Building better

post-tensioned slabs
New manual covers the proper installation and stressing
of post-tensioning systems for light commercial and
residential slabs on grade

BY M.K. HURD

ow to build and maintain include: n Jobsite troubleshooting of tendon

H light commercial and resi-

dential slabs using single-
strand unbonded post-ten-
sioning systems—this is the
essential message of Construction and
Maintenance Procedures Manual for
Post-Tensioned Slabs-on-Ground. Re-
n Building pad preparation
n Tendon delivery, handling, and
storage
n Tendon installation and stressing,
including safety considerations
n Tendon finishing
installation and tensioning equip-
ment problems
The manual’s step-by-step proce-
dures for tendon installation and
stressing are useful for builders and
inspectors unfamiliar with post-ten-

leased in 1998 by the Post-Tension-

ing Institute, the new manual was
developed by PTI’s Committee for
Slab-on-Ground Construction.
Russell L. Price, executive vice
president of Suncoast Post-Tension,
Houston, and a major contributor to
the committee effort, says that post-
tensioned slabs on ground provide a
superior foundation system for light All photos courtesy of Suncoast Post-Tension

commercial and residential struc-

tures. “But,” he adds, “it is essential
that the post-tensioning system be
properly installed and stressed.
That’s why the committee felt it was
necessary that we get an instruc-
tional manual into the hands of
builders, subcontractors, and the
field personnel that are doing the
work.”
The new Post-Tensioning Institute manual includes plans and cross sections for
The new manual not only offers both ribbed and uniform-thickness slabs. This ribbed slab is ready for concrete
guidance for builders, it also serves placement, with a moisture barrier placed over the subgrade after interior beam
as a reference for engineers, design- forms have been cut into the earth. Plastic support chairs hold the tendons in the
ers, and inspectors. Topics covered center third of the slab depth.
sioned slabs. In addition, it explains
to property owners their role in
maintaining the proper foundation
environment essential to satisfactory
performance of post-tensioned slabs
on ground.
Following is an overview of the
Tendon sheathing must be cut back so
it does not protrude into the anchor.
Proper installation at the stressing end
(above) leaves no more than 1 inch of
the steel exposed. At the fixed-end (or
dead-end) anchorage shown below,
the steel can be exposed up to a 12-
inch maximum.
Many post-tensioned slab designs today use some conventional reinforcing steel
in locations such as reentrant corners, where it can counteract shrinkage stresses
during initial curing of the concrete.
manual’s contents and recommenda-
tions.
Building pad preparation
Adequate site drainage is impor-
tant for any foundation built and
supported directly on the ground.
Moisture variations in the support-
ing soil can influence the bearing ca-
pacity of compressible soils and the
activity, both shrinking and
swelling, of expansive soils.
The manual recommends clearing
the site of debris and organic mater-
ial before adding and compacting
any fill needed to replace unsuitable
local soil or to bring the building
pad to the required elevation. Fill
generally should extend beyond the
perimeter of the building pad and
slope away from it to provide the
necessary drainage. Site-specific rec-
ommendations provided in the geo-
technical report and requirements of
the engineer’s drawings must be
consulted. Some will require installa-
tion of
a vapor barrier or vapor retarder over
the prepared subgrade
material.
Tendon installation
Proper installation of unbonded
tendons is crucial to the long-term
performance of a post-tensioned
slab. The manual includes detailed
drawings showing tendon anchorage
installation at both the fixed and
stressing ends, tendon layout and
support, how to deflect a tendon
around a blockout, what to do at ele-
vation changes in the slab, and how
to handle tendons at intersecting
beams. There also is a checklist for
inspection of the post-tensioning
system before concrete placement to
ensure that the system is completed
in accordance with approved con-
tract drawings.
The manual recommends the
following slab tendon placing
tolerances:
n Vertical deviations: 51⁄2 inch for
slabs 5 inches or thinner, and
510% of slab thickness (not to
exceed 1 inch) for slabs thicker
than 5 inches
n Horizontal deviations: up to 12
inches, provided a smooth transi-
tion and proper cover are main-
tained
The minimum recommended con-
crete cover for slab post-tensioning
tendons is 1 inch at the top and 11⁄2
inches at the bottom. For beams,
this minimum cover increases to 2
inches (top) and 3 inches (bottom).
Location tolerances for anchorages
also are given.
Concrete mix design,
placing, and finishing
Though mix designs will vary con-
siderably from site to site, the man-
ual recommends a minimum 28-day
compressive strength of 2500 psi for
single-family and 3000 psi for multi-
family residential slabs. Calcium
chloride or chloride-containing ad-
mixtures should never be used. Since
the typical post-tensioned slab on
grade has no temperature reinforce-
ment, concrete shrinkage must be
considered, and a controlled water-
cement ratio and low-shrinkage ag-
gregate are recommended. The time
required for concrete to reach the
strength required for initial tendon
stressing also is a factor to consider
in selecting a mix. The quicker the
concrete reaches the required

