Flexural stresses after

cracking in partially
prestressed beams
Arthur H. Nilson

Professor of Structural Engineering

Cornell University
Ithaca, New York

A method is presented to calculate elastic

flexural stresses in partially prestressed concrete
beams, in which cracking can be expected at
service load.
The effect of mild steel reinforcement, often
used to supplement the main prestressing steel
in such construction, ca i easily be included in
the analysis.
A numerical example is given to demonstrate
the proposed method.

arly in the development of pre-

stressed concrete, the goal of preE

stressing was the complete elimination
of concrete tensile stress at service
loads. The concept was that of an entirely new, homogeneous material
which would remain untracked and respond elastically up to the maximum
anticipated loading.

This kind of design, where the limiting tensile stress in the concrete at full
service load is zero, is generally known
as full prestressing, while an alternative
approach, in which a certain amount of
tensile stress is permitted in the concrete at full service load, is called partial prestressing.

Abeles,l Thurlimann,2 Leonhardt,3

and others have pioneered in the development of partially prestressed concrete construction. They have convincingly demonstrated its advantages
over full prestressing, and have shown
that substantially improved performance, reduced cost, or both, may be
obtained through partial prestressing.
Fully prestressed beams may exhibit
an undesirable amount of upward camber due to the eccentric prestressing
force, a displacement which is only
partially counteracted by the gravity
loads producing downward deflection.
This tendency is aggravated by creep
in the concrete, which magnifies the
upward displacement due to the prestressing force, but has little influence
on the downward deflection due to
live loads, which may be only intermittently applied.
Should heavily prestressed members
be overloaded and fail, they may do so
in a brittle way, rather than in a ductile
manner as for beams with a smaller
amount of prestress. Furthermore, experience indicates that in many cases
improved economy results from use of a
combination of unstressed bar steel and
high strength prestressing steel tendons.

Present ACI Code

Provisions
The tensile stress f2 at the bottom of
a concrete beam may be found from
the expression:
M,
P r /
ec 2
L I S (1)
f2 = A I 1 r
,\
2

in which P e is the effective prestressing force after losses, A, is the area of

the concrete section, e is the eccentricity of the prestressing force, r is
the radius of gyration of the concrete
se-tion, M, is the total moment due to
dead and live loads, and c 2 and S 2 are,
re>pectively, the distance from the see-

tion centroid to the bottom surface and

the section modulus with reference to
the bottom surface.
The ACI Code4 permits concrete
tension of 6 V7 : psi at full service load,
slightly less than the usual modulus
of rupture. If explicit calculation of
deflection indicates that it is within
allowable limits, a tensile stress of
12 \/f e ' psi is permitted.
In each case, the tensile stress is to
be calculated on the basis of properties
of the untracked cross section. Since
the higher stress limit is well above the
modulus of rupture, this limit corresponds to a nominal stress only.
It is further stated in the ACI Code
that a nominal tensile stress higher than
12V7' psi is permitted when it is
shown experimentally or analytically
that performance will not be impaired.
The above provisions clearly permit
use of partially prestressed concrete
members.

Flexural Stresses
After Cracking
At the full service load stage, partially
prestressed beams are cracked, although generally both concrete and
steel stresses remain within the elastic
range. While service load stresses at a
cracked cross section are of secondary
importance, compared with the
strength and safety of the member
should it be overloaded, calculation of
such stresses may be necessary for several reasons:
1. For prestressed members, crack
widths at service load are related to the
increase in steel stress past the stage of
concrete decompression; consequently,
the service load steel stress must be
known, as well as the stress at decompression.
2. An accurate calculation of both
elastic and creep deflection at service
load requires that curvatures be based

PCI JOURNAL/July-August 1976

73

Ci

dP
ds

untracked
conc. centroid

c2 cracked
neutral axis

S A P-

Q
3

PQ alone
Decompression

"'^EPEP2EPt - EPe-1t'I

Pe + service load

^Cs3+'ES2_^^
0

(a)Cracked cross section

(b) Concrete and steel strains
R

^
c

untracked
conc. centroid
t
dP
e

cl

ds
F

cracked
neutral axis
AP fP

A s fs

(d) Forces on
(c) Decompression
(e) Resulting stresses
forcecracked section
Fig. 1. Basis for analysis of cracked cross section.

