Unbonded single strand

post-tensioning tendon details

How to avoid performance problems

BY MORRIS SCHUPACK
PRESIDENT
SCHUPACK SUAREZ ENGINEERS, INC.
SOUTH NORWALK, CONNECTICUT

ingle strand tendons offer

S an efficient, economical,
and practical way of post-
tensioning many types of
building structures. The use of sin-
gle strand tendons seems to in-
crease every year, with the 1986
market equaling approximately
50,000 tons, or about 200 million
linear feet of equivalent 1⁄2-inch
strand. Un f o rt u n a t e l y, because of
the occasional neglect of important
details, corrosion incidents have
occurred.
Having investigated a number of
s t ru c t u res with these problems
throughout the United States and
Canada, and having observed the
Figure 2. Plastic sheath around the strand should continue to provide a
positive waterproof connection to the anchor. This offers good protection
against possible corrosion of the strand. Recommended concrete cover
over the end of the strand should be at least 1 inch in usual environments,
2 inches in aggressive environments. The PTI Specification calls for a
watertight cap filled with grease to enclose the cut end of the strand at
both stressing and dead ends if the environment is corrosive.

p e rf o rmance of many post-ten- The 1985 Post-Tensioning Insti-

Figure 1. Seven wires of the single
strand tendon are coated with grease
and encased in a protective sheath.
Excess space in a loose sheath
permits water access from the time of
fabrication to the time of installation
in the structure, as well as during
service life. Thus the tight sheath on
the left is preferred.
sioned structures in the past 30
years, we believe that the problems
with single strand tendons can be
easily and inexpensively avoided by
the proper attention to details. Un-
fortunately, once corrosion occurs it
is difficult to assess the extent of the
problem, and the repairs, if re-
quired, are inconvenient and ex-
pensive.
tute (PTI) specification, “Single
Strand Unbonded Prestressing Ten-
dons,” has updated re q u i re m e n t s
for these tendons and introduced
more guidance on corrosion protec-
tion. If the PTI specification is fol-
lowed, many of the corrosion prob-
lems can be avoided.
This article brings attention to
those details which have been
Figure 3. Tie wires between
perpendicular tendons cause local
indentations in sheaths. The sheaths
tend to shear off when tendons are
tensioned.
found to be a problem and suggests
improved construction practices.
The recommendations are based on
our own experience and supple-
ment the PTI specification.
Sheathing for the strand
Be sure that the strand assembly
is contained in a tight polymer
sheath, preferably extruded over the
strand. Loose sheaths can leave
e xc e s s i ve spaces (Figure 1) and
generally tend to collect water.
The sheath should be of uniform
thickness, at least 0.04 inch, and
p re f e rably seamless. Within the
sheath the strand should have
a continuous coating of cor-
rosion-inhibiting grease.
Continue the sheath to a positive
waterproof connection to the an-
chor (Figure 2). This is necessary to
avoid leaving part of the strand un-
protected by sheathing. Quite often,
Figure 4. Reinforcing bar indentation
creates a hard point support that may
shear off when the tendon is
tensioned.
* Some codes permit a reduction of 3⁄8 to 1⁄2
inch in specified minimum cover, but not
more than 1⁄3 of the minimum shown in de-
sign drawings or specifications. —Editor
Figure 5. Stressing-end anchor of a tendon after concreting. This is a system of
electrical isolation designed to protect against all corrosion. The patented
method is recommended where anchorages are subject to constant water
pressure or corrosive environments.
if a portion of strand is not enclosed
in sheathing, the grease may be re-
moved during handling and stress-
ing. If contaminants or water reach
that area and if oxygen is available,
corrosion is apt to occur.
Keep ties around the sheaths
from indenting the sheaths (Figure
3) and repair any tears or damage to
the sheaths.
Tendon installation
Keep tendons clean and reason-
ably dry from the time of fabrication
until they are completely encased in
concrete. Avoid sharp angle changes
of tendon direction (Figure 4). If the
angle is too sharp the radial forces
generated during stressing often
can tear the sheath, particularly if it
is resting on rebars.
Concrete cover over tendons
Make sure that specified or re-
quired concrete cover is achieved
within reasonable tolerances.* Ten-
dons with inadequate or no cover
are subject to sheath damage and
consequent water ingress and cor-
rosion.
Cut off the strand extension re-
quired for tensioning so that a cover
of at least 1 inch is obtained. It is
preferable in an aggressive environ-
ment to have more cover (see Figure
2). Corrosion can start at the strand
cut-off if cover and/or mortar qual-
ity is inadequate and eventually
spreads to the critical parts of the
tendon.
Anchorage details
After cutting the strand extension,
use a pressure grease gun to fill any
voids in the anchorage, particularly
between the wedges. The grease
should be similar to that used to
protect the tendon.
Clean the conical hole at the an-
chorage to help achieve proper
bonding of the mortar plug. Fill the
anchorage pocket with a high-qual-
ity, low-permeability mortar that
bonds well to the conical anchorage
pocket. The mortar should be fin-
ished flush with the concrete.
Whenever there are any indications
of poor bond, tears, or porosity, re-
move the mortar and replace it.
Electrical isolation of tendons
Where the anchorage area is sub-
ject to a constant source of water,
particularly under pressure, or in
a g g re s s i ve environments—for in-
stance, where deicing salts will be
used on the structure—consider the
use of a tendon that is completely
encased from end to end so that
there is no direct electrical contact
of the tendon with the concrete or
any metallic elements embedded in
it. We call this an electrically isolated
tendon (Figure 5). This patented
system is available through seve ra l
suppliers. If electrical isolation is
combined with epoxy coated bars in
all areas requiring normal reinforc-
ing steel, with proper consideration
of bond and cover, a particularly
durable structure should result.
If all the above recommendations
are followed, the single strand ten-
don should last indefinitely and
provide dependable structural con-
crete reinforcement.
References
1. Post-Tensioning Institute Ad Hoc
Committee for Unbonded Single
Strand Tendons, “Specification for
Unbonded Single Strand Tendons,”
PCI Journal, March-April 1985, pages
23-39.
2. Schupack, M. and M. G. Suarez,
“Some Recent Corrosion Embrittle-
ment Failures of Prestressing Systems
in the United States,” PCI Journal,
March-April 1982, pages 38-55.
3. “Protecting Post-tensioning Ten-
dons in Concrete Structures,” Civil
Engineering, December 1982, pages
43-45.
4. Schupack, M. and Mario G. Suarez,
“Electrically Isolated Reinforcing Ten-
don Assembly and Method,” U.S.
Patent No. 4 348 844.
Editor’s note
The author and his colleague hold a
patent on the method of electrical iso-
lation of tendons shown in Figure 5
and recommended for use in severe
environments.
PUBLICATION #C880668
Copyright © 1988, The Aberdeen Group
All rights reserved