P-T Unbonded Slabss

undr eds of m i l l i o n s o f s quar e f eet o f p o s t-te n sioned (PT) concrete slabs have been built throughout

Ntelnatiue An Economical
North America since the midof 1960s.1 the basis this quantity On alonemany owners, of construction would contractors,and consultants considerPT concreteslabsto be a viablemethodof constructionfor a varietyof structures. in Nevertheless, someareasthere to existsa reluctance considerthis alternativesystemseriously.This can usually be attributed to one or more of the following factors: . Lack of familiarity with the system by ownersand contractors r Lack of familiarity with analysis and design proceduresby consultants o Insufficientnumberof suppliers o Concernabout the tensileforces lockedinto PT tendons o Cost over the However, experience past 25 yearshas proven that fears about the use of PT slabsare unfounded. More importantly, PT slabscarry with them inherentbenefits not availablewith other systo tems,and are a viablealternative regularly reinforced (RR) slabs. Combinedwith the fact that PT concreteslabs can, in many inbe stances, lesscostly to construct than their RR counterparts,then the owner may be sufferinga disserviceif PT slabs are excluded from consideration. after the inforcement,is tensioned is concrete placed.In PT concrete slabs,one generallywants to proto vide sufficientforcesin the cables inhibit tensioncracksfrom forming under working loads. In this way, the entire concretesection is engaged,allowing longer spanswith shallower,and thereforelighter, Sincethe grosssectionis sections. active, deflectionsunder working loads are either reducedor eliminated. PT concreteconstructionis classified as either bonded or unbonded: The high-strengthstrands by are eitherbondedto the concrete grouting the tendon sheath after and or stressing, they are greased plasticcovered,thus remainingunThe sYsbondedfrom the concrete. tem useseither0.5 or 0.6 in. (12.7 strands5 or 15.2 mm) seven-wire ultimate tensile with a guaranteed strength(GUTS) of 41.3 or 58.6 kips (184or 261kN), respectively. Typically,bondedPT is multistrand, with 2 to more than 50 strands enclosedin either flexible with metalor rigid thin-wall sheaths rangingfrom 1.5 to over diameters 7 in. (40 to 180mm). Its applications includebridges,circularliquid tanks, and linings of presstorage as suretunnels.Their diameter, well with as the time and cost associated grouting usually all but precludes their usein slabs. UnbondedPT is a single-strand system.The individual strand is coatedwith a rust-inhibitinggrease, plasthen is extrudedin a seamless tic sheathing.Its applicationsinstructural clude slabs-on-grade, mats and raft footings, circular
fluid tanks, and tilt-up walls. Becausethe unbonded tendon is small in diameter as well as light and flexible. it can make maximum use of the entire depth of a concrete slab, making it particularly well suited to thin slabs. and the time and cost associ ated w i th grouti ng i s elim inated. With unbonded PT construction. the high-strength strand is placed in a draped configuration within the slab depth, usually with high points at supports and low points between supports (Fi g. l ). The conc r et e is then pl aced, and after suff icient curing [from 1500 to 2500 psi (10.3 17.2 MPa), depending on the anchorage systeml, the steel strand is stressedagainst the concrete, then locked off under stressat end or intermediate anchor points (Fig. 2). In addition to inhibiting rust, the grease around the strand reduces friction to eliminate any bond between the plastic and the steel, allowing the strand to slide freely and more uniformly distribute the tenin sile stresses the strand.

Structuralbehavior
Previously, it was believed that tendon pl acement i nto col umn and middle strips was required for a PT slab to behave as a flat plate. Distribution of forces from 50 to 100 percent to the column strips, and up to 50 percent in the middle strips, have been used successfully. Such distributions were normally adaptations of recognized values for regular reinforced concrete design factors. These arrangements produced a tw o-w ay w eave that requir ed

The system
is Post-tensioning a form of prescain tressing which high-strength ble, which is usedas the primary re1992 February

