Not many people know there are cables in concrete. Large sections of concrete have post- tension cables in them. Smaller sections of concrete do not.
It is one of the reasons sidewalks crack and break so often. This article will discuss how post-tension cables allow concrete to stay solid and sturdy.
Concrete is poured section by section onto a dug-out section of land, wherever the property owners have decided. What most people do not know is the crisscrossed cabling that is inside the concrete to secure its structure. The cables are stretched and tensioned to maximize the area they are covering, as well as create tension-based strength throughout the concrete. What this does is keeps the concrete from breaking apart or cracking into smaller pieces by reinforcing the concrete as a whole.
The cables themselves are braided steel cables covered in grease and plastic covers. The grease helps keep the cables from corroding over time as a protective layer, and the plastic covers contain the cables so they don’t rust from water and weather erosion. They will cut the cables after the concrete is set and the cables are tensioned so they don’t stick out and create a tripping hazard.
With the cables placed in the concrete, the slab will be less likely to break apart or erode into smaller pieces due to its reinforcement.
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