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Pretensioning Systems

Prestressing is a technique where concrete is placed under compression before loading to improve its tensile strength. There are two main types - pretensioning and post-tensioning. Pretensioning involves tensioning steel tendons before the concrete is cast so that when the tendons are released, compressive stresses are induced in the concrete. This technique is commonly used to precast concrete elements like beams, floors, piles and railway sleepers using methods like pretensioning on stressing beds or flowline pretensioning.

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5K views42 pages

Pretensioning Systems

Prestressing is a technique where concrete is placed under compression before loading to improve its tensile strength. There are two main types - pretensioning and post-tensioning. Pretensioning involves tensioning steel tendons before the concrete is cast so that when the tendons are released, compressive stresses are induced in the concrete. This technique is commonly used to precast concrete elements like beams, floors, piles and railway sleepers using methods like pretensioning on stressing beds or flowline pretensioning.

Uploaded by

bharupriya204
Copyright
© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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PRE-TENSIONING

SYSTEMS
Principle of Prestressing
 Prestressing is a method by which predetermined

compression force is applied to the concrete section


before loading.

 The effect of prestressing is to reduce the tensile stress


in the section to the point that the tensile stress is below
the cracking stress. Thus, the concrete does not crack!
RC vs. PSC

Reinforcement stops
cracking in tension zone
from opening

Prestressing stops the


concrete going into tension
Advantages of PC over RC
 Take full advantages of high strength concrete and high
strength steel
 Need less materials
 Smaller and lighter structure
 No cracks
 Use the entire section to resist the load
 Better corrosion resistance
 Good for water tanks and nuclear plant
 Very effective for deflection control
 Better shear resistance
Applications of Prestressed Concrete
 Bridges
 Slabs in buildings
 Water Tank
 Concrete Pile
 Thin Shell Structures
 Offshore Platform
 Nuclear Power Plant
 Repair and Rehabilitations
Classification and Types
 Pretensioning vs. Post tensioning
 External vs. Internal
 Linear vs. Circular
 End-Anchored vs. Non End-Anchored
 Bonded vs. Unbonded Tendon
 Precast vs. Cast-In-Place vs. Composite
 Partial vs. Full Prestressing
Prestressing Types

Pre-tensioning Post-tensioning
• Tendons are stressed • Tendons are stressed after
prior to concrete being concrete has been placed
placed
• Can be bonded or
• Force transferred by unbonded
action of bond
Prestressing Applications
Pretensioning
Pre-tensioning
 Tensioning of the tendons to a predetermined level,
after which the concrete is placed
 After the concrete is hardened, the tension force is
released.
 The tendon tries to shrink back to the initial length but
the concrete resists it through the bond between them,
thus, compression force is induced in concrete.
 Pretension is usually done with precast members
Pre-tensioning
Mechanism of transfer
 Tension in the steel is transferred to the concrete
entirely by bond-“prestress transfer bond. ”
 Three factors which contribute pretension bond

 Adhesion between concrete and steel

 Hoyer’s Effect

 Mechanical interlocking
Adhesion
 Adhesive bond is a chemical mechanism, between the

prestressing strand and concrete.

 Easily destroyed in the presence of any strand slip or

cracking

 Contribution of adhesion to the bond is effective only

till occurrence of end slip or cracking


Mechanical Interlock
 When concrete is cast around the 7 wire strand, it
forms the helical shape.
 This helical shape prevents the prestressing strand from
twisting- mechanical interlock.
 At the event of a crack, slip occurs and mechanical
interlock acts to prevent further slippage of the
prestressing strand.
 Effective only if there is no twisting of strand
Hoyer's Effect or wedge action
 Pretension causes reduction in diameter of strand,
proportional to Poisson’s ratio
 Upon release, steel restrained from regaining its
originial dimension
 Restraint causes the high radial pressure on the concrete
that in turn causes high frictional resistance along the
longitudinal axis of the prestressing strand.
 This frictional resistance opposes any relative movement
between the prestressing strand and the concrete
Methods of
Pretensioning
Pretensioning with Individual mould

 Tendons are anchored directly


to the individual steel moulds
in which the concrete is cast.

