VSL REPORT SERIES - POST-TENSIONED SLABS - Fundamentals of the design process

Oct 24, 2026

VSL technical report on post-tensioned slab structures presents the fundamentals of the design process from concept through detailed design and calculation. It covers ultimate limit state aspects (including flexure and punching shear) and serviceability limit state requirements such as crack limitation, deflections, tendon force, vibration, fire resistance, and corrosion protection. The report further addresses detail design issues, tendon arrangement, construction procedures for bonded and unbonded systems, preliminary design, execution of calculations via flow and examples, and summaries of completed structures, supported by appendices with symbols, definitions, and standards overview.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages44

Reading Time1 h 51 min

AccessFree to download

Introduction

General

Historical review

Post-tensioning with or without bonding of tendons

Typical applications of post-tensioned slabs

Fundamentals of the design process

General

Research

Standards

Ultimate limit state

Flexure

Punching shear

Serviceability limit state

Crack limitation

Deflections

Post-tensioning force in the tendon

Vibrations

Fire resistance

Corrosion protection

Detail design aspects

Arrangement of tendons

Construction procedures

General

Fabrication of the tendons

Construction procedure for bonded post-tensioning

Construction procedure for unbonded post-tensioning

Preliminary design

Execution of the calculations

Flow diagram

Calculation example

Completed structures

Introduction

Orchard Towers, Singapore

Headquarters of the Ilford Group, Basildon, Great Britain

Centro Empresarial, São Paulo, Brazil

Doubletree Inn, Monterey, California, USA

Shopping Centre, Burwood, Australia

Municipal Construction Office Building, Leiden, Netherlands

Underground garage for ÖVA Brunswick, FR Germany

Shopping Centre, Oberes Murifeld/Wittigkooen, Berne, Switzerland

Underground garage Oed XII, Lure, Austria

Multi-storey car park, Seas-Fee, Switzerland

Summary

Bibliography

Appendix 1: Symbols/Definitions/Dimensional units/Signs

Appendix 2: Summary of various standards for unbonded post-tensioning

4.2 VSL REPORT SERIES POST-TENSIONED SLABS Fundamentals of the design process Ultimate limit state Serviceability limit state Detailed design aspects Construction Procedures Preliminary Design Execution of the calculations Completed structures PUBLISHED BY VSL INTERNATIONAL LTD . Authors Dr. P. Ritz, Civil Engineer ETH P. Matt, Civil Engineer ETH Ch. Tellenbach, Civil Engineer ETH P. Schlub, Civil Engineer ETH H. U. Aeberhard, Civil Engineer ETH Copyright VSL INTERNATIONAL LTD, Berne/Swizerland All rights reserved Printed in Switzerland Foreword With the publication of this technical report, VSL INTERNATIONAL LTD is pleased to make a contribution to the development of Civil Engineering. The research work carried out throughout the world in the field of post-tensioned slab structures and the associated practical experience have been reviewed and analysed in order to etablish the recommendations and guidelines set out in this report. The document is intended primarily for design engineers, but we shall be very pleased if it is also of use to contractors and clients. Through our representatives we offer to interested parties throughout the world our assistance end support in the planning, design and construction of posttensioned buildings in general and posttensioned slabs in particular. I would like to thank the authors and all those who in some way have made a contribution to the realization of this report for their excellent work. My special thanks are due to Professor Dr B. Thürlimann of the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH) Zürich and his colleagues, who were good enough to reed through and critically appraise the manuscript. Hans Georg Elsaesser Chairman of the Board and President Berne, January 1985 IfVSLINTERNATIONALLTD Table of contents Page 1. lntroduction 2 1.1. General 2 1.2. Historical review 2 1.3. Post-tensioning with or without bonding of tendons 3 1.4. Typical applications of post-tensioned slabs 4 2. Fundamentals of the design process 6 2.1. General 6 2.2. Research 6 2.3. Standards 6 3. Ultimate limit state 6 3 1 Flexure 6 3.2 Punching shear 9 4. Serviceability limit state 11 41 Crack limitation 11 42. Deflections 12 43 Post-tensioning force in the tendon 12 44 Vibrations 13 45 Fire resistance 13 4Z Corrosion protection 13 Page 5. Detail design aspects 13 5.1. Arrangement of tendons 13 5.2. Joints 6.Construction procedures 16 6.1. General 16 6.2. Fabrication of the tendons 16 6.3. Construction procedure for bonded post-tensioning 16 6.4. Construction procedure for unbonded post-tensioning 17 7. Preliminary design 19 8. Execution of the calculations 20 8.1. Flow diagram 20 8.2. Calculation example 20 9. Completed structures 26 9.1. Introduction 26 9.2.Orchard Towers, Singapore 26 9.3. Headquarters of the Ilford Group, Basildon, Great Britain 28 9.4.Centro Empresarial, São Paulo, Brazil 28 Page 9.5. Doubletree Inn, Monterey, California,USA 30 9.6. Shopping Centre, Burwood, Australia 30 9.7. Municipal Construction Office Building, Leiden,Netherlands 31 9.8.Underground garage for ÖVA Brunswick, FR Germany 32 9.9. Shopping Centre, Oberes Murifeld/Wittigkooen, Berne, Switzerland 33 9.10. Underground garage Oed XII, Lure, Austria 35 9.11. Multi-storey car park, Seas-Fee, Switzerland 35 9.12. Summary 37 10. Bibliography 38 Appendix 1: Symbols/ Definitions/ Dimensional units/ Signs Appendix 2: Summary of various standards for unbonded post-tensioning 39 41 1 1. Introduction 1.1. General Post-tensioned construction has for many years occupied a very important position, especially in the construction of bridges and storage tanks. The reason for this lies in its decisive technical and economical advantages. The most important advantages offered by post-tensioning may be briefly recalled here: - By comparison with reinforced concrete, a con

FAQs

What advantages does post-tensioned construction offer compared with reinforced concrete?

The report highlights savings in concrete and steel due to more slender designs, smaller deflections, good crack behaviour for corrosion protection, permanent serviceability after overload, and high fatigue strength because stress amplitude in prestressing steel remains small.

Which topics are covered under the ultimate limit state and serviceability limit state?

Ultimate limit state sections address flexure and punching shear. Serviceability limit state sections cover crack limitation, deflections, tendon force, vibrations, fire resistance, and corrosion protection.

How does the report treat construction procedures for bonded versus unbonded post-tensioning?

Construction procedures are presented with separate treatment for bonded post-tensioning and for unbonded post-tensioning, after covering general aspects and tendon fabrication. The report also explains preliminary design and the execution of calculations using an example.

Oct 24, 2026

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