Module-1,Introduction

Introduction:
A Prestressed concrete member may be defined as the concrete in which effective
internal stresses are introduced artificially with tensioned steel before loading the structure.

Concrete has high compressive strength compared to its very low tensile strength. So
concrete is reinforced with steel bars to take tensile strength. Concrete in the tensile zone also
offers resistance along with steel and develops minute tensile cracks. The dimensions of the
member may also have to be determined from diagonal tensile stress consideration. In the case
of long beams, where large shear forces exists, the beam sizes have got to be large to limit the
diagonal tensile stresses under certain limits. A reinforced concrete member is also found to
develop cracks even in the absence of loads, due to the shrinkage of concrete in the hardening
stage.

In the prestressed concrete member, all the above defects and weakness are made up.

A very important aspect to be noted is that a prestressed concrete member is essentially

a concrete member only and the tendons (reinforcements) are considered as the necessary
device to supply the prestress to the concrete. If prestress can be introduced by external
jacking, then the tendons will not be necessary for a prestressed concrete member. The tendons
therefore serve as the means to supply the prestressing force.

In order to get maximum advantage of a prestressed concrete member, it is necessary to

use high strength concrete and high tensile steel wires.

Concrete used for prestressed work should have a cube strength of 35 N/mm2 for post-
tensioned system and 45 N/mm2 for pre-tensioned system.

Prestressing: It is an intentional application of predetermined force on the structural member

for overcoming concrete’s natural weakness in resisting tensile stress developed due to super
imposed load steel is used for prestressing.

Forms of Prestressing Steel

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.

Anchorage: A device generally used to enable the tendon to impart and maintain prestress in
concrete.
Commonly used anchorages are
The Freyssinet system
The Magnel Blaton system
Gifford Udall system
P.S.C monowire system
C.C.L standard system
Lee -mccall system

DPSC Page 1
 Module-1,Introduction

Prestressed concrete: It is the one in which concrete is subjected to pre-compression before it

is subjected to superimposed loads.Tensile stresses developed due to superimposed loads are
nullified or counteracted by the compressive stresses developed due to prestressing.

Necessity of high grade of concrete & steel:

Higher the grade of concrete higher the bond strength which is vital in pretensioned concrete,
Also higher bearing strength which is vital in post-tensioned concrete. Further creep &
shrinkage losses are minimum with high-grade concrete.

Generally minimum M30 grade concrete is used for post-tensioned & M40 grade
concrete is used for pretensioned members.

The losses in prestress members due to various reasons are generally in the range of
250 N/mm2 to 400 N/mm2. If mild steel or deformed steel is used the residual stresses after
losses is either zero or negligible. Hence high tensile steel wires are used which varies from
1600 to 2000 N/mm2.

High strength concrete is necessary for the following reasons:

(i) Since large prestressing force are applied to the member by the tendons, high bearing
stresses are developed at the ends by the anchoring devices.
(ii) The anchorages are generally designed for high strength concrete work.
(iii) Bursting stresses liable to at the ends of the beam cannot be satisfactorily resisted by
low strength concrete.
(iv) When the stress transfer to concrete has to take place by bond action, the concrete
should have a high bond stress which can be offered only by high strength concrete.
(v) To have reduced Shrinkage cracks,high strength concrete shall be used.
(vi) Due to the high modulus of elasticity of high strength concrete, the elastic and creep
strains are very small resulting in smaller loss of prestress in the steel reinforcement.
(vii) By using high strength concrete the cross sectional areas required for members will
be reduced resulting in considerable reduction of dead load moments particularly in a
case of long span beams.
(viii) To have higher stiffners and for reduced deflection, high strength concrete is used.
(ix) To have higher resistance in compression, tension, shear and bond high strength
concrete is used.

High tensile steel is necessary for the following reasons:

High strength steel is used in PSCstructures to atribute the following
(i) High strength steel is required to apply greater amount of prestress depending
upon the superimposed load.
(ii) High strength steel is required to have adequate ductility.
(iii) Higher bondig is necessary for prestressed concrete structures which requires
high strength steel.
(iv) To have minimum corrosion.
(v) Relaxation of steel is defined as the decrease in stress and time under constant
strain.Due to the relaxation of steel the prestress in the tendon is reduced with
time to reduce the relaxation of steel high strength steel is used.

