11.

Prestressed Concrete
Flat Slabs

• Introduction to prestressed slabs

• Review of reinforced flat slabs
• Prestressed flat slabs: Introduction
• New considerations
• Prestressed flat slab, by simplified
method

© University of Western Australia

School of Civil and Resource Engineering 2004
 PRESTRESSED SLABS - INTRODUCTION
Prestressing can be used to provide a powerful method of controlling
deflections at working load. Our aim is to achieve zero deflection under
sustained load. So we use the principles of balanced load, just as for one way
beams or slabs. Usually, tendons at reasonably spaced centres are used:

Suppose prestress force per unit width in x- and y-

directions are Px and Py, and tendon sags in these
directions are hx and hy.
Upward load applied to slab by tendons wp
= upward load by x-tendons + upward load by y-tendons
= wx + wy

8Px hx 8Py hy
wz = +
Lx2 Ly2
Prestressed Slabs - Introduction
To maximise the effective depth, and hence the sag of the tendon, flat ducts to
accommodate 4 or 5 strands are used in post-tensioned designs:

. . . and special slab anchorages are used:

anchor
5-strand tendon
strands casting

individual
Strands are tensioned individually. plan barrel and
This allows for early tensioning of one wedge grips
strand to overcome tensile cracking slab
due to concrete shrinkage. thickness
For long tendons (usually the case), section
tensioning is carried out from both
ends of each strand.

Watch out for this problem . . .

Prestressed Slabs - Introduction
Problem: Unstressed zones of slabs near edges and corners !

To estimate unstressed
zones, we use an angle of
dispersion of 30o to
slab edge

direction of tendon, as
shown.

slab edge

Shaded zones are unstressed in one or both

directions. In these zones, we cannot rely on the
prestressing. This is a particular problem when
we consider the edges and corners of flat slabs.
 REVIEW OF REINFORCED FLAT SLABS
Flat Slab:
• At least two spans each way.
• Beamless, except possibly at edges.
• Care with punching shear.
• Care with deflections.
• Can fail E-W or N-S, so design for
full load in both directions, BUT. .
• Moment is not uniform across design
strip, so apportion more to column
strip than to adjacent middle
strips.
• Hence a design method . . .
Simplified method:
1. Slab thickness and minimum steel
2. Calculate Fd and Lo
3. Assess need for column head
4. Allocate design strips, and Mo
5. Allocate +ive and -ive moments
6. Apportion moments, select rebar
7. Check punching shear
Let’s look at a particular
example to see how it works
out -
Ref Warner et al p. 561 ff
 400 x 400 columns Drop panels:
typically
0.3 Ds
6.000

typically L / 6

250 slab
6.000

Note that drop

live load 5 kPa panels are used
on slab edge.
Could have
been edge
beam without
6.000

drop panels.

Bending
6.500 6.500 6.500 rebar
design? . . .
 Half Middle
Strip
DESIGN STRIP

Column
Strip

Half Middle
Strip

etc.
etc.

Showing one E-W design strip, and rebar.

 PRESTRESSED FLAT SLABS - INTRODUCTION
Consider a parabolically draped post-tensioned tendon, stressed to force P,
in an interior span of a flat slab:

w h Ds

tendon sag h is
maximum available,
considering cover
The tendon applies: and fire rating
• an upwards UDL w = 8Ph/L2, and
• downward thrusts R = wL/2 at centre lines

These must be carried by the orthogonal

stressed bands, suggesting two options . . .
 These are the two options:

Uniformly spaced tendons E-W,
and closely spaced tendons N-S.
Closely spaced tendons termed
BAND BEAM
OPTION 1
Band beam both E-W and N-S
OPTION 2
Both are feasible, and used in special
cases. The most common solution is: . . .
 . . . this: There are some new considerations
for prestressed flat slabs . . .

Column
75%

Strip
NB 25% must
pass over
column head

Middle
thus:

Strip
25%

Column
75%

Strip
width of
column + Middle Column
Column
twice depth Strip
Strip Strip
of slab
75% 25% 75%
Apportioning design strip moment to column and middle strips
 NEW CONSIDERATIONS

Post-tensioning provides a new method of spanning

large distances with flat slabs.
But it is expensive.
Applicable for spans from 8 to 15 (possibly 20) metres.

Some new • Flat duct

considerations for
prestressed flat slabs : • Anchorage
• Slab shortening

Consider these in turn . . .

 Using flat duct system of multi-strand tendons . . .

