What exactly are post-tension slabs?

The thickness of a foundation constructed with a post-tension slab might range anywhere from 4 to 12 inches.

Post-tension slab foundations, on the other hand, often do not make use of any regular footings at all, which is one of the main ways in which they differ from your ordinary slab foundation design.

They do not have any substantial footings beneath load-bearing walls inside the structure or along the exterior perimeter of the house. Because of the manner the slab is designed and constructed, conventional footings are not necessary for it.

The actual post-tension cables themselves are, without a doubt, the single most critical component of post-tensioned slabs.

Post tension cables are thick metal wires that have a diameter of about half an inch and are encased in plastic. They function in a manner that is analogous to that of rebar.

These steel strands have a tensile strength of 270,000 pounds per square inch and are strained to approximately 33,000 pounds, which results in them being approximately twice as strong as a normal slab on grade foundation. Both the distance between the post tension cables and their size is determined by the soil conditions and the ultimate load on the foundation.

Conditions of the Soil
The design of the slab is heavily influenced by the soils that will be used. If you have read any of our earlier articles pertaining to soil or the conditions of soil, you are already aware of the fact that movement can take place in clay soils that have not been adequately compacted.

Clay soils and other soils with a limited load-bearing capacity are ideal for allowing post-tensioned slabs to “float” on.

Now, the clay soils in Southern California and Arizona are nothing in comparison to the clay soils in the Midwest. Rather, the clay soils in the Midwest are some of the best in the country (and more so in the Texas region of the United States).

Because of the extremely expansive nature of the clay soils in these sweet-tea growing districts of Texas, a significant portion of the state’s suburban development is supported by post-tension slabs.

Because of the exceptionally dense layer of caliche that lies just below the layer of active clay soil in Arizona, the state has a relatively high number of post-tension slabs.

If you are aware of the amount of movement that may be caused by the soil, you will be able to design a post-tension slab more effectively and create a slab that is able to accommodate the movement caused by the soil.

Load on the Foundation
The load that is going to be placed on the slab is another aspect of the situation that needs to be taken into account.

You should obviously construct a slab that is capable of absorbing and holding this weight if you are going to have an exceedingly large house (that has walls and a roof that are built of heavier material). This is because you will be placing this load on the slab.

For instance, you wouldn’t want to lay a 4-inch slab only to have it cave in after only six months because the soil beneath it couldn’t support the weight of the structure.

To be able to handle those increased load quantities, you will need a slab that is thicker (anything from 8 to 12 inches), as well as an increase in the cable size and spacing that is included within the slab itself.

Do you experience tension in your life’s foundation?
Relax. You are now aware of the characteristics that distinguish post-tensioned foundations, as well as the factors to take into account regarding the soil and the load, and you also know how to identify whether or not you have one of these super-strong foundations.

Even though the procedure for performing foundation repair on post-tension lifts differs slightly from that of a standard foundation repair, we perform these repairs on a regular basis.

Check out our essay on the history of post-tensioned foundations if you’re interested in foundation repair and consider yourself to be an expert in the field of underpinning. Additionally, if you consider yourself to be an expert in the field of advanced underpinning. Check out RLM Retrofit Foundation now; we really are dedicated to providing the highest possible level of customer service. Have a look at our current Foundation Inspection Claremont service.

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