pt timber

huangyhg

pt timber???
has anybody ever come across a post-tensioned timber beam circa 1920? i'm investigating an old church that experiences excessive deflections in the sanctuary floor. the girders consist of a 2-ply 2x something, with a 1/2" space on each side, then another 2x something on each side - so a 4-ply beam with (2) 1/2" gaps. in each gap are what the owner referred to as conduits - i assumed for wiring or something. a contractor friend of mine who looked at it thought they might be tension rods....
anyway, i was about to recommend that they either replace the existing beams or add columns in the basement to reduce deflections, but after hearing this about the tension rods, thought it might be possible to re-tension the rods of they have slipped over the past 85 years...
any ideas would be greatly appreciated.
-steve