NIST Paul Macharia

PRESTRESSED CONCRETE
Definition of Prestress:
Prestress is defined as a method of applying pre-compression to control the stresses
resulting due to external loads below the neutral axis of the beam tension developed
due to external load which is more than the permissible limits of the plain concrete. The
pre-compression applied (may be axial or eccentric) will induce the compressive stress
below the neutral axis or as a whole of the beam c/s. Resulting either no tension or
compression.
Basic Concept
Prestressed concrete is basically concrete in which internal stresses of a suitable
magnitude and distribution are introduced so that the stresses resulting from the
external loads are counteracted to a desired degree.
Terminology
Tendon: A stretched element used in a concrete member of structure to impart
prestress to the concrete.
Anchorage: A device generally used to enable the tendon to impart and maintain
prestress in concrete.
Pretensioning: A method of prestressing concrete in which the tendons are
tensioned before the concrete is placed. In this method, the concrete is
introduced by bond between steel & concrete.
Post-tensioning: A method of prestressing concrete by tensioning the tendons
against hardened concrete. In this method, the prestress is imparted to concrete
by bearing.
Materials for Prestressed concrete members:
1. Cement: The cement used should be any of the following
Ordinary Portland cement
Portland slag cement. But the slag content should not be more than 50%.
Rapid hardening Portland cement.
High strength ordinary Portland cement.
2. Concrete: Prestress concrete requires concrete, which has a high compressive
strength reasonably early age with comparatively higher tensile strength than ordinary
concrete. The concrete for the members shall be air-entrained concrete composed of
Portland cement, fine and coarse aggregates, admixtures and water. The air-entraining
feature may be obtained by the use of either air-entraining Portland cement or an
approved air-entraining admixture. The entrained air content shall be not less than 4

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percent or more than 6 percent. Minimum cement content of 300 to 360 kg/m3 is
prescribed for the durability requirement.
The water content should be as low as possible.
3. Steel: - High tensile steel, tendons, strands or cables. The steel used in prestress
shall be any one of the following: -
Plain hard-drawn steel wire.
Cold drawn indented wire.
High tensile steel wire bar.
Advantage of Prestressed Concrete
The use of high strength concrete and steel in prestressed members results in
lighter and slender members than is possible with RC members.
In fully prestressed members the member is free from tensile stresses under
working loads, thus whole of the section is effective.
In prestressed members, dead loads may be counter-balanced by eccentric
prestressing.
Prestressed concrete member possess better resistance to shear forces due to
effect of compressive stresses presence or eccentric cable profile.
Use of high strength concrete and freedom from cracks, contribute to improve
durability under aggressive environmental conditions.
Long span structures are possible so that saving in weight is significant & thus it
will be economic.
Factory products are possible.
Prestressed members are tested before use.
Prestressed concrete structure deflects appreciably before ultimate failure, thus
giving ample warning before collapse.
Fatigue strength is better due to small variations in prestressing steel,
recommended to dynamically loaded structures.
Disadvantages of Prestressed Concrete
The availability of experienced builders is scanty.
Initial equipment cost is very high.
Availability of experienced engineers is scanty.
Prestressed sections are brittle
Prestressed concrete sections are less fire resistant.
Classifications and Types
Prestressed concrete structures can be classified in a number of ways depending upon
the feature of designs and constructions.

