Frequently Asked Questions

Slab-on-Ground Construction
Answers from the PTI Slab-on-Ground Committee
n 1806.7.2 of
QUESTION Se<2tio
the 1997 Uniform
Building Code requires minimum reinforcing steel in
"slabs-on-gro und w ith turned-down footings". Does
this code sectio n apply to post-tensioned slabs-onground designed in accorda nce with Sectio n 1816?

No. The 1997 Unifo rm

_. .~
Building Code <UBCl,
Chapter 18, Fo u11datiOIIS cmd Retai11i11g Walls provides
two alternatives for the design of foundatio ns for studbearing wa lls: ( 1) footings designe d in accordance
with the structural provisions of the code, and (2)
footings for w hich a design is not required and is not
provided . Such footings, gene rally of structural plain
concre te, mee t the requirement set fo rth in Table 18-1C and the othe r prescriptive provisions o f the code .
Section 1806.7.2 is inte nded to appl y o nly to
fo undations des igned prescri ptively (whe re an
engineered design , with calculatio ns, is not p rovided>.
Foundations designed using an e ngineered procedure
are exempt fro m Section 1806.7.2. This interpretation
is suppo rted by a w ritte n o pinion fro m the ICBO
technical staff (available from the Post-Te nsio ning
Institute).

COMMENTARY:

Designed footings include post-tensioned slabs-onground in accordance with Sectio n 18 16. This sectio n,
based o n Chapter 6 o f the Second Edition of the PTI

Desig 11 a11d Collstrucfioll of Post-Te11sio 11ed 5/ahs-oiiGr oulld (the "PTI me thod"), is part of the structural

provisions of the code. The PTI method presents a

specific engineered procedure to resist the effects of
expansive soils, and is an essentially complete set of
structural design provisions. The PTI method applies
to ribbed or stiffe ned foundations and to uniform
thickness foundatio ns. Ribbed fo undations e nco mpass

P.ti

POST-TENSIONING
INSTITUTE

December 2000 Issue No. 2

Slabs-on-Ground w ith Turned-Down Footings: such
slabs typically include the perimeter footings (turneddown footings> and all interior footings. Diffe re ntial
settleme nt, according to the PTI me thod . is controlled
by Sectio n 1816.4.9. Section 1806.7.2 is not a pplicable
post-tensio ned
slabs.
In
post-tensio ne d
to
construction. the slabs and the ribs are usually cast in
one pour.
Engineers designing post-tensioned slabs-on-ground in
Seismic Zo nes 3 and 4 recognize that the 1997 UBC
prescriptive provision fo r non-structural sla bs-onground are also inte nded to prov ide for the
transmissio n of design base shear and ovetturning
forces from the structure to the supporting
soil (includ ing the supe rstructure-to-foundation
connection).
Whe n following the PTI method .
e ngineers thus check Sectio ns 1806.6 a nd 1809.1
thro ugh 1809.4 in add ition to Sectio n 1816: these
sectio ns ma y re quire the placeme nt of mild
reinforceme nt in addition to the post-te nsioning. Local
mild re info rceme nt ma y be required . among other
reasons. to account fo r stress concentrations, to act as
cho rds or collecto rs, or to resist local shears o r
bending mome nts induced by shear wall tie downs.

Non-designed footings follow the requirements of

Table 18-I-C. Amo ng the other prescriptive provisio ns
of the code is Section 1806.7.2 that codifies for
footings in Seismic Zones 3 and 4 the long standing
d esign practice in Ca lifo rnia of including mild
re inforceme nt. This practice ties the footings together
a nd provides (witho ut the need for a design) some
control of differe ntial settlement. The footings remain
as structural plain concrete even w ith the No. 4 or No.
5 bars specifie d .
In conve ntional reside ntial
foundatio ns, the slabs and the footings are usually GISt
in separate pours.

Frequently Asked Questions

oEcEMBER 2000

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