Behavior and Analysis of Post-Tensioned Slabs at Pocket Locations

Abstract

This research presents an experimental and numerical investigation to study the behavior of post-tensioned concrete slabs at pocket locations with a different amount of additional steel at each pocket. The experimental phase consisted of three specimens with the same dimensions of 400 cm x 120 cm x 15 cm. Each contains two stressing pockets with dimensions of 80 cm x 40 cm x 15 cm. A concrete mix of 50 MPa was used and the same mesh of three bars of 10 mm diameter in both directions up and down was used for all three specimens. The parameter that was changed is the amount of additional reinforcement around each stressing pocket. S1 had zero additional reinforcement, S2 had a 1.70 % of the area of the cross-section as additional reinforcement (4 bars of 18 mm diameter) and S3 had a 3.40 % of the area of the cross-section as additional reinforcement (8 bars of 18 mm diameter).