PRE-CAMBER PLAN FOR HOLLOW SLAB

I. Introduction
Pre-camber is the adjustment on elevation applied to formwork setting in order to
compensate the expected movement (settlement and deflection) of the structure.
These expected movements are;
a. Ground Settlement
b. Settlement due to forms
c. Settlement due to scaffolding
d. Beam Deflection
e. Deflection due to concrete, pre-stressing and creep

Items a to d are calculated on site and may vary depending on the formwork and
scaffolding assembly that will be used.

Item e is from the structure design calculation and will be further discussed on Part
III.

Total movement of the structure (y) is given as,

y=a+b+c +d + e

Where: a = ground settlement

b = settlement due to forms

c = settlement due to scaffolding

d = beam deflection

e = deflection due to concrete, pre-stressing and

creep

The pre-camber height (h) is also given as,

h=y

For example, in a certain point along the structure we have the following values for
settlement

a=-10, b=-2, c=-3, d=-5, e=10.

y=-10-2-3-5+10 = -10

This means that the structure will be 10mm lower than the design elevation after all
the movements are completed. To compensate this movement we must move the
structure with same value, only in opposite direction. This is what we call our pre-
camber height.

h= - (-10) = +10mm

The adjusted elevation will be,

Adjusted elevation = Design elevation + h

II. Calculation for Pre-Camber Height

Specific locations are determined on the plan where the finished bridge surface will be
checked, to be referred as design control points. These locations will also be used as
reference in making the pre-camber plan. For each of these design control points the
following must be considered.

a. Ground Settlement determined on site by Load test. The load test results have
a settlement of 5~7 mm. For this calculation we are going to consider a
settlement of 10mm.
b. Settlement due to forms This is the adjustment due to the small gaps present in
assembling the formworks; these gaps will be gone once load is applied to the
formworks. Refer to Table A for the considered gaps in each combination of
materials.
c. Settlement due to scaffolding Scaffolding assembly will also result to gaps in
between the A-frames or any support used. These gaps will also be gone after
load application. Refer to Table A for the gaps present in each support material
used.
d. Beam Deflection - If a beam is used for support. The deflection of the beam
must also be considered.
e. Deflection due to concrete, pre-stressing and creep this deflection is from the
structure design calculation. Refer to Table 1 and 2 for the calculation results.

The sum of these settlements and deflection is the total movement of the structure at
that control point.

The negative of this movement will be the required camber height at that control point.

Table A: Settlement due to gaps between materials.

MATERIALS SETTLEMENT
(mm)
Plywood and Square pipe 1.0
Square pipe and Square pipe 0.0
Square pipe and U-head 1.0
A-frame and A-frame 1.0
Structural support to Structural 1.0
support
III. Calculation Results for Concrete, Pre-Stressing and Creep
Table 1 Deflection Table
Node number calculation point number
Total deflection sum the deflection due to the following:
a. Concrete Weight
b. Pre-Stressing
c. Concrete Creep
d. Pre-Stressing Creep
Total Offset distance of the calculation point number from the bearing
support of P5.

Table 2 Deflection with Pre-Camber Table

Node number calculation point number
Pre-Camber height sum of the results from Table 1 multiplied by negative 1.

The deflections are calculated considering the pre-camber height adjustment.

It can be noted that after all the shrinkage and creep are completed the
structure will achieve its design elevation.

The deflections are calculated on various nodes along the girder; these nodes will be
referred as calculation points. As these calculation points do not coincide with the
design control points. We need to get the equivalent deflection at the control point
location. To do this, we performed the following steps:
Refer to Figure 1.

i. Plot the calculated deflections at the calculation points in a line graph, offsets at
x-axis and deflections at y-axis.
ii. Plot the design control points as vertical lines.
iii. Measure the height of point of intersection of the design deflection line and the
control lines.

This height will be used as the deflection due to concrete, pre-stressing and creep at
the design control points.
 Example

Using the following figure, get the required pre camber height at C13.

Grids 21 to 24 are the design calculation point. Grids C13 and C14 are the control
points.

The green line is represents the result of the structural design calculation in each of the
calculation points.

a = -10mm this is from the ground settlement will be equal to the result of the Load
Test.

Forms assembly is as shown below

Plywood to Square pipe 60X60 = 1

Square Pipe 60x60 to Square Pipe 100x100 = 0

Square Pipe 100X100 to U-head = 1

b = -1+0-1 = -2

c = (A-frame to A-frame) x number of gaps

c = -1 x 2 = -2

d = 0, since C13 location is not supported by a beam.

e = +21, this is from the Pre-camber plan table. This is the measured height from the
green line to the reference line at C13.
y=a+b+c+d+e

y = -10-2-2+0+21 = 7

h = -y

h = - (7) = -7 ; this is the required pre-camber height at C13.

II
CALCULATION FOR
PRE-