ca r ef ul s equenc i n g p ro c e d u re s , greatly reducing productivity in tendon placement and increasing the system'soverall cost. M or e r ec ent ly , te s ts a n d i n -s i tu applications have shown that a PT slab behaves as a flat plate regardless of the tendon placement.' Not only were the sequencedPT slabs time consuming to build, but their distributions failed to recognizethat tendons exert downward forces at th e high point s j o i n i n g p a ra b o l i c profiles. Tendon high points should be, as nearly as possible, resisted by colu mns , walls , or u p w a rd te n d o n forces to achieve minimum deflections and maximum shear capacities. This implies that all tendons in one direction should be placed over or immediately adjacent to column l o c at ions , and t h e te n d o n s i n th e perpendicular direction should be u n if or m ly s pac e d a c ro s s th e b a y width. This tendon placement is referred to as a banded system. Such a statically rational, yet simple and elegant, distribution of tendons is especially advantageous in allowing the easy tracing of load paths to supports in slabs with irregular column layouts (Fig. 3). Apart from its obvious structural advantage, the banded tendon arrangement simplifies construction sequencing.First, all of the banded tendons in one direction are placed, then all of the uniform tendons in th e per pendic ula r d i re c ti o n a re p l ac ed. No weav i n g o f te n d o n s i s required, reducing labor costs. Since its introduction, the banded system o f t endon plac em e n t h a s g a i n e d wi d e ac c ept anc e a n d p re fe re n c e over its sequencedcounterpart and is now used almost universally for PT concrete floor slabs. P r ec ut t endo n s u s u a l l y a re shipped to the site in coils of about 5 ft (1.5 m) in diameter. Each tendon is individually marked, clearly identifing its location in the slab. Tendons longer than about 100 ft (30 m) usually require stressing at i n ter m ediat e poi n ts a l o n g th e i r length. Dead end anchorages are locked into place at the shop and nailed to the slab edge form on site. Intermediate and stressinsend an-

chorages are placed loosely on the cable (at the approximate location required) to allow exact placement on site. To minimize slab shortening, and to limit friction losses,the ma x i mum di stance betw een construction joints in the slab should not exceedabout 150 ft (45 m). As mentioned previously, with the banded system, all the tendons in one direction are placed first over (or adjacent to) the columns. Then the tendons are placed uniformly in the other direction, spaced at about 6 to 8 times the slab thickness. The concrete is placed once all of the slab reinforcement is in place and securely tied. Any admixtures noninjurious to steel may be used in the concrete. T h e concrete forms are l eft i n p l a c e unti l stressi ng i s compl ete. Unlike RR slabs, in which deflection must occur to activate the reinforcement. the reinforcement is active in PT slabs, usually providing uplift forces between supports. Consequently, engineers and contractors have found reshoring of PT slabs to be less onerous than for RR slabs. Approximate span,/depth ratios found to provide both economy and adequate performance for members with live load less than dead load a re :r

1967 of PT slabswerebuilt between and 1976.' with The longer spanspossible provide the adPT reinforcement vantageof additionalversatilityin column layout. In addition, the use is of PT reinforcement not limited to regularor orthogonalplacement, but is adaptable to irregularly floor plans. shaped Most modern parking structures are built of cast-in-place concrete. When thesestructuresare properly detailedand reinforced with PT with tendons. cracks associated bendingmomentscan be either reduced or eliminated,helping to relieve some of the problemshistoriwith deck deteriocally associated ration. Post-tensioning been found has to be economicalfor slabs,beams, transfer girders,and foundations, as well as for a variety of other applications.It has beensuccessfully used in both low- and high-rise structures,including apartments hospitals,comand condominiums, mercial buildings, industrial buildings, and parking facilities.

Discussion
During the mid-1950s, when PT was first being used in the United States, little was known of the behavior of PT reinforced slabs. Consequently, the analysis methods were awkward and time consuming, and the design w as conservati ve. The advent of T.Y . Li n' s l oad-bal ancing t echnique, introduced in 1963, removed the mystery of post-tensioning, and the analysis of PT structures was greatly simplified.3 The load-balancing method is the most widely used procedure for analyzing and designing PT structures. To simplify matters even further, as with its RR concrete counterpart, computer prog r am s ar e now available for analyzing and desi gni ng P T sl abs and be am s. Although they are no substitute for experience and sound engineering judgment, such programs make the repetitive and calculation-intensive aspects of PT analysis and design lesstedious. Even in areas where only one PT supplier is available, it still is possiC oncreteInl er nat ional

,48 one way slab 45 two way slab two way slabwith drop panel (minimum drop L/6 eachway) 50 two way slabwith two way beams 55 waffle slab,5 ft (1.5m) squaregrid 35 beamsb-h/3 20 beamsb=3h 30

Applications
Flat plates and slabs employing PT reinforcement have been used in offices, apartments, condominiums, and parking structures throughout North America, where several million square feet of post-tensioned flat plates are completed each year.2 Su rv e y s carri ed out by the P ostTensioning Institute indicate that over 250 million ft'z (23 million m'?)

a)
I

Fig. 1 - Typicalslab sectionshowingdrapeof postcable betweensupports. tensioning

Fi g .2 -

A nc hor age e ta i l s . d

N col Fi g.3 - Fl atpl atew i th i rregul ar umnl ayout. o t e w tendonforceseasi l ytracedto col umnl ocati ons i th bandedsystemof tendonplacement.