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1. Pre-tensioning:
In which the tendons are tensioned before the concrete is placed, tendons are
temporarily anchored and tensioned and the prestress is transferred to the concrete
after it is hardened.
2. Post-tensioning:
In which the tendon is tensioned after concrete has hardened. Tendons are placed in
sheathing at suitable places in the member before casting and later after hardening of
concrete.
The various methods by which pre-compression are imparted to concrete are classified
as follows:
Generation of compressive force between the structural elements and its
abutments using flat jack.
Development of hoop compression in cylindrically shaped structures by
circumferential wire binding.
Use of longitudinally tensioned steel embedded in concrete or housed in ducts.
Use of principle of distortion of a statically indeterminate structure either by
displacement or by rotation of one-part relative to the remainder.
Use of deflected structural steel sections embedded in concrete until the
hardening of the latter.
Development of limited tension in steel and compression in concrete by using
expanding cements.
The most widely used method for prestressing of structural concrete elements is
longitudinal tensioning of steel by different tensioning devices. Prestressing by the
application of direct forces between abutments is generally used for arches and
pavements, while flat jacks are invariably used to impart the desired forces.
Tensioning Devices
The various types devices used for tensioning steel are grouped under four principal
categories, viz.
Mechanical devices: The mechanical devices generally used include weights with or
without lever transmission, geared transmission in conjunction with pulley blocks, screw
jacks with or without gear devices and wire-winding machines. These devices are
employed mainly for prestressing structural concrete components produced on a mass
scale in factory.
Hydraulic devices: These are simplest means for producing large prestressing force,
extensively used as tensioning devices.

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Electrical devices: The wires are electrically heated and anchored before placing
concrete in the mould. This method is often referred to as thermo-prestressing and
used for tensioning of steel wires and deformed bars.
Chemical devices: Expanding cements are used and the degree of expansion is
controlled by varying the curing condition. Since the expansive action of cement while
setting is restrained, it induces tensile forces in tendons and compressive stresses in
concrete.
Prestressing System:
Pretensioning system:
In the pre-tensioning systems, the tendons are first tensioned between rigid anchor-
blocks cast on the ground or in a column or unit mould types pretensioning bed, prior
to the casting of concrete in the mould. The tendons comprising individual wires or
strands are stretched with constant eccentricity or a variable eccentricity with tendon
anchorage at one end and jacks at the other. With the forms in place, the concrete is
cast around the stressed tendon.
Prior to Prestressing

Effect of Prestressing, Ignoring Self-Weight

Prestress Plus Self-Weight

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Prestress Plus Self-Weight and Live Load

Post-tensioned system:
In post-tensioning the concrete unit are first cast by incorporating ducts or grooves to
house the tendons. When the concrete attains sufficient strength, the high-tensile wires
are tensioned by means of jack bearing on the end of the face of the member and
anchored by wedge or nuts. The forces are transmitted to the concrete by means of
end anchorage and, when the cable is curved, through the radial pressure between the
cable and the duct. The space between the tendons and the duct is generally grouted
after the tensioning operation.
Most of the commercially patented prestressing systems are based on the following
principle of anchoring the tendons:
Wedge action producing a frictional grip on the wire.
Direct bearing from the rivet or bolt heads formed at the end of the wire.
Looping the wire around the concrete.
Methods:
Freyssinet system
Gifford-Udall system
Magnel blaton system
Lee-McCall system

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Comparative Study: Pretension Vs Post-Tensioned Member

Pretension member Post-tensioned member
1. In pretensioned prestress concrete, steel 1. Concreting is done first then wires are
is tensioned prior to that of concrete. It is tensioned and anchored at ends. The
released once the concrete is placed and stress transfer is by end bearing not by
hardened. The stresses are transferred all bond.
along the wire by means of bond.
2. Suitable for short span and precast 2. Suitable for long span bridges
products like sleepers, electric poles on
mass production.
3. In pretensioning the cables are basically
3. The post tensioning cables can be
straight and horizontal. Placing them inaligned in any manner to suit the B.M.D
curved or inclined position is difficult.
due to external load system. Therefore, it
However, the wires can be kept with is more economical particularly for long
eccentrically. Since cables cannot be span bridges. The curved or inclined cables
aligned similar to B.M.D. structural can have vertical component at ends.
advantages are less compare to that of These components will reduce the design
post-tensioned. shear force. Hence post-tensioned beams
are superior to pretensioned beams both
from flexural and shear resistances point.
4. Prestress losses are more compare to 4. Losses are less compare to pre-
that of post-tensioned concrete. tensioned concrete

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