 Moulds must be designed &


constructed to withstand the
additional forces induced by
the tendons
Mould Method
Pretensioning on stressing beds
 The tendons are tensioned between and
subsequently anchored to the rigid vertical steel
anchor columns
Pretensioning on
stressing beds

Long Line Flow line


Pretensioning pretensioning

Sectional flow Simultaneous


Fixed Bed Rolling Bed
line flow line
Long line or Hoyer Method
 When several pre-tensioned concrete members are to
be manufactured.
 Tendons are stretched between 2 bulk heads, a great
distance apart, so that a number of similar units may
be cast
Hoyer Method-Contd..
 When concrete attains the required strength, jacks are

released and tendon wires in-between various units are


cut

 Advantage of this method is that only two stretching


mechanisms (two jacks - one at each end or one jack at
one end and one anchoring device at the other end)
Fixed bed technologies
 Elements remain in the same place during the entire
production and curing cycle
 Different equipment (with or without operators) moves
along the line to perform the appropriate processes on
consecutive stations.
 Bridge girders and double and single tee units are
manufactured most frequently in fixed beds with full
length fixed molds
Horizontal Shear
 Horizontal shear imposed - large enough to cause
cracking
 pull- off mold - molds are raised or lowered from
hardened concrete but before release of prestress
 Slipping or rolling molds-before release of prestress,
the finger plates are removed, thus yielding a gap which
allows for mold to move longitudinally by means of low
friction rollers
Rolling bed technologies
 Prestressed concrete members are manufactured in long

steel rolling beds which are capable of temporarily


holding the whole prestressing force

 Hollow core floor slabs and sandwich wall panels are


manufactured by rolling bed method
Flow line Pretensioning method
 Individual self stressing molds or pallets move through

the plant from one station to another

 Moving of molds is performed by roller, chain or wheel

conveyors, sliding platforms or by crane

 classified according to the movement of the molds

 simultaneous (synchronous) movement

 sectional (asynchronous) movement.


Flow line Methods
Simultaneous Sectional
 Movement of the molds is  Each mold or group of molds is

performed along the whole moved independently among


conveyor simultaneously the processing areas of the plant

 Highly automated technology  Allows simultaneous

can be used only for mass production of different types of


production of standard elements on the same line
products
Stages and Devices
Stages Devices
 Anchoring of tendons against  Prestressing bed
the end abutments  End abutments
 Placing of jacks  Shuttering / mould
 Applying tension to the tendons  Jack

 Casting of concrete  Anchoring device


 Cutting of the tendons.  Harping device (optional)
Jacks
 To apply tension to the

tendons

 Individually stressing or

simultaneous stressing
(by special jacks) from
one end of the stressing
bed.
Anchoring device
 Used to maintain tendons in tension.

 Once tensioned to required level, jack is released

and the wedges lock against the sides of tendon and


barrel as tendon contracts

 The barrels bear against an anchor block which

transmits the tensioning force via PS bed to the other


end
Anchoring Devices
 After hardening,

prefabricated stool is
inserted between
anchor block and jack

 Anchorage relieved,
jack pressure released
and PS force transferred
Release of Tendons
 Tendons are released individually either by flame
cutting, sawing or by hydraulic cutters
 Tendons are released simultaneously by making use of
hydraulic rams.
 Upon release of the prestressing force, cracking at the
upper face near the ends can happen. To avoid
 Draped or Harped tendons
 Blanketed Tendons
Harped Tendons
 Deflect some of the tendons to obtain the desired cable
profile
 Held in their deflected position by special hold-down
devices at the lower deflection points (also called hold
down or draping points) and by hold-up devices at the
high positions
Blanketed Tendons
 Concrete is prevented from bonding for some of the
pretensioned tendons
 Plastic tubing which surrounds the ”blanketed” tendons
for certain lengths measured from the ends of the
elements.
Applications
 Railway sleepers
 Floor joists
 Beams
 Floor units,
 Poles
 Piles etc
Prestressed Piles
 The prestressing strands are the only longitudinal

reinforcement in the piles.

 The prestressing process introduces compression into

the pile, which counteracts the tensile stress resulting


from handling, driving eccentricity, and stress waves
generated during driving
Prestressed Piles
 Square piles-fewer strands to obtain the same effective
prestress
 Octagonal piles, Strands typically are positioned in a
circular pattern confined within a circular spiral
Railway Sleepers

(a)Travelling pre-tensioning stress bench (b)Anchoring of strands


(c)Stretching of strands
Railway Sleepers

(a)Stretching of strands (b)Pouring (c)Steam curing

(a) Cutting of strands (b)Demoulding (c)Stacking


Railway Sleepers

(a)Water curing (b)Storage and dispatching of sleepers

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