on actual, not nominal, stress and strain

distributions.
3. If fatigue is a factor in the design,
it is necessary to determine actual stress
ranges in both concrete and steel.
4. Finally, it may be necessary to
compute stresses in the cracked section
to demonstrate compliance with design
codes.
For an ordinary reinforced concrete
beam, calculation of stresses at a
cracked section is a simple matter. The
transformed section concept permits
use of the familiar equations of
mechanics for homogeneous elastic
beams to locate neutral axis, determine
section properties, and calculate
stresses. Alternately, explicit equations
may be derived for nonhomogeneous
reinforced concrete sections.5
74

For cracked prestressed concrete

beams, matters are more complicated.
The neutral axis location and effective section properties depend not only
on the geometry of the cross section
and the material properties, as for reinforced concrete beams, but also on the
axial prestressing force and the loading.
The axial force is not constant after
cracking, but depends on the loading
and on the section properties.
The effective cross section of a typical partially prestressed beam at service load is shown in Fig. 1(a). The
member shown includes both prestressing steel of area AP and nonprestressing
steel bar reinforcement of area A, as
is commonly the case. It is assumed that
the member has cracked, that both
concrete and steel are stressed only

within their elastic ranges, and that the

contribution of the tensile concrete can
be disregarded.
The strains and stresses in the concrete and steel will be considered at
several load stages, certain of which are
not actually experienced by the member, but are considered only as a computational convenience.2
Load Stage (1), Fig. 1(b), corresponds to application of effective prestress Pe alone. At this stage, the stress
in the tendon is
fpi = fpe = Pe/Ap

(2)

The compressive strain in the bar

reinforcement at this stage, assuming
perfect bond between the two materials, is the same as that in the concrete at the same level. Consequently,
the bar reinforcement is initially subjected to a compressive stress:
(3)
f8l = E,E B
Next, it is useful to consider a fictitious Load Stage (2) corresponding to
complete decompression of the concrete, at which there is zero concrete
strain through the entire depth as
shown in Fig. 1(b).
Compatibility of deformation of the
concrete and steel requires that the
changes of stress in the tendon and the
bar reinforcement as the beam passes
from Stage (1) to Stage (2) are, respectively:
fp2 = EpEp2
fs2 =

(4)

8
(5)
At this hypothetical load stage, the
stress in the bar reinforcement, neglecting the effects of shrinkage and creep,
is
E Es2

fs = Es (Es2 + E82) = 0

(6)

The change in strain in the tendon is

the same as that in the concrete at that
level, and can be calculated on the basis of the uncracked concrete section
properties:

Ep2 =

A,EO /

I 1 + 2r

(7)

after which f2 can be found from

Eq. (4).
The bar reinforcement is unstressed
at Stage (2), as noted, but in order to
produce the zero stress states in the
concrete, the tendon must be pulled
with a ficticious external force:
F A p (fp1 + fp2)

(8)

as shown in Fig. 1(c).

The effect of this fictitious decompressing force is now cancelled by applying an equal and opposite force F
as shown in Fig. 1(d). This force, together with the external moment Mt
due to self-weight and superimposed
loads, can be represented by a resultant
force R applied with eccentricity e
above the uncracked concrete centroid,
where R = F and
e = (Mt Fe)/R

(9)

The beam can now be analyzed as

an ordinary reinforced concrete member subjected to an eccentric compression force. The resulting strain distribution (3) in the concrete is shown in
Fig. 1(b). The incremental strains in
the tendon and bar reinforcement,
Ep3 and Es3, respectively, together with
their corresponding stresses fp3 and
fs3, are superimposed on the strains
and stresses already present in the tendon and bar.
These incremental steel stresses, as
well as the stress in the concrete, can
be found using the transformed section
concept. 5 The tendon is replaced by an
equivalent area of tensile concrete
npA p and the bar reinforcement is replaced by the area n8A,, where np =
Ep/Ee and n8 = E3/E0, as shown in
Fig. 2(a).
The neutral axis for the equivalent
homogeneous transformed section, a
distance y from the top surface, can be
found from the equilibrium condition

PCI JOURNAL/July-August 1976

75

*
* R

I - " fc3 ''1

ee
e
centroid
cracked
concrete

^1
_
_

C2

s__

P
uncracke
__
ds concrete

neutral axis=*

.
._._.._.
ng As.