ble to include PT concretein competitivebidding. Typically, PT suppliers havein-houseengineering capabilities.In areasof limited PT competition, the structurecan be designed regular reinforcedconin set crete,with the bid package up to as acceptunbondedpost-tensioning an alternateto the regular reinforced concreteslabs.The PT proposal can be set up so that the PT supplierincludesthe analysisand designof the slab for post-tensioning, as well as the material and laIn bor for its construction. this way, an owner can automaticallybe assured that the systemused is the without inleastexpensive available curring the front-end cost of multiple designs. Still, the reluctanceof some to is use unbonded post-tensioning or rooted not in a lack of suppliers insufficientfamiliarity with PT systems or their designprinciples,but in a concernabout the tensileforces locked in unbondedpost-tensioned tendons.This concerntakes three main forms. The first is a belief that the loss of one span of this continuous membersystemwill precipitatethe collapseof the entire structure. 1992 February

Model testscarried out in Switzerland and the U.S., as well as accidents on buildings with construchave shown that tion in progress, the PT tendonsdo not respondto localizedareasof overloading,and that PT slabsexhibit good strucand toughness.a tural redundancy Further, a surveyof PT tendonperformancein a variety of structures and that properlydetailed concludes constructedPT structuresexhibit excellentperformancewith respect to durability againstcorrosion.5 that The second commonconcern about PT slabsis that of surfaces the new openingrequiredafter the slab is built. The bandedsystem provides usedin PT construction between tendonswithin largespaces Cawhich to locatesmall openings. bleJocatingequipmenthelpsto ensure that the opening is located away from tendons.Until recently, large openingssuch as are sometimes required for new stairs bemore of a tween floors presented problem,sincetendoncutting could not be avoided.But a procedure for now has beendeveloped cutting The large openingsin PT slabs.6 method is fast, relatively simple, and - most importantly - con-

trolled. It is possible becauseof a newly developed detensioning jack that makes a previously dangerous undertaking a safe procedure. The third common issue raised about unbonded post-ten sioned slabs is the question of what happens if and when the structure needs to be demol i shed. Many have visions of unbonded tendons shooting out from the slab edges. In a report on the demolition of 100,000 ft' ?(10,000 m2) of P T sl ab, only a small percentage exited from the slab edge, and in no event was the exi t more than 18 i n. (450 m m ) . ' The concl usi on w as that an unbonded PT slab can be demolished safely and economically. Thus, the most common pr oblems and concerns associatedwith PT slabs have been either resolved or shown to be unwarranted.2'6-e*

Advantages
One of the mai n benefi ts of unbonded post-tensioning is the abil-

*Aalami, Bijan O., and Barth, Florian G., "Restraint Craks and their Mitigation in Unbonded Post Tensioned Building Structures," ACI Convention presentation, Baltimore, Marvland. Nov. 1986.

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longer clear spans.If ity to achieve the use or layout does not permit longer spans,then using PT results in a reduction of both concrete quantity and reinforcing steel. Thinner slabsproducea decreased dead load and a possibleconsequent reductionin foundationsize. Thinner slabsalso producea defloor-to-floor height, recreased sultingin an overall shorterbuilding; thus, exteriorskin, verticalpiping, ducting, and conduit costsare floorreduced. addition, reduced In to-floor heightsmay make it possiin ble to squeeze an extra floor. be Forming costs can sometimes loweredas a result of the reduction

(or removal)of drops and beams. can Because tendons stressing occur strengths, at relativelylow concrete earlier formwork strippingis possible, and with it comesfaster placinto which can translate ing cycles,r0 decreased borrowingcostsdue to earlier project completion.All of thesefactorspoint to a savingin the overallcost of a building."

Cost comparison
hard costsplay In the final analysis, a significantrole in the decisionto use or not use a particular system. To carry out a relativecostcomparison betweenRR and PT concrete. computerruns were carried out on

a numberof slabs,with spansvarying from 18to 40 ft (5.5to 12.2m), for residential,office, and retail loading. The cost of framed concrete slabsconsistedof the conand formwork crete. reinforcement usedfor The components. programs the both the RR and PT concrete are analysis basedon the equivalent frame method. In the analysis,4000 psi (27.6 MPa) concrete was assumed cover throughout. A reinforcement of I in. (25 mm) was used for the RR slabs, and 3Ain. (19 mm) for the PT slabs. The comparisons madeare shownin Table l. The material quantitiesobtained

($75)

($50)

(6) o RRStab o prsrab

(8) Span ft (m)

(10)

Fi g .4 -

Cos tv er s u ss p a nfo r R R a n d P T s l a b s .

costs for Table1 - Slabtypes used to compare RRversusPT concrete

Framing method Span variation, ft (m) 18- 40 (5.5 - 12.2) l8- 40 5.5 - r2.2 18- 40 (5.5 - 12.2)
Live load, psf (kN,/m')

Occupancy

Superimposed deadload, psf (kN/m')

ORRSIab

EPTSIab

Span ti (m)

Fi g.5 -

C ostversusspanfor R R and P T sl abs .

