Ram Concept community,
I have a question regarding the correct modeling practices for a PT two-way slab with a significant step.
In my particular case, my slab step is occurring at mid-span perpendicular to my bundled tendons, and I have upturned beams supporting the beam at the step. The lower slab is pitched varying between 10" and 16" thick with a superimposed dead load to account for a topping slab pitched in the other direction. The upper slab is 8" thick with wide shallows spanning 45 ft.
Since there is only a 4 in. x 24 in. window to sweep the tendons into the upturned beam (upper slab is 8" thick, upturn beam - 24" W x 26" D, beam step - 24" W x 30" D), I have to anchor a majority of the bundled tendons into the beam step at a location of highest positive moment (bottom stress) across my design strip. See images.
Has anyone seen this type of design in the past, and could there be failure modes that Ram Concept is not accounting for? I have split up my design strip across the step, forcing the program to consider a PT slab before the step and a mild inverted T-beam beyond the step.
I will try to upload my model for clarification.
Thank you for your time and I look forward to the suggestions.
-Ryan Molley