^--

(a) Transformed cracked (b) Stresses

cross section
Fig. 2. Transformed cracked cross section and stress diagram of partially
prestressed beam.

that the moment of all internal forces

about the line of action of R must be
zero. These internal forces are based on
the concrete stresses and the stresses
acting on the transformed steel areas
as shown in Fig. 2(b).
The moment equation for the internal forces about the external resultant
R results in . a cubic equation for y
which can be solved by successive
trials. Once y is known, the effective
transformed area Apt and moment of
inertia 'at of the cracked section, about
its own centroid c l from the top surface, can be found. The incremental
stresses sought, as loading passes from
Stage (2) to Stage (3) are
R Re*ci*

fc3 T"

fp3 = y

n
s3 a

(10)

Ict

At
lot cl#) -1
Rc + Re (d,

(11

R + Re *(dt,B cl) (12

[ - A ct

Ict

where geometric terms are as defined

in Fig. 2.
The final stress in the tendon is now
found by superimposing the stresses of
Eqs. (2), (4), and (11). That in the bar
reinforcement is given by Eq. (12).
76

The concrete stress- at the top surface of

the beam is given by Eq. (10). Specifically:

fp = fp1 + fp2 +f53.

(13)

f8 = f83

(14)

10=103

(15)

Summary of Stress
Review Procedure
The procedure for calculating elastic
stresses in cracked prestressed concrete
beams is- summarized briefly as follows:
1. Calculate the effective stress in the
tendon after losses, fpl = fie, using
Eq. (2).
2. Find f,2, the increase in stress in
the tendon as the member passes to a
hypothetical decompression stage, with
the aid of Eq. (7) and Eq. (4).
3. Use Eq. (8) to determine the fictitious force F needed to produce the
decompression stage.
4. Apply an equal and opposite force
F to the member, in combination with
the moments due to dead and live
loads. The resultant force R = F has
an equivalent eccentricity given by
Eq. (9). Find the neutral axis of the

cracked section and the section properties by the usual methods of mechanics.
5. Determine 10 = f C3, the maximum
compression in the concrete at service
load using Eq. (10), the service load
tension in the nonprestressing steel reinforcement, f8 = fs3, from Eq. (12),
and the incremental tensile stress fp3
in the tendon from Eq. (11). The total
tension f, in the tendon is given by
Eq. (13).

Data
The partially prestressed T-beam
shown in cross section in Fig. 3(a) is
subjected to superimposed dead and
service live load moments of 38 and
191 'ft-kips (52 and 259 kN m) in addition to a moment of 83 ft-kips (113
kNm) due to its own weight.
An effective prestressing force of 123
kips (547 kN) is applied using six
Grade 250 I/2 -in. (12.7 mm) diameter
strands. Two nonprestressing steel
Grade 60 No. 8 bars are located close
to the tension face of the beam.
The elastic moduli for the concrete,
tendon steel, and bar steel are, respectively, 3.61 x 10 6, 27 x 106 , and 29 x
10 6 psi (24,900, 186,000, and 200,000
N/mm2). The modulus of rupture of
the concrete is 500 psi (3.5 N/mm2).

S2 = 1290 in.

r2 = 103 in .2

Then using Eq. (1):

Pc( F eG
2)
22
J {Mt
S
f2=A`1
_ _ 123,000
11.9 x 16.9
212 ( 1+
103

312,000 X 12
1290
This stress greatly exceeds the modulus of rupture, indicating that the section has indeed cracked. Analysis will
proceed according to the method described above.
From Eq. (2), the effective stress in
the tendon when Pe acts alone is
fpl = Jpe = Pe/`gyp

= 123,000/0.863
= 143,000 psi
Then, with reference to Fig. 1(b)
and using Eq. (7) the change in strain
in the tendon as the section is decompressed is
ep2

Pe
e2
A\1 + r2
e

123,00011.92
212x3.61x10 6 (1+ 103

= 0.0004

Required
Find the stresses in the concrete, prestressing steel, and bar reinforcement
at the full service load.

