must be carried out after Concreting
so that the anchorages are not fouled by grout.
 Ensure the protruding strands length is sufficient for
stressing.
 The theoretical elongation calculations must be
approved by the consultant before stressing. .
 Stressing of Multiplane Tendons :-
• The multistrand jack shall be secured and hoisted to the anchorage’s level
by chain Blocks or crane.

• All strands shall be inserted through the jack’s guide pipes.

• Connect jack to hydraulic pump.

• At the beginning of stressing the strands are locked in the jack pulling
head.

• The pressure readings and the measured elongation are recorded in the
stressing Report.

• Stress initially to 10 Mpa to remove slack in the strands.

• Proceed stressing and record the strands’ elongation for every

incremental of 10MPa Pressure.
 When the jack has reached the end of its stroke or the desired force has
been obtained, the pressure in the jack is released and the strands will be
locked uniformly by the wedges in the wedge plate.
The jack piston returns. Stressing is continued in as many stages as are
necessary to obtain the required forces
Losses Due To Jacking:-

 The tendon load for a given load case refers to the user-defined jacking
force.
 The actual load that is applied to slabs and beams will be less than the
jacking Force because of prestress losses.
 The prestress losses are categorized Into
short losses
long-term losses

 Short-term or Stressing losses –

 These are losses that occur during and immediately after the post-
tensioning operations and are caused by friction between the
tendons and the duct, elastic shortening, and seating of anchors.
 Long-term losses –

 These types of losses happen over time and also may be

referred To as time-dependent losses and include creep,
shrinkage, and steel relaxation
 Grouting:-

 Grouting can be defined as the filling of duct, with a

material that provides an anti-corrosive alkaline
environment to the prestressing steel and also a
strong bond between the tendon and the
surrounding grout.
 The major part of grout comprises of water and
cement, with a water-to-cement ratio of about 0.5,
together with some water-reducing admixtures,
expansion agent and pozzolans.
•Grouting shall not
commence unless the
consultant has approved the
stressing result.
•The Main Objective of
grouting the ducts in post-
tensioned concrete members
are,
1. To prevent corrosion of
the tendons.
2. To ensure efficient
transfer of stress between
the tendons and the
concrete member
3. To improve the
serviceability
 Preparation for Grouting:-

 Cut the protruding strands (stressing length) to a minimum of

10mm from the Wedge plate.
 The anchorage block outs shall be filled with the approved
cementations material.
 Tendons shall be blown with compressed air to ensure no
blockage to the Tendons.
 Grouting of tendon:-

 Mix the grout as per approved grout mix.

 Inject grout from the tendon’s inlet hose.
 Lock the outlet hose when consistent grout flows out from
it.
 When grout flows out at the intermediate vents, lock these
vents in the direction of the Grout flow.
 Lock the outlet hose when the grout flows out has the same
consistency as the grout being pumped in.
 Continue pumping to build up pressure. Lock the inlet hose
when a pressure of 3~5 Bar is achieved.
 Repeat the above steps to the next tendon.
 Handling and storage of
materials

The pre-stressing strands shall be free of

grease and corrosion enhancing Materials.
 No flame cutting of strands is allowed
 Care should be taken in the handling of
strands in order to avoid mechanical Damage
to the strands.
 Strands should be raised above ground to
avoid contamination.
Common uses and advantages
 The use of post-tensioned reinforcement to construct floor slabs can
result in thinner concrete sections and/or longer spans between supports.
 Designers commonly take advantage of this method to produce buildings
and structures with clear open spaces allowing more architectural
freedom.
 Reducing the thickness of each structural floor in a building can reduce
the total weight of the structure and decrease the ceiling to floor height of
each level.
 In below grade structures, this can mean less excavation, and in above
grade structures, it can mean a reduced overall building height.
 In areas with building height restrictions, saving 8 to 12 inches (or more)
of height on each level can add up by the time you reach 10 or 12 levels.
 The use of post-tensioning commonly is applied to “flat slab” or “flat plate”
construction in multilevel structures
 Longer spans can be achieved by using beam and slab construction, such as
in a parking structure where typical post-tensioned beams can span 60 to
65 feet.
 Conclusion:

 Hence, here we conclude that when a

structure is constructed with Reinforced
concrete structure its cost is high, and
construction time is more, the beams have
more depth.
 So, usage of post tensioning construction is
the easy way of construction and less time
taking, and low cost.
THANK YOU