Structural

Post-Tensioned Slab

Structural · definition

A slab with tensioned steel cables that resist cracking on expansive soils. Cables must never be cut — a critical caution before any slab penetration.

Source: Post-Tensioning Institute — Slab-on-Ground Applications

  • Expansive Soil

    Clay-rich soil that swells when wet and shrinks when dry, cyclically stressing foundations. A leading cause of foundation cracking and mo…

  • Slab

    A poured concrete floor or foundation surface. Moving plumbing in a slab-on-grade home means saw-cutting and patching concrete — a signif…

  • PSI (Concrete Strength)

    The compressive strength concrete is mixed to (e.g., 3,000–4,000 psi for residential). Specified per application; higher for structural a…

  • Post & Beam

    A structural system of vertical posts carrying horizontal beams, concentrating loads at points (and their footings) rather than along walls.

  • PSL / LSL

    Parallel-strand and laminated-strand lumber — engineered members for high-load columns and beams, stronger and more uniform than sawn lum…

  • Point Load

    A concentrated load delivered at one spot (e.g., a post or beam end) that must be carried continuously down to a footing — a key check wh…

  • Push Pier

    Hydraulically driven steel pier sections that transfer foundation load to deep load-bearing strata to halt or lift settlement.

  • Pier Foundation

    Isolated columns transferring structural loads to deeper, stable soil or rock. Used for decks, additions, and on poor surface soils.

Where this term fits in a remodel

The pillar guides set terms like this one in context — what the work involves, what drives its cost, and where it sits in the sequence of a project. Pricing a specific house takes a defined scope and an on-site assessment.

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