Frequently Asked Questions

Answers from the PTI Slab-on-Ground Committee

Slab-on-Ground Construction
December 2000 Issue No. 2

QUESTION Se<2tio n 1806.7.2 of

the 1997 Uniform
Slabs-on-Ground w ith Turned-Down Footings: such
slabs typically include the perimeter footings (turned-
Building Code requires minimum reinforcing steel in down footings> and all interior footings. Diffe re ntial
"slabs-on-gro und w ith turned-down footings". Does settleme nt, according to the PTI me thod . is controlled
this code sectio n apply to post-tensioned slabs-on- by Sectio n 1816.4.9. Section 1806.7.2 is not a pplicable
ground designed in accorda nce with Sectio n 1816? to post-tensio ned slabs. In post-tensio ne d
construction. the slabs and the ribs are usually cast in
No. The 1997 Unifo rm one pour.
_. .~ Building Code <UBCl,
Chapter 18, Fo u11datiOIIS cmd Retai11i11g Walls provides Engineers designing post-tensioned slabs-on-ground in
two alternatives for the design of foundatio ns for stud- Seismic Zo nes 3 and 4 recognize that the 1997 UBC
bearing wa lls: ( 1) footings designe d in accordance prescriptive provision fo r non-structural sla bs-on-
with the structural provisions of the code, and (2) ground are also inte nded to prov ide for the
footings for w hich a design is not required and is not transmissio n of design base shear and ovetturning
provided . Such footings, gene rally of structural plain forces from the structure to the supporting
concre te, mee t the requirement set fo rth in Table 18-1- soil (includ ing the supe rstructure-to-foundation

C and the othe r prescriptive provisions o f the code . connection). Whe n following the PTI method .
Section 1806.7.2 is inte nded to appl y o nly to e ngineers thus check Sectio ns 1806.6 a nd 1809.1
fo undations des igned prescri ptively (whe re an thro ugh 1809.4 in add ition to Sectio n 1816: these
engineered design , with calculatio ns, is not p rovided>. sectio ns ma y re quire the placeme nt of mild
Foundations designed using an e ngineered procedure reinforceme nt in addition to the post-te nsioning. Local
are exempt fro m Section 1806.7.2. This interpretation mild re info rceme nt ma y be required . among other
is suppo rted by a w ritte n o pinion fro m the ICBO reasons. to account fo r stress concentrations, to act as
technical staff (available from the Post-Te nsio ning cho rds or collecto rs, or to resist local shears o r
Institute). bending mome nts induced by shear wall tie downs.

Non-designed footings follow the requirements of

COMMENTARY:
Designed footings include post-tensioned slabs-on-
Table 18-I-C. Amo ng the other prescriptive provisio ns
of the code is Section 1806.7.2 that codifies for
ground in accordance with Sectio n 18 16. This sectio n, footings in Seismic Zones 3 and 4 the long standing
based o n Chapter 6 o f the Second Edition of the PTI d esign practice in Ca lifo rnia of including mild
Desig 11 a11d Collstrucfioll of Post-Te11sio 11ed 5/ahs-oii- re inforceme nt. This practice ties the footings together
Gr oulld (the "PTI me thod"), is part of the structural a nd provides (witho ut the need for a design) some
provisions of the code. The PTI method presents a control of differe ntial settlement. The footings remain
specific engineered procedure to resist the effects of as structural plain concrete even w ith the No. 4 or No.
expansive soils, and is an essentially complete set of 5 bars specifie d . In conve ntional reside ntial
structural design provisions. The PTI method applies foundatio ns, the slabs and the footings are usually GISt
to ribbed or stiffe ned foundations and to uniform in separate pours.
thickness foundatio ns. Ribbed fo undations e nco mpass

Frequently Asked Questions

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oEcEMBER 2000

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