Thus, the corresponding increase in

stress in the tendon is found from Eq.
(4) to be
/p2

Solution
'First, the tensile stress in the concrete
at the bottom of the beam will be
checked, assuming the member is uncracked. The properties of the uncracked cross section are
=212in2

= 1664 in.3 c2 = 16.9 in.

+1186 psi

Design Example

Ae

S1

c1 = 13.1 in.

PCI JOURNAL /July-August

1976

= EPEp2
= 27 x 106 x 0.0004
= 10,800 psi

To obtain decompression of the concrete, the fictitious external tension

given by Eq. (8):
F = AA(fpl

+ fp2)
77

r4T1

^
13.1

f r1

j 1

11.9
16.9
5

uncracked

17 30 conc. centroid

Ap = 0.863 in2
A5= 1.57 in2
3

I^-8
(a) Member cross section
1

R
r'4_:--j
3.15
fc3
10.77
5
7.62
L_ y= 13.4
ro
cracked
_
- conc. centroid
25
crack e d
.
neutral axis
^=

f(25)
y
np Ap=6.46 in 2c3
n s As= 12.61 in2

fc3(2y )

(b) Transformed cracked

cross section

(c) Concrete stresses

Fig. 3. T-beam design example using cracked section analysis.

= 0.863(143 + 10.8)
= 133 kips
must have been applied to the tendon.
This is now cancelled by applying an
equal and opposite force F. This force,
acting together with the total moment
of 312 ft-kips, is equivalent to a compressive force R = 139 kips applied
with eccentricity [Eq. (9) 1:

e = (M t Fe)/R
= (312 x 12 133 x 11.9)/133
= 16.25 in.
above the centroid of the uncracked
concrete, or 3.15 in. above the top surface of the member as shown in Fig. 3.
78

With n,= 27/3.61 = 7.48 and ns

= 29/3.61 = 8.03 the transformed
areas of the tendon and the bars are,
respectively, 6.46 and 12.61 in. 2 The
effective cross section of the cracked
beam, wire neutral axis dimension y
still unknown, is shown in Fig. 3(b).
The stresses in the concrete and
transformed steel, as the loads pass
from Stage (2) to Stage (3), are shown
in Fig. 3(c). Taking moments of the resulting forces about the force R gives a
cubic equation in y which is solved by
successive trials to obtain y = 13.4 in.
as shown.
With y known, the location of the
centroid of the cracked transformed
section is a routine matter. Taking mo-

ments of the partial areas about the top

surface locates the centroid c 1 = 7.62
in. from the top of the section. Section
properties are
ICt = 9232 in .4

A0t = 133 in.2

The eccentricity of the force R with

respect to the centroid of the cracked
transformed section is

Now the incremental stress in the

concrete and steel can be found from

Eqs. (10), (11), and (12):
Re"ci
R
fc3 =
lot
A et

133
133,000xlO.77x7.62
9232
= 2180 psi

fp3

L Act +

jet

*)

=7.48[-131330+

133, 000x 10.77x 17.38]

9232
= 12,700 psi
n R -f- Re'(d$ ci*) J
jot

Aot

= 8.03 r 133,000
133 +

133,000x10.77x19.38]
9232
= 16,100 psi
The final stress in the tendon at full
service load is found by summing the
three parts:

while the stress in the bar reinforceorcement

ment
is
I8 = f83 =

16,100 psi (111 N/mm2)

fc = fc3 = 2180 psi (-15 N/mm2)

Additional Comments
1. The stress increase in the tendon
as the beam is brought to full service
load is about 17 percent of the effective prestressing force. In calculating
service load stresses in partially prestressed beams, this increase clearly
cannot be neglected.

