POST TENSIONING

SLABS

By
Jugal Sharma- 2nd Year
Govinda- 2nd Year
 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
TENSIONING to 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.

 Thedivisions 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 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