5 / 15.2 mm
Compare multi-strand strands in 50 mm
system used for beams duct

with slab duct system used

for slabs . . .
Note that the strands are
stressed separately. Hence
can be stressed at different
times.
Advantage for early stressing
of say one strand to inhibit
shrinkage cracking.
5 / 15.2 mm
strands in flat slab
duct
Much smaller loss of effective
depth
Also rectangular anchor plate fits
within depth of slab.
Anchorage:
hs
Anchor plate
hd D

tendon spacing s
End Elevation of slab
Anchorage:
hs

hd D

tendon spacing s
vertical crack - inhibited by
Bursting problems: orthogonal prestress
horizontal crack
P

. . and dealing with them:

4 N10 or N12, with N10 stirrups
Slab shortening : Prestressed flat slab

Shear wall supporting slab

Serious cracking of walls, and loss of some prestress force.

Solution: Avoid shear walls, or if walls are necessary, then locate

singly at mid-length of slab, and keep as short as possible.
Prestressed flat slab

Columns

Significant moments induced in columns and slab -

could cause local damage and loss of some prestress.

Solution: Analyse frame for shortening action, and

design columns and slab for these action effects.
 PRESTRESSED FLAT SLAB, BY
SIMPLIFIED METHOD
Seven steps to efficient design :
Step 1.
Select structural layout, and slab thickness(es)

• Vibration controls slab thickness

• Suggest span/40, using actual span, not Lo
• If x- and y-spans differ by more than 15%,
use thickened band beams, applying above
criterion to each direction - a thinner
thickness may later be shown adequate in
shorter direction

How does this work ? . . .

N-S tendons near surface for
maximum eccentricity E-W tendons placed immediately
below N-S, and horizontal across
the thickened band beam.

Note that it is always necessary to ‘weave’ the

tendons to avoid interference, and to make this
clear on the drawings.

2. . . .
Step 2.
Calculate load to be balanced, and tendon profile

• Aim to balance the self-weight plus a small proportion We can now start to
of the applied dead load - important not to over- select the prestress
camber the slab. force required, and
• Balance for higher load at cantilevers to avoid the tendon and duct
unsightly sagging of edges. system we may use.

• For interior spans, sag can be maximised. May need to be

modified as we
• For exterior, sag is partly limited by balancing any proceed.
cantilevered load.

3. . . .
 Step 3.
Assess Need for Column Head

• At this stage, decision must be based on Remember that 25%

guestimated V* and M*v. V* is readily of tendons must pass
estimated on contributory area. M*v is not through the critical
so easy - suggest increase V* by 10-15% in column head area for
preliminary calcs. the shear strength to
• Sometimes a drop panel is required. be fully mobilised.
Moments must be modified if drop panel is
used - see text.
• Must be checked under Step 7 for
adequacy.

4. . . .
 Step 4.
Allocate Design Strips This we can
accommodate
• As for reinforced concrete flat slabs.
• Strips will be affected by the size
and location of openings in slabs, for
example for stairs, lifts, services, etc.

Consider these cases . . .

This is not
so easy

X
Options: X
1. relocate mid. strip tendons thus:

Y
Y
2. terminate tendons at edge of
opening:

5. . . .
Step 5.
Allocate positive and negative moments to each span,
and check ultimate strength

• The moments of interest are the ‘excess’ moments.

• Check top and bottom fibre stresses for full live
load, and zero live load. Remember to allow
for hyperstatic reactions, and modify moments
and shear forces accordingly.
• Check ultimate bending strength at critical
sections: supports and mid-spans. Best to
use linear elastic moments, without
moment re-distribution.

6. . .
Step 6.
Apportion moment to column strips and middle strips

• Less flexibility is available than for reinforced

flat slabs.
• Suggest use of 75% of design strip moment to
the column strips. Adjust as necessary to
accommodate slab openings.
• Refine the locations of tendons to suit all the
moment requirements.

7. . .
Step 7.
Check Punching Shear, and Design Anchorages

• As for reinforced flat slabs, with

inclusion of cp - remember this is
the average effective prestress in
the slab at the section being
examined. Care to adjust at drop
panels.
• Care with zones of low or zero stress
near slab edges cp is effective prestress acting
at the column head, allowing for
• Check of punching shear may show any drop panel or band
error in assumptions under Step 3 thickening

Vuo = u dom ( fcv + 0.3 σcp )

SUMMARY

•Post-tensioning provides an alternative method for

spanning large distances with flat slabs
•Particular attention must be paid to punching shear with
flat slabs
•Care must be taken when placing openings in flat slabs
•Slabs require the use of flat ducts and rectangular
anchorages
•Shortening effects must be considered