DPSC Page 2
 Module-1,Introduction

Comparison of prestressed concrete beams with reinforced concrete beams:

SL PRESTRESSED CONCRETE BEAM REINFORCED CONCRETE BEAM

NO
1 Entire section is effective because there The compression side of the natural axis
is no tensile stress. alone is effective.The concrete in the
tension side of the neutral axis is in
effective neutral.
2 These are lighter.There is no need of They are heavy.They always need shear
shear reinforcement. reinforcement addition of flexure
reinforcement.
3 High strength concrete and High High strength concrete is not required.
strength steel is required.
4 Cracks do not occur under working Cracks do occur.
loads.
5 Deflections are small. Deflections are heavy.
6 Testing of steel and concrete can be There is no way of testing the steel and
made while prestressing. the concrete.
7 Needs auxiliary units like prestressing No need for auxiliary units.
equipment anchoring etc.
8 Suitable for heavy loads and long span. These are more suitable in situations
where the weight is more desired than
strength.
9 Prestress concrete beam are more Uneconomical.
economical.
10 Needs skilled technology.Quality No need.
control and inspection.

Advantages and Disadvantages of PSC:

Advantages:
In fully prestressed members the member is free from tensile stresses under working
loads, thus whole of the section is effective.
The use of high strength concrete and steel in prestressed members results in lighter and
slender members than is possible with RC members.
Prestressed concrete member posses better resistance to shear forces due to effect of
compressive stresses presence or eccentric cable profile.
Long span structures are possible so that saving in weight is significant & thus it will be
economic.
Use of high strength concrete and freedom from cracks, contribute to improve durability
under aggressive environmental conditions.
Prestressed members are tested before use.
It is more stiffer under working loads.
Good resistance to impact load.
Cost of foundation reduces due to less Dead load.

Disadvantages:
Uneconomical for small span bridges.
Requires skilled labours for the construction and requires perfect supervision at stages
of construction.

DPSC Page 3
 Module-1,Introduction

It requires high quality dense concrete of high strength. Perfect quality control in
production, placement and compaction required.
It requires high tensile steel, which is 2.5 to 3.5 times costlier than mild steel.
Initial equipment cost is very high.
Prestressed sections are brittle
Prestressed concrete sections are less fire resistant.

Limitations of PSC:
Following are the limitations of PSC.
Prestressed concrete is a skilled technology. Hence it is as common as RCC.
It is relatively more expensive. It requires costly equipment and therefore initial
investment is very high.
Strict quality control of materials is essential.
It needs careful handling.

Prestressing system:
A system of prestressing means the actual process adopted in making a prestresses
beam. A system of prestressing involves the process of tensioning the tendons and securing
them firmly to the concrete.

Pre – tensioning system:

The simplest method of making a pre- tensioned member is to pull (tension) the
tendon even before casting the concrete. One end of the reinforcement (i.e., tendon) is secured
to an abutment while the other end of the reinforcement is pulled by using a jack and this end
is then fixed to another abutment. The concrete is now poured. After the concrete has cured
and hardened, the needs of the reinforcement are released from the abutments. The
reinforcement which tends to resume its original length will compress the concrete
surrounding it by bond action. The prestress is thus transmitted to concrete entirely by the
action of bond between the reinforcement and the surrounding concrete.

Beam
JACK
Anchor Abutment Tendon

The reinforcement has been tensioned

and then concreting has been done.

After the concrete is hardened the

reinforcement is cut off at the ends. The
beam will get prestressed by bond action.

Advantages of pre-tensioning system

The relative advantages of pre-tensioning system over post-tensioning system are as follows.
(i) Pre-tensioning is suitable for precast members produced in bulk.
(ii) Pre-tensioning is preferred for small sized PSC members.
DPSC Page 4
 Module-1,Introduction

(iii) In pre-tensioning, large anchorage devices are not required.

