Basic Concepts
Uploaded by
Bill Ely BalagotBasic Concepts
Uploaded by
Bill Ely BalagotDepartment of Civil Engineering
Prestressed Concrete
Introduction
Basic concepts
Instructor:
Dr. Sawsan Alkhawaldeh
Prestressing principle
• Normal concrete is strong in compression
and weak in tension. Therefore, flexural
cracks form at very early stage of loading.
• Its tensile strength is 8-14% of its
compressive strength.
• To reduce or prevent these cracks from
developing, a force (Prestressing force) is
imposed in the longitudinal direction to
reduce the tensile stresses at the critical
sections.
Definition of prestressing
Prestressing is the creation of permanent internal
stresses in a structure or system to improve its
performance by counteract the stresses induced
by external loading.
Different methods of prestressing are available:
• Pre-tensioning
• Post-tensioning
• Self-stressing
- Chemical prestressing
- Shape memory materials
Effect of prestressing
Pre-tensioning
Pre-tensioning is the process where the tendons are
tensioned prior to the concrete being cast. The concrete is casted,
following which the end-anchoring of the tendons is released, and
the tendon tension forces are transferred to the concrete as
compression.
Post-tensioning
Post-tensioning is the method where the tendons are tensioned after the
surrounding concrete structure has been cast. The tendons are not placed in
direct contact with the concrete, but are placed within a protective sleeve or
duct which is either cast into the concrete structure or placed adjacent to it.
Once the concrete has been cast and set, the tendons are tensioned ("stressed")
by pulling the tendon ends. The large forces required to tension the tendons
result in a significant permanent compression being applied to the concrete once
the tendon is "locked-off" at the anchorage.
Linear Prestressing
Circular Prestressing
Prestressing tendons
Prestressed versus Reinforced concrete
• Permanent stresses are created before the
application of full load to eliminate or
reduce the tensile stresses caused by the
loads which is not the case of normal RC.
• A structural system can be made flexible or
rigid by controlling the amount of prestress.
Flexibility is more difficult to achieve in RC if
considerations of economy are to be
observed.
Disadvantages of prestressed concrete
• Higher cost of the higher quality materials
needed in prestressing.
• Additional cost due to prestressing
operations, frame work is more complex,
geometry of sections are usually
composed of flanged sections with thin
webs.
• More expensive.
• Harder to re-cycle.
Advantages of prestressed concrete
• Shallower members in depth for the same
span and loading, 65-83% of the
equivalent reinforced concrete member.
• less concrete and 20-35% of the amount
of reinforcement.
• Less maintenance and longer working life
due to better quality control of concrete.
• Lighter foundations due to smaller
cumulative weight.
PC Members RC Members
Concrete and steel Smaller quantities with Larger quantities with
higher strength. lower strength.
Cross section utilization The whole concrete section Only uncracked part is
is resisting the externally effective in resisting the
applied loads. externally applied loads.
Weight and slenderness Lighter, more appealing in Heavier and bulkier in
shape and slender. shape.
Corrosion protection Creating tightly sealed shell It is easier for water to
around prestressing strand seep through and corrode
and protecting them the reinforcing bars.
against corrosion.
Deflection control Higher resisting of long Higher long term
term deflections. deflections.
Shear resistance Higher shear resistance Such resistance is not
due to the inclination of existent.
Applications
Bridges
Slabs in buildings
Water tanks
Concrete pile
Thin shell structures
Offshore platform
Nuclear power plant
Repair and Rehabilitation
Basic concepts
• Prestressing force is determined from
principals of mechanics and stress-strain
relationships (See the following figure).
• For elastic and homogenous concentric
section with external loading, the stress is:
𝑓 = −𝑃 𝐴𝑐 (-ve sign is for compression)
Basic concepts
• If external loads are applied, the stresses
are:
𝑓𝑡 = −𝑃 𝐴𝑐 − (𝑀𝑐 𝐼𝑔 )
𝑓𝑏 = −𝑃 𝐴𝑐 + (𝑀𝑐 𝐼𝑔 )
• If the prestressing tendons are placed
eccentrically, the stresses become:
𝑓𝑡 = −𝑃 𝐴𝑐 + (𝑃𝑒𝑐 𝐼𝑔 ) − (𝑀𝑐 𝐼𝑔 )
𝑓𝑏 = −𝑃 𝐴𝑐 − (𝑃𝑒𝑐 𝐼𝑔 ) + (𝑀𝑐 𝐼𝑔 )
Prestressing tendon profile
To avoid high tensile stresses at the top fibers at
the supports of simply supported beam, the
eccentricity of prestressing tendons is made less
at the supports than the midspan.
Methods of design
For designing the prestressed concrete
members, three design methods can be used:
• Basic concept method.
• C-line method.
• Load balancing method.
Basic concept method
The stresses are directly computed from the
external forces applied to the concrete by
prestressing and external loads.
• Under prestressing force only, the stresses
are:
𝑃𝑖 𝑒𝑐𝑡
𝑓𝑡 = − 1− 2
𝐴𝑐 𝑟
𝑃𝑖 𝑒𝑐𝑏
𝑓𝑏 = − 1+ 2
𝐴𝑐 𝑟
Basic concept method
• Under prestressing and self-weight, the
moment caused by the self-weight is
considered. The stresses are:
𝑃𝑖 𝑒𝑐𝑡 𝑀𝐷
𝑓𝑡 = − 1− 2 − 𝑡
𝐴𝑐 𝑟 𝑆
𝑃𝑖 𝑒𝑐𝑏 𝑀𝐷
𝑓𝑏 = − 1+ 2 +
𝐴𝑐 𝑟 𝑆𝑏
Other methods of design
• C-line method, this method considers the
member as plain concrete elastic member,
the analysis is based on using the principles
of statics. Prestressing force is considered
as an external load.
• Load balancing method, this method is
applicable to nonstraight tendons as it is
based on utilizing the vertical force to
balance the imposed gravity loads.
Design Example
Design Example
