Post-tensioned stone is a high-performance composite construction material: stone held in compression with tension elements. The tension elements can be connected to the outside of the stone, but more typically uses tendons threaded internally through a duct formed from aligned drilled holes.
Post-tensioned stone ("PT stone") could consist of a single piece, but drill limitations and other considerations mean it is typically an assembly of multiple components with mortar between pieces. PT stone has been used in both vertical columns (posts), and in horizontal beams (lintels). It has also been used in more unusual stonemasonry engineering applications: arch stabilization, flexible foot bridges, and cantilevered sculptures.
A closely related method is pre-tensioned stone.[1] A duct is drilled into the stone is used to host a steel rod held in tension with jacks while the duct is filled with epoxy grout. After the epoxy has set, the ends of the rod can be released from the jacks, placing the stone under compression. Similar to pre-stressed concrete, the pre- and post-tensioned methods can be used in different contexts.
Post-tensioned stone also has a close affiliation with massive precut stone, which is the central technique of modern load-bearing stonemasonry.
- ^ Sebastian, Wendel; Webb, Steve (2021). "Tests on prototype pretensioned natural stone beams". Construction and Building Materials. 271: 121555. doi:10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2020.121555. S2CID 234318783.
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