(iv) The cost of PSC members are relatively less as compared to post-tensioned members.
(v) No duct placement is required during fabrication.
(vi) No grouting operations are required.

Disadvantages of pre-tensioning system

The relative disadvantages of pre-tensioning system over post-tensioning system are as
follows.
(i) A prestressing bed is required for the pre-tensioning operations.
(ii) There is a waiting prestressing bed before the concrete attains the sufficient
strength.

Hoyer system:
The hoyer system is usually adopted for the production of pre – tensioned members of first
stretching the wires between two bulk heads at a large distance apart. The wires (tendons) are
tensioned between two abutments. The concrete is now poured so that a number of beams can
produced in one line, by providing suitable shuttering between them. After the concrete has
been hardened, the wires are released from the bulk heads. The wires between the different
units in one line of beams will also be cut off. The prestress is transferred to the concrete
through bond between the tendons and the concrete.

Abutment
Beams
Tendo
Anchor n

DPSC Page 5
 Module-1,Introduction

Post tensioning systems:

In Post tensioning, the concrete units are first cast by incorporating ducts or grooves to
house the tendons. When the concrete attains sufficient strength, the high tensile wires are
passed through the duct. One end of the tendon is anchored to the member, and other end of
the tendon is pulled by a jack which is butting against the end of the member. The jack
simultaneously pulls the tendon and the concrete. After the tendon is subjected to the desired
stress, the end of the tendon is also properly anchored to the concrete. To avoid crushing of
concrete due to excessive bearing compresses stress, a distribution plate is provided at each
end. The space between the tendons and the duct is generally grouted after the tensioning
operation.

Beam
Plate
Anchor

Tendon being pulled JA

CK
Anchor

Duct filled with

cement grout

Advantages of post-tensioning system

The relative advantages of post-tensioning system over pore-tensioning system are as follows.
(i) Post-tensioning is suitable for heavy cast in situ members.
(ii) Waiting period in the casting bed is less.
(iii) It eliminates shrinkage cracks.
(iv) It allows slabs and other structural members to be thinner.
(v) Reduces deflections and allows high span depth reatios.
(vi) Rapid construction.
(vii) Reduces Scaffolding costs.
(viii) Improved durability.
(ix) More efficient utilization of steel and concrete material.

Disadvantages of post-tensioning system

(i) Heavy, costly anchoring devices, Jacking devices and grouting equipments are
required.
(ii) Skilled supervision is required.
Application:
Post tensioning is ideally suited for medium to long span in situ work. It may be used with
advantage to fabricate large members as long span bridge decks of the box girder type by
prestressing together a number of smaller pre – cast units.
The chief merit of post tensioning is that it allows the use of curved cables.
It is used to strengthen dams, water tanks and biological shields of nuclear reactors.

DPSC Page 6
 Module-1,Introduction

Freyssinet system:
Freyssinet system was first to be
reduced among the post-tensioning
system. High tension steel wires 5 mm to
8 mm diameter about
12 in number are arranged to form a group
into a cable with a spiral spring inside.
The spiral spring provides the means for a
proper clearance between the wires and
thus provides a channel which can be
cement grouted. It further assists to
transfer the reaction to concrete. The
whole thing is enclosed in a thin metal
steel.
The anchorage consists of
cylinder of ordinary good quality concrete
and is provided with corrugations on the
outside. It has a central conical hole and is
provided
with heavy hoop reinforcement. These cylinders are kept in the proper position and the conical
plugs are pushed into the conical holes after cables are tightened. The central hole passing
axially through the plug permits cement grout to be injected through it. In this way the space
between the wires will be filled with the grout. This provides additional restraint against the
slipping of the tendons.

Advantages of the Freyssinet system:

(i) Securing the wires is not expensive.
(ii) The desired stretching force is obtained quickly.
(iii) The plugs may be left in the concrete and they do not project beyond the ends of the
member.

Disadvantages of the system:

(i) All the wires of a cable are stretched together. Hence the stresses in the wires may
not be exactly the same.
(ii) The greatest stretching force applied to a cable is from 250 kN to 500 kN. This may
not be sufficient.
(iii) The jack used are heavy and expensive.