This installation of the tendon at the
fixed-end anchorage is incorrect. A
3
⁄4-inch space between the form and
the end of the tendon is required to
provide protective concrete cover. The
tendon should not be against the
edge form.
strength, the sooner the tendons can
be stressed.
In general, contractors should
place concrete following the guide-
lines of ACI 302.1R-96, “Guide for
Concrete Floor and Slab Construc-
tion,” taking extra precautions to
prevent dislocation of the post-ten-
sioning tendons. Consolidation is
critical near the tendon anchorage
zones to eliminate voids and honey-
combing behind the anchors.
The manual also discusses finish-
ing and curing operations and ways
to reduce plastic shrinkage cracking,
including partial stressing of the ten-
dons as early as 24 hours after con-
crete placement.
Stressing the tendons
Tensioning of tendons should not
begin until the concrete has attained
the minimum compressive strength
specified by the design engineer or
recommended by the post-tension-
ing materials supplier. The manual
explains, step by step, how to pre-
pare for tendon stressing and how to
perform the stressing operation it-
self. It also explains the causes of im-
proper elongation and problems that
can occur with the stressing jacks. A
14-item list of what to inspect be-
fore, during, and after stressing of
the tendons is included.
To ensure safety during post-ten-
sioning, installers should follow the
stressing procedures provided by the
company furnishing the post-ten-
sioning material and stressing equip-
ment. The manual addresses com-
mon safety issues and includes a
“Don’ts of Stressing” list to point out
unsafe practices.
Measuring elongation
and finishing tendons
A significant part of determining
the accuracy of the stressing opera-
tion is the initial marking of the ten-
dons and recording of tendon elon-
gation after tensioning. A
step-by-step procedure shows how to
correctly record stressing and elon-
gation results.
Because protection of the entire
post-tensioning system is key to the
long-term performance and durabil-
ity of the post-tensioned slab, a sec-
tion of the manual explains how to
protect the stress anchorages and
tendon tails. It discusses flame cut-
ting and sawcutting of tendon tails
and how to grout pockets at tendon
ends.
Troubleshooting
Though the manual offers sugges-
tions for preventing and correcting
some of the most frequent post-ten-
sioning installation problems, it
warns that jobsite troubleshooting
should be done only by qualified
and experienced personnel. Specific
Publication #C99G035
Copyright© 1999, The Aberdeen Group
a division of Hanley-Wood, Inc.
All rights reserved
recommendations explain how to
deal with:
n Strand slippage due to cement
paste in the anchor wedge cavity
n Honeycombing in the concrete
n Blowouts (of both tendons and
concrete)
n Tendons too short to be stressed
using normal procedures
n Tendon splicing
This section also explains how to
do a “lift-off” test to verify the force
in a tendon after it has been
stressed, and how to resolve com-
mon problems with the jacking
equipment.
Maintenance
Maintenance of the site around
foundation slabs built directly on
ground is something that building
owners may overlook. To prevent
problems that can be caused by im-
proper drainage or landscaping alter-
ations, builders should inform own-
ers of their basic site-maintenance
responsibilities.
Establishing landscaping and a
watering program that will produce
a consistent moisture content of the
supporting soil is the key to proper
foundation performance. To pro-
mote rapid water run-off and avoid
ponding of water near the founda-
tion, the manual recommends grad-
ing away from the foundation, using
a 3% to 5% slope for at least 10 feet
from the foundation edge. It also
recommends an annual drainage
survey, with remedial action when
needed to prevent ponding.
M.K. Hurd is an engineer and writer
specializing in concrete building
methods. She is a former editor of
Concrete Construction magazine
and author of Formwork for Con-
crete, published by the American
Concrete Institute.