Residential One-wayslab Office

Retail

40 (l .e ) 50 (2.4) 100 (4.8)

25 (1.2)
25 (1.2)
a<

TWO WAY SLAB

Two-way slab Two-way slab

(l.2)

($1

slab Table2 - Unit cost valuesfor RR/PT comparison

Concrete Regularreinforcing reinforcing Post-tensioned Forming $105.00/yd' s0.55llb $2.30/1b $5.30/ft' ($131 .24/m') ($I .21lkg) ($5.07lkg)
(6) o RRSlab E PTSlab

($s7.03/m)

Fig. 6 -

Cost versusspan for RR and PT slabs C oncreteInl er nat ional

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were for a typical interior bay, since th e ex t er ior bay i s n o rma l l y a ffected by the particular building configuration and the exterior skin u se d . A ls o, s quar e b a y s w e re a s sumed for the two-way slabs. The unit cost values used for the co mpar is on ar e s h o w i n T a b l e 2 . The prices include material and labor for supplying and placing the components listed. These values are considered valid at the time of writing and for the geographical area with which the author is familiar. Th e r es ult s of t h e c o m p a ri s o n s fo r one- and t wo- w a y s l a b s w e re graphed, with cost per square foot versus span (Fig. 4 through 6), to provide the information in an easily digestible form.* The results consistentlv show that PT concrete slabs
+Unit quantity tables that allow comparisons based on individual experience and knowledge are available from the author at Prosum Engineering, Ltd., 56 Goddard St., North York, Ontario M3H 5E2, Canada.

cost savingrelative offer a sizeable counterparts. to their RR concrete References

1. Design of Post-Tensioned Slabs, PostT e n sio n in g Insti tute, P hoeni x, A ri zona, 1977. 2 . Ba r th, Fl ori an G., and A al ami , B i j an D emol i ti on of an U nO., "Co n trol l ed b o n d e d Post-Tensi oned C oncrete S l ab," Po st- T e n si oni ng Insti tute, P hoeni x, A ri zo n a , 1 9 8 9. 3 . L in , T. Y ., "Load B al anci ng Method for the Design and Analysis of Prestressed Concrete Structures," ACI JounN.cr, Proceedings V. 60, No. 6, June 1963, pp. 719742. 4 . F r e yermuth, C l i ff, L., "S trucutral Integrity of Buildings Constructed with Unbonded Tendons," Concrete International: Design & Construction, V. 11, No. 3, Mar. 1 9 8 9 ,p p . 56-63. 5 . Sch upack, Morri s, "A S urvey of the Durability Performance of Post-Tensioning T e n d o n s," P ost-Tensi oni ng Insti tute, Jan. I 978. 6 . F ischl i , Franz; Gri mm, Marcel ; and M a r ti, Pe ter, "C utti ng Openi ngs i n P ostTensioned Floor Slabs." Concrete Internutional: Design & Construction, V. 10, No. 2, F e b . 1 9 8 8, pp.45-47.

7. C hacos, Gregory P ., "R eso l uti on of Field Problems with Unbonded Single Strand Tendons," Concrete Internotional: Design & Construction, V. 10, No. 2, Feb. 1988, pp. 40-44. 8. Fal coner, D ani el W., "Ti ps for P os tTensioning," Concrete Internotional: Design & Construction, V. 10, No. 2, Feb. 1988, pp.

36-39.
9. Field Procedures Manual for Unbonded Single Strand Tendons, Post-Tensioning Institute, Phoenix, Arizona, 1989. 10. K enny, A l l an R ., and Song, J ae Woong, "Post-Tensioning Alternative Reduces Construction Time," Concrete International: Design & Construction, V. 10, No. 2, Feb. 1988, pp.48-52. 11. "Multistorey Office Building - PostTensi oni ng S aves $% Mi l l i on," P ortl and Cement Association, Skokie, Illinois, 1975. Selectedfor reader interest bv the editors.

ACI memberAngelo Mattacchione i s presi dent P rosumE ngi neer ing, of He Ltd.,N orthY ork,Ontari o, a nada. C 1 i s a memberof A C I C ommi tt ees 18, and 340,Design U se of C omputers, A i dsfor A C I B ui l di ng odes. C

Authorized reprint from: FebruarY | 992 issue of Concrete lnternational

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