Reinforced Concrete

Post Tension Slabs

Post-tensioning is a method of prestressing in which the tendons are tensioned after the concrete has hardened and the prestressing force is primarily transferred to the concrete through the end anchorages. This is ideal where value engineering is imperative. The slab thickness may be reduced therefore the requirement for concrete reduces and the reinforcement is considerably less than a tradition RC slab. A post tension slab is a concrete slab that has steel cables running through it that have been placed under 33,000 +/- pounds of tension. This tension makes the concrete slab and foundation much stronger than concrete without reinforcement and helps reduce cracking. Post-tensioned concrete is stronger and more flexible than conventional steel-reinforced concrete. Post-tensioning helps reduce cracking from shrinkage as the concrete dries, and holds together any cracks that do form.

Traditional RC Slabs

A reinforced concrete slab is a crucial structural element and is used to provide flat surfaces (floors and ceilings) in buildings. On the basis of reinforcement provided, beam support, and the ratio of the spans, slabs are generally classified into one-way slab and two-way slab. The concrete slab construction process includes the preparation of formwork or compaction of a slab bed, placement of reinforcement, pouring, compacting, finishing the concrete, removing formwork and curing the concrete slab. An in-situ concrete suspended floor is one constructed with reinforced concrete and designed to carry its own weight and any imposed a loading, spanning between supporting members in a structure. Supports for floors are typically beams, columns or walls. In situ concrete reinforced suspended floors can be designed to span one-way or two-ways between supports. Such floors can be designed and constructed to have a continuously flat soffit. Alternatively, the slab soffit can be formed with special moulds to give an indented profile to produce a `waffle` or `trough` floor.In-situ reinforced concrete suspended slabs can be economically designed as flat slabs to Eurocode 2. A flat slab may or may not have dropped sections at beam strips and column supports. It may be solid or have a coffered or waffle soffit profile.