Mogavero Architects

Concrete Pour Video – Post Tension Slab

This video shows some of the processes involved in pouring a post-tension slab in a larger multi-story residential building.

Look for the green “tendons” just before they are encased in concrete. The tendons are steel cables bathed in a non-corrosive lubricant, then sleeved in green vinyl housing. The housing isolates the cables from the cured concrete so that they can move independently when they are “stressed” to very high psi with a couple of days after the pour. The tendons force the concrete into compression and allow the 8″ floor slabs to span greater distances without beams underneath.

This video shows some of the processes involved in pouring a post-tension slab in a larger multi-story residential building.

Look for the “vibrators” that are tossed into the wet concrete that make it more fluid to reduce air pockets and bring smoother material to the top for finishing. Watch how the concrete changes when the vibrator is tossed into the mix.

Stud-rails, visible at the lower right at the beginning of the video near the column rebar cage, look like a line of big coins hovering among the rebar. The stud-rails terminate at the base of the column from all four sides. The disks are connected with a linear steel bar underneath that helps to transfer the load of the concrete slab to the column without the need to form dropped column capitals.

The crew moves across the concrete in about 10′ sections, the depth is controlled with the 2×4 rails along the side. Behind the vibrators a man does leveling, another worker checks concrete depth and coverage.

5 Comments

  • dear sir
    i looking for post tension concrete company come to saudi arabia
    there is a good business for this time
    i hope you interest this idea
    looking for your answer
    best regard

  • Never realized how essential the vibrators were until I got into the business myself. Really helps the stability of the building last longer than most would even expect.

  • The project is being designed by Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill Architecture, though James Carpenter Design Associates is responsible for designing the wavy glass for the base, which will be the department store.

  • I think that the idea of post tension is so smart! It’s amazing that there can be such a big benefit to concrete from the things that you pour it over. I’m going to be having our driveway redone, and I think I may ask the contractor if post tension would be smart for a home application! Thanks for the information!

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