PRESTRESSED CONCRETE DESIGN

INTRODUCTION

A. Reference: NSCP 2015 and AASHTO 2007 (SI Edition)

Philosophy of Prestressed Concrete:

 High flexural strength compared to RC beams

 Introduction of a compression force on the brittle concrete (axial and/or
flexural) material.
 Tension zone is minimized if not eliminated  Gross areas
o For beams, based on WSD concepts, Itr approx Ig / 5
 High strength concrete (minimum is fc’ = 34.5 MPa)

Methods of Prestressing

 Pretensioned
 Post-tensioned

B. Methods of Prestressing

1. Pretension
 Tensioning of the prestressing steel (called tendons) is done before concrete pouring
 Usually done in a prestressing plant
 Mass production
 Rapid curing (usually using steam curing where 70% of f c' is attained in 24 hours)
Figure

Bulkhead Bulkhead
Anchor
T
plate
Steam
pipeline Prestressing bed

a) Tendons are put in place and through the bulkheads. One end is anchored.
b) The other end of the tendons is pulled using a hydraulic jack with a prescribed tension
force/stress.
c) The tendons are released from the jack and anchored at the jacking end with the use of
wedges.
d) The rebars and formworks are installed.
e) Concrete pouring is done next.
 f) After initial curing (e.g. after 24 hours), the tendons are released from the anchor plates.
The tension force on the tendon is now TRANSFERRED as a compression force on the
concrete members.
g) The tendons are cut (at the ends of each concrete member) and the pretensioned
concrete members are then lifted and transferred elsewhere for storage.
h) The prestressing bed is now cleaned and made ready for the next batch.

Only straight line profiles are possible.

Use hold down devices for non-straight profiles

2. Post-tension
 Tensioning of the tendons is done after concrete has initially cured.
 Fabrication of the prestressed members can be done anywhere (e.g. at the prestressing
plant, at the project site using cast-in-place or cast-on-site techniques).
Procedure:
a) The rebars and formworks are installed.
b) The tendons are placed inside a duct and installed in place.
c) The tendon profile is either straight or a smooth curve.

Anchor T
plate Jacking
end
d) Pour the concrete
e) After concrete has attained a prescribed initial strength (f ci') from initial curing (80% of f c'
can be attained in 2 weeks of normal curing), the tendons are jacked.
f) The tendons are released from the jacks (with wedges to maintain the tension force
within the tendon) and the tension force is TRANSFERRED to the concrete member as a
compression force.
g) After the jacking operation is completed, grout is usually introduced to fill up the ducts.
 Jacks
-single strand jacks
-multi strand jacks

Ducts
- 3 inch diameter can contain a maximum of 12 strands
- or slightly bigger ducts can have 18 strands

C. Advantage of Prestressed Concrete

 The introduction of a compression stresses in the concrete member can offset the
expected tension stresses from the external loads.
 Therefore, the whole concrete section will be active when there is no tension and no
cracking. This is called FULL PRESTRESSED design. PARTIAL PRESTRESSED DESIGN will
allow some amount of tension stress and cracking to occur. The former is more
common.
 High strength concrete is used (minimum is f c' of 35 MPa).
 Flexural members (beams) have very high moment capacities.
 Used for beams with long spans and/or large moments.

D. Stages

 Jacking Stage
Force in the tendon is Pj
Stress in the tendon, Pj / Aps = fpj
 Transfer or Initial Stage
Force in the tendon is Pi
Stress in the tendon, Pi / Aps = fpi
Instantaneous prestress losses will occur. This means that P i < Pj and fpi<fpj
Concrete strength is fci' and the modulus of elasticity is Eci = 4.7 √ f ' ci
 Service Stage
Force in the tendon is Pe
Stress in the tendon, Pe / Aps = fpe
 Time-dependent prestress losses will occur over a protracted period. This means
that Pe < Pi and fpe<fpi
Concrete strength is fc'.

Note: The next 2 stages are hypothetical, meaning the prestressed concrete member may not actually
reach these stages.

 Cracking Stage
This is when the maximum tension stress is equal to the modulus of rupture, f r.
Hence, at this stage, cracking is INCIPIENT.
 Ultimate Stage
This is when the ultimate capacity of the section has been reached.
The behaviour is no longer elastic and the principles of limit analysis, like USD, is
now operative.

