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Prestressed Concrete Design

Prestressed concrete structures utilize an initial load, or 'prestress', to counteract service stresses, making them different from conventional reinforced concrete. This method, pioneered by Eugene Freyssinet, offers advantages such as reduced depth, improved durability, and suitability for larger spans, but requires skilled technology and higher quality materials. The document also outlines the processes of pre-tensioning and post-tensioning, as well as the importance of grouting for corrosion protection and bond strength.

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Clarisse Jose
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18 views7 pages

Prestressed Concrete Design

Prestressed concrete structures utilize an initial load, or 'prestress', to counteract service stresses, making them different from conventional reinforced concrete. This method, pioneered by Eugene Freyssinet, offers advantages such as reduced depth, improved durability, and suitability for larger spans, but requires skilled technology and higher quality materials. The document also outlines the processes of pre-tensioning and post-tensioning, as well as the importance of grouting for corrosion protection and bond strength.

Uploaded by

Clarisse Jose
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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PRESTRESSED CONCRETE DESIGN

BASIC CONCEPT
• A prestressed concrete structure is different from a conventional reinforced concrete
structure due to the application of an initial load on the structure prior to its use.
• The initial load or ‘prestress’ is applied to enable structure to counteract the stresses
arising during its service period.
Development
• The basic principle of prestressing was applied to construction perhaps centuries ago,
when ropes or metal bands were wound around wooden staves to form barrels.
Principle of prestressing applied to barrel construction

Principle of prestressing applied to barrel construction


• When the bands were tightened, they were under tensile prestress which in turn created
compressive prestress between the staves and thus enabled them to resist hoop tension
produced by the internal liquid pressure.
• In other words, the bands and the staves were both prestressed before they were subjected
to any service loads.
Economics of Prestressed Concrete
Prestressed members are shallower in depth than their reinforced concrete counterparts for the
same span and loading conditions.
Prestressed concrete member is usually about 65 to 80 percent of the depth of the equivalent
reinforced concrete member.
Unfortunately, this saving in material weight is balanced by the higher cost of the higher quality
materials needed in prestressing.
Eugene Freyssinet

• Was a French civil engineer. He was the major pioneer of prestressed concrete.
• He was known as the father of prestressed concrete.
• Freyssinet's proposal was for three reinforced concrete truss spans, and was significantly
less expensive than the standard masonry arch design. The design used jacks to raise and
connect the arches, effectively introducing an element of prestress.
Definitions
• Wires – Prestressing wire is a single unit made of steel.
• Strands – Two, three or seven wires are wound to form a prestressing strand.
• Tendon – A group of strands or wires are wound to form a prestressing tendon.
• Cable - A group of tendons form a prestressing cable.
• Bars - A tendon can be made up of a single steel bar. The diameter of a bar is much larger
than that of a wire.
Nature of Concrete – Steel Interface
• Bonded Tendon
When there is adequate bond between the prestressing tendon and concrete, it is
called a bonded tendon.
Pre-tensioned and grouted post-tension tendons are bonded tendons.
• Unbonded Tendon
When there is no bond between the prestressing tendon and concrete, it is called
unbonded tendon.
When grout is not applied after post-tensioning, the tendon is an unbonded
tendon.

Stages of Loading
• Initial Stage:
• During tensioning of steel
• At transfer of prestress to concrete.
• Final Stage:
• At service, during operation
• At ultimate, during extreme events.
Advantages of Prestressing
• The prestressing of concrete has several advantages as compared to traditional reinforced
concrete (RC) without prestressing.
• A fully prestressed concrete member is usually subjected to compression during service
life.
• This rectifies several deficiencies of concrete.
1. Section remains uncracked under service loads.
• Reduction of steel corrosion
• Increase in durability
• Full section is utilized
• Higher moment of inertia (higher stiffness)
• Less deformations (improved serviceability)
• Increase in shear capacity
• Suitable for use in pressure vessels, liquid retaining structures.
• Improved performance (resilience) under dynamic loading.
2. High span-to-depth ratios
• Larger spans possible with prestressing (bridges, buildings with large column-free
spaces)
• Reduction in self weight
• More aesthetic appeal due to slender sections
• More economical sections.
3. Suitable for precast construction. The advantages of precast construction are as follows:
• Rapid construction
• Reduced maintenance
• Suitable for repetitive construction
• Multiple use of formwork/ Reduction of formwork

Limitations of Prestressing
• It needs skilled technology. Hence, It is not as common as reinforced concrete.
• The use of high strength material is costly.
• There is an additional cost in auxiliary equipment.
• There is need for quality control and inspection.

Pre-tensioning and Post-tensioning


Pre-tensioning
• The tension is applied to the tendon before casting of concrete.
• The pre-compression is transmitted from steel to concrete through bond over the
transmission length near the ends.
• The following figure shows how pre-tensioning works.
Post-tensioning
• The tension is applied to the tendons (located in a duct) after hardening of the concrete.
• The pre-compression is transmitted from steel to concrete by the anchorage device (at the
end blocks).
• The following figure shows a post-tensioned box girder of a bridge.

The various stages of post-tensioning operation are summarized as follows.


1. Casting of concrete.
2. Placement of tendons.
3. Placement of the anchorage block and jack.
4. Applying tension to the tendons.
5. Seating of the wedges.
6. Cutting of tendons.
After the concrete is cast and cured to gain sufficient strength, the tendons are passed trough the
ducts, as shown in the second photo.

The tendons are anchored at one end and stretched at the other end by a hydraulic jack. This can
be observed from the third photo.
Grouting
• Can be defined as the filling of duct, with a material that provides an anti-corrosive
alkaline environment to the prestressing steel and also a strong bond between the tendon
and the surrounding grout.

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