New construction foundation crack

Specific Inspection Topics Structural Inspections
1

I have basically a simple question. When is the crack too big?

 This is a new home construction with post tension slab that has not been pulled tight yet.  The crack has expanded from hairline to being able to slip a quarter sized washer in it.  Builder says "don't worry" and look after it's tensioned.  My issue is I expect "hairline" cracks but this looks to me to be full thickness and across the entire slab. In effect making it two slabs and now pulled together with post tension cables.  

 I'm sure they can reduce the crack, however, this ain't bone and that crack won't heal.  It will always be there and this slab will always be two pieces.  The crack is also straight through where a cable is so how in the world can that cable be pulled tight?  Wouldn't it just act as a wedge to drive it further apart?  

 Also, I know builders want to frame immediately after the pour but doesn't having the frame nailed and bolted to the foundation negate the effect of putting tension on the cables?  It seems you would be pulling against the framing which is fixed in place with the crack where it is.  If it's pulled tight it just tweaks the level of every stick they nailed and nothing is as square as when it was installed.  

 Is this poor workmanship just too common to worry about? What can/should be done?  At the very least should it be sealed or have an some leveler poured over the cracks and let it cover the areas that are still exposed?

West side

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/BRGirCmR_18RiM6Q4azX_K_L4zWXnQT5dlfmte6FAyc=w273-h365-no

East side

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/hFRn9Z4Q8SJlMWFV9I76SjnX7l5IDcQUlDCAllM0yLA=w858-h643-no

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/5flyUUAme7qIOTwDmEM3FW_mfAYkej-A09CClO4vGDo=w483-h643-no

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/HvKQmnhDwbRC917wCec_6FUqpaRecW0szkXqmd-9DNo=w858-h643-no

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/MSXySbp86D-bQMCUOiM90wdbm87azT39SzagUP01lzA=w483-h643-no

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/ip4MqYq63toNyB1SmeuPMWnADWQ9GPQ5vThDPK116Oo=w858-h643-no

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/cFtL7NsLw2cMU6QJfGOjHn-5Kn6gMxl1X2kp-g9iaZ0=w483-h643-no

2

How long since the pour? Unfortunately there’s very little that can be done to prevent cracks in post tension slabs before the tendons are stressed. Nature of the beast. The tendons - once tensioned - are the mechanism that helps prevent cracking, but you can’t tension them immediately after a pour. Normal wait time is on the order of 5-10 days. These types of cracks are normally repaired with epoxy injection. Now, if the builder waited weeks, you might have an argument that he did something wrong. And no, framing before stressing isn’t normally an issue, but the design professional makes that call, not the framer.

3

Darren, thank you so much for replying. I was beginning to think I did something wrong on this post. Is 10 days the max they should wait? As far as dates go, the pour had to have happened prior to June 5th and the tensioning will have to occur after June 17th. Those are the two dates I have before and after pictures from. We have had rain delays in Texas and I don’t know how that affects this situation. We live out of town so we make trips down to check the progress.

I guess I am somewhat confident that there will not be structural failure with this type and condition of foundation; however, what are the long term consequences on a house that starts out as this? We are living in a newer Oklahoma home now with significant settling cracks and issues with a slab on grade foundation. I assume post tension is better, I don’t know. What I do know is the little cracks we saw on our current home is a warning sign of big headaches just a couple of years later. I don’t want to buy a new home that had warning signs from day 1 that were being ignored by the builder.

Thank you again for your observations. Much appreciated.