Note: The concrete member and tendons will behave elastically within the first 3 stages.

Prestress Losses

1. Instantaneous Losses
a. Anchorage Loss
b. Friction Loss
c. Elastic Shortening
2. Time Dependent Losses
a. Creep
b. Shrinkage
c. Steel Relaxation

Partial Prestressing vs. Full prestressing

Section Properties:

 Use concrete gross section.

 Neglect the area of prestressed and non-prestressed steel.

Use of Prestressed Concrete Technology is dangerous for incompetent hands. The prestress force is an
ACTIVE FORCE and must be handled properly. The assumptions made during design should reflect the
actual condition when constructed (and vice versa).
MATERIALS:

 Concrete
o High strength
o Usually 35 MPa, 41 MPa, 70 MPa, 345 MPa???
 Prestressing Steel (Tendons)
o Wires
o Bars
o Strands (Area of strand shall be determined from Tables)
 7-wire strand
 Grade 250 (fpu = 1725 MPa), 12.7mm: Aps,1 = 92.9 mm2
 Grade 270 (fpu = 1860 MPa), 12.7mm: Aps,1 = 98.7 mm2
 Stress-strain diagram

fpu
fpy

Ep


fpu  Ultimate tensile strength (Gr. 270 or 1860 MPa and Gr. 250 or 1725 MPa)

fpy  Yield strength (0.85fpu for stress relieved strands or 0.90f pu for low relaxation
strands). See table below.

Ep  Modulus of elasticity (Note: this is not 200GPa)

Locally Available Brands:

 VSL
 CCL
 Freyssinet
  BBRV

Advantages of Prestressed vs RC

 Very high flexural strength

Higher f’c

Precompression force makes the whole (gross) section

active

Disadvantages of Prestressed vs RC

 Problem with vibrations for long span beams

 Sagging will require pre-cambering of long span beams
 ANALYSIS OF PRESTRESSED CONCRETE BEAMS

A. Analysis Methods

 Method of Stresses
Used only for determinate systems.
 Equivalent Load Method
Applicable to both determinate and indeterminate systems.

B. Method of Stresses

Note: The first column of stresses are from the prestress force P. This is expressed by the formula:

fc = -(P/A) + (P*e)y/I

The maximum concrete stresses are:

f = -(P/A) E Pe/S
In Figure (d) and (e) above, at midspan, the concrete stresses due to P are

At the bottom: fbottom = -P/(bh) + P(h/6)/(bh 2/6) = 0

At the top: ftop = -P/(bh) - P(h/6)/(bh2/6) = -2P/(bh) = -2fc

where fc = P/A = P/(bh)

The concrete stresses due to the external loads are determined using the usual procedures and formulas
(f = My/I). These are then combined with the stresses due to P, (f = -P/A).

The tendon stresses are evaluated at the JACKING STAGE and at the TRANSFER/INITIAL STAGE.

> fpj

> fpi
Concrete stresses are evaluated at the TRANSFER/INITIAL STAGE and at the SERVICE STAGE.

o At TRANSFER or INITIAL STAGE, the active forces are P i and beam weight.
o Permissible Concrete Stresses at TRANSFER or INITIAL STAGE

Concrete Tensile
Stress Limit
o At SERVICE STAGE, the active forces are Pe, beam weight, other dead loads and live loads.
o Permissible Concrete Stresses at SERVICE STAGE

 Classification of Prestressed Members

Example:

A rectangular concrete beam with a width b = 275mm and a total depth h = 700mm is post-
tensioned using a single parabolic tendon with an eccentricity of 200mm at midspan and 0mm
at the simple supports. The initial prestress force P i = 1500 kN, and an effectiveness ratio R =
Pe/Pi = 0.84. The member is to carry superimposed dead and live loads of 4.4 kN/m and 14.6
kN/m, respectively, uniformly distributed over the 12m span. Specified concrete strength f c’ = 35
MPa, and at time of transfer f’ci = 28 MPa. Determine the flexural stress distributions in the
concrete at midspan (a) for initial conditions before application of superimposed load and (b) at
full service load. Compare with NSCP limit stresses for Class U members.

