If you’ve arrived at this blog post, it’s likely because you have an upcoming construction project that involves cutting or coring into an existing concrete slab. One way or another, you were alerted to the fact that doing so could be dangerous—especially if the slab is reinforced with post-tension cables. If a post-tension cable is severed, it could not only impact the stability of the slab, but also severely injure or kill anyone who is nearby when the cable snaps.
Post-tension cables provide concrete slabs with a tremendous amount of stability, but they can also present challenges if you want to make changes to your structure in the future.
Disturbing a post-tension slab should be approached with extreme caution!
How to Know If You Are Dealing with a Post-Tension Slab
Not every structure with a concrete slab has post-tension cables embedded in it. Some use only rebar to reinforce the concrete. If you’re not sure if your slab is reinforced with post-tension cables, there are a few ways to check. First of all, you can check for a warning stamp. It will say something like “Post-tension slab. Do not cut or core.” In a home, the stamp will typically be on the floor of the garage. You can also look around the perimeter of the foundation for regularly spaced caps that cover the ends of the cables. However, some contractors choose to cover the holes with concrete patches or stucco, so it’s not always obvious if you have post-tension cables in the concrete slab.
Of course, you could always check the building plans to see how the concrete was reinforced, if you have access to them. However, you may not want to rely on building plans for the exact locations of the tendons, since they might not be entirely accurate!
Cutting or Coring into a Post-Tension Slab
As we mentioned above, your post-tension slab may have come with a warning not to cut or core into it. We would caution you to not cut or core into the slab blindly. It can be perfectly fine to disturb a post-tension slab if you locate and then carefully avoid disturbing the tendons.
When you work with Enhanced Scanning for concrete scanning services, our team will use ground penetrating radar (GPR) to systematically examine your concrete slab in the area(s) you wish to cut or core. We will locate all post-tension cables, as well as any other embedded hazards. We can indicate the location of all hazards directly on the concrete slab or provide you with a CAD overlay.
When it comes time for your contractor to cut or core into the concrete slab, he or she will know what areas to avoid.
Contact Enhanced Scanning for Concrete Scanning Services
Enhanced Scanning is dedicated to providing concrete scans that are highly accurate. We understand the importance of delivering accurate information to our customers—especially when they are dealing with post-tension cables! We use the latest in scanning technology to find all embedded hazards to keep you safe and maintain the integrity of your concrete slab.
Contact us today to schedule concrete scanning services or to have your questions answered.