133,000 _

R Re(dp cl

= 166,500 psi (1148 N/mm2)

crete is

= 10.77 in.

n r

= 143,000 + 10,800 + 12,700

and that at the top surface of the con-

e=16.25-13.1-}-7.62

fp = fp1 + fp2 1p3

2. The service load stress of only

16,100 psi (111 N/mm2) in the bar
reinforcement indicates that requirements of strength, not service load
stress, probably controlled the choice
of bar area.
3. Although the allowable concrete
stress was not given, the stress of 2180
psi (15 N/mm2) appears reasonable for
concrete having a compressive strength
of about 5 ksi (35 N/mm2).
4. The strain and stress information
developed provides a rational basis for
judging the serviceability of the beam.
For example, an estimate of crack
width could be made based on the
stress in the bar reinforcement, using
standard methods, or could be based
on the increase in stress in the tendon
as the . member passes from the decompression stage to the full service
load stage.

PCI JOURNAL/July-August 1976

79

Conclusion
Nominal concrete tensile stresses may
be calculated in partially prestressed
beams based on the properties of the
uncracked cross section. According to
present American practice, dimensioning of the section may proceed on the
basis of such nominal stresses even
though they may exceed the modulus of
rupture.
Circumstances may exist, however, in
which it is necessary to obtain a more

realistic appraisal of service load conditions. Specific reference is made to

consideration of cracking, deflection,
and fatigue, as well as satisfaction of
specified limits on stresses.
A method is given for the calculation
of stresses in the concrete, prestressing
steel, and bar reinforcement in partially
prestressed beams after cracking, permitting a more satisfactory assessment
of serviceability.

Notation
= area of concrete cross section,
in.2
=
area
of transformed cracked conA8t
crete section, in.2
Ar = area of prestressing steel, in.2
A, = area of nonprestressing steel reinforcement, in.2
=
distance
to centroid of cracked
of
transformed concrete section
from top of concrete, in.
C2 = distance to bottom of member
from centroid of uncracked concrete section in.
E8 = modulus of elasticity of concrete, psi.
EP = modulus of elasticity of prestressing tendon, psi
E3 = modulus of elasticity of nonprestressing steel reinforcement,
psi
= eccentricity of prestressing force
with respect to centroid of uncracked concrete section, in.
= eccentricity of force R with reference to centroid of uncracked
concrete member, in.
=
stress
in concrete, psi
I
fo = compressive strength of concrete, psi
= stress in prestressing steel reinfp
forcement, psi
fpe = effective prestressing force in

AG

80

tendons, psi

fk= stress in nonprestressing steel

reinforcement, psi
incremental stresses in prestressing steel reinforcement, psi
fsr, f8 2, fu = incremental stresses in nonprestressing steel reinforcement,
psi
12 = stress in concrete at bottom of
member, psi
F = fictitious decompressing force,
lb
I, t = moment
of inertia of transformed cracked concrete section,
in.4
M t = total moment due to superimposed loads, in-lb
n. = modular ratio
= modular ratio ES/EC
ns
Pe = effective prestress force after
losses, lb
R = resultant eccentric force on concrete, lb
= radius of gyration of concrete
r
section, in.
S 2 = section modulus of concrete
section with reference to bottom
surface, in.3
Epl , Ep2, Ep3 = incremental strains in
prestressing steel reinforcement
E, 1 , e,2, e83 , = incremental strains in nonprestressing steel reinforcement

fyl, f12, f13 =

EP/EC

References
1. Abeles, P. W., Introduction to Prestressed Concrete, V. I and II, Concrete Publications Ltd., London, England, 1964 and 1966.
2. Thurlimann, B., "A Case for Partial
Prestressing," Structural Concrete
Symposium Proceedings, University
of Toronto, May 1971, pp. 253-301.
3. Leonhardt, F., "To New Frontiers
for Prestressed Concrete Design and
Construction," PCI JOURNAL, V.

19, No. 5, September-October 1974,

pp. 54-69.
4. ACI Committee 318, `Building
Code Requirements for Reinforced
Concrete (ACI 318-71)," American
Concrete Institute, Detroit, 1971.
5. Winter, G., and Nilson, A. H., Design of Concrete Structures, 8th Edition, McGraw-Hill Book Co., New
York, 1972.

Discussion of this paper is invited.

Please forward your discussion to
PCI Headquarters by December 31,
1976.

PCI JOURNAL/July-August 1976

81