THE MAGNEL BLATON SYSTEM:

In the system a cable of rectangular
section is provided, which contains layers of
wires 5 mm to 8 mm diameter. The wires are
arranged with four wires per layer (up to
sixteen layers deep for a cable of sixty four
wires). The wires in the same layer and the
wires in adjacent layers are separated with a
clearance of 4 mm. the geometric pattern of the
wires is maintained in the same

DPSC Page 7
 Module-1,Introduction

form throughout the length of the cable by providing grills or spacers at regular intervals. The
grills do not offer any appreciable frictional resistance to the wires which can be moved
relative to each other during the tensioning process.
The wires are anchored by wedging, two at a time into sandwich plates. The sandwich
plates are about 25 mm thick and are provided with two wedge – shaped grooves on its two
faces. The wires are taken two in each groove and tightened. Then a steel wedge is driven
between the tightened wires to anchor them against the plate. A complete anchorage unit may
consists of one to eight sandwich plates, the number of wires depending on the number of
wires in the cable. Each plate can anchor eight wires. The various sandwich plates forming a
unit are arranged one above the other against a distribution plate. The wires are tightened by
jacking two wires at a time.

GIFFORD UDALL SYSTEM:

This method offers the following three methods of prestressing:
First method: This is earliest of the
three methods of the system.
In this method the wires are stresses
and anchored one by one in a separated
cylinder using small wedging grips called
udall grips. Each grip consists of two – half
cones. The bearing plates bears against a
thrust ring which is cast into the concrete. The
duct end is encircled by a helix. Anchorages
are supplied to suit cables of 2, 4, 6 and 12
wires.

Second method: In this method, the wires are anchored by wedges which fit directly into
tapered recesses made in the bearing plate. The bearing plate bears against a tube unit
containing the tube unit and the helix. This arrangement is compact and minimizes the
congestion of the steel wires in anchor block.

Third method: In this method a tendon of 28

mm diameter H.T type is used. This needs a duct
of only 40 mm diameter. This tendon is stronger
than 6 mm wires. The anchoring is done by 90
mm diameter grip with a three segments
interlocking wedge. This method uses a barrel
which bears directly against a tube unit which is
cast into concrete.

DPSC Page 8
 Module-1,Introduction

P.S.C MONOWIRE SYSTEM:

In this system also the wires are tensioned individually. The anchorage consists of a single
piece called sleeve wedging in a conical hole. A steel truncated guide leads each wire from the
cable to the anchorage point along a gentle curvature. In addition to the guide a central block is
also provided to anchor the central wires.

C.C.L STANDARD SYSTEM:

This is anchor system where the wires are tensioned individually. The anchor grills consists of steel
wedges which fit over the wire and are accommodated in a steel barrel having a tapered hole. The anchor
plate bears against a thrust ring which is cast into the concrete to prevent local bursting effect a helix is
provided behind the thrust ring.

LEE -MCCALL SYSTEM:

This is a system in which high tensile alloy steel bars (silicon manganese steel) are used as the
prestressing tendons. These bars are provided in 22mm, 25mm, 28mm and 30mm diameter and in lengths
upto 20m. the anchoring of the bars is done by screwing special threaded nuts. The nuts bear against a
distribution plate provided at the end of the beam.

DPSC Page 9
 Module-1,Introduction

Stress-strain curve of “prestressed steel”

Unlike ordinary mild steel, high-tensile wires have no well-defined yield point and it is necessary to refer
to the proof stress which corresponds to specified strain.
An important requirement of the steel used in the plasticity of the steel.

Stress-strain curve for “Concrete”

The mechanical properties of concrete and therefore the ‘σ’ and ‘e’ relationship is influenced by a number
of factors such as
(i) Type of aggregate and concrete mix.
(ii) Strength of concrete.
(iii) Age of concrete.
(iv) Shape and size of concrete specimen.
(v) Creep.

[Type text] Page 10

 Module-1,Introduction

[Type text] Page 11

 Module-1,Introduction

[Type text] Page 12