Solution:

A = 275*700 = 192500 mm2 S = 275*700^2/6/106 = 22.458 x 106 mm3

At INITIAL stage, the active forces are Pi = 1500 kN and the beam weight wo = 0.1925*24 = 4.62 kN/m.
The maximum moment at midspan due to the beam weight is M o = 4.62*122/12 = 55.44 kN-m. Stresses
at the top and bottom of the section at midspan are as follows:

Top: ftop = -P/A + Pe/St - Mo/St = -1500/192.5 + 1500*0.2/22.458 – 55.44/22.458

= -7.792 + 13.358 – 2.469 = 3.097 MPa

Bottom: fbot = -P/A - Pe/Sb + Mo/Sb = -1500/192.5 - 1500*0.2/22.458 + 55.44/22.458

= -7.792 - 13.358 + 2.469 = -18.681 MPa

The permissible stress for tension at the INITIAL stage is as follows:

Permissible ftension = 0.25√ 28=1.323 MPa<3.097 MPa( Fail)

Therefore, tension reinforcements are required. The amount of reinforcements will depend on the
tension force T.
3.097
y
y = 3.097/21.778*700
= 99.545mm

1 18.681
T = ∗3.097∗99.545∗275 /1000
2
= 42.39 kN
Assuming that Gr. 40, 16mm bars are used, the amount of reinforcements can be determined using an
allowable tensile stress of 0.5fy for the rebars.
 42.39∗103
Req’d As = =¿ 307.17 mm2
0.5∗276
307.17
=¿
The required number of bars, n = π∗162 1.52 bars, say 2 bars.
4
The permissible stress for compression at the INITIAL stage is as follows:
Allowable fcomp = 0.6*28 = 16.8 MPa < 18.681 (Fail)

At SERVICE stage, the active forces are Pe = 0.84*1500 = 1260 kN and the total load w T = 4.62 + 4.4 + 14.6
= 23.62 kN/m.

The maximum moment at midspan due to the total load is M T = 23.62*122/12 = 283.44 kN-m. Stresses at
the top and bottom of the section at midspan are as follows:

Top: ftop = -P/A + Pe/St – MT/St = 0.84*(-7.792 + 13.358) – 283.44/22.458

= -6.545 + 11.221 – 12.621 = -7.945 MPa

Bottom: fbot = -P/A - Pe/Sb + MT/Sb

= -6.545 - 11.221 + 12.621 = -5.145 MPa

The permissible stress for tension at the SERVICE stage for Class U is as follows:

Permissible ftension = 0.62√ 35=¿ 3.66 MPa

There is no tensile stress in the section at midspan since the stress at the bottom is still in compression.
Therefore, the tensile permissible stress is complied with.

The permissible stress for compression at the SERVICE stage based on the total load is as follows:

Permissible fcomp = 0.60*35 ¿ 21 MPa > 7.945 MPa (Safe)

For sustained loads: wS = 4.62 + 4.4 = 9.02 kN/m. The maximum moment is M S = 9.02*122/12 = 108.24
kN-m. The maximum compressive stress at the top is solved below.

Top: ftop = -P/A + Pe/St – MS/St = -6.545 + 11.221– 108.24/22.458 = -0.144 MPa

The permissible stress for compression at the SERVICE stage based on the sustained loads only is as
follows:

Permissible fcomp = 0.45*35 ¿ 15.75 MPa > 0.144 MPa (Safe)

Example:

Determine the required number of strands using Gr. 270, ½” diam. strands for a prestressing for P i =
1500 kN.
Solution:

Permissible tensile stress for strands at transfer stage is 0.70f pu.

fpu = 1860 MPa

0.70fpu = 1302 MPa

Therefore, the required area of prestressing steel is

1500∗1000
A ps= =1152.1 mm2
1302

The area of one strand is Aps1 = 98.7 mm2 and the required number of strands is

1152.1
n= =¿ 11.67 strands, say 12 strands.
98.7

Example: Determine the maximum eccentricity that will comply with the concrete stresses at INITIAL
stage based on the loads and the other given data from the previous problems and without using
tension reinforcing bars.

Solution:

The permissible stress for tension at the INITIAL stage is as follows:

Permissible ftension = 0.25√ 28=1.323 MPa

Top: ftop = -P/A + Pe/St - Mo/St = -1500/192.5 + 1500*e/22.458 – 55.44/22.458 = 1.323 MPa

22.458
Therefore, e = (1.323 + 7.792 + 2.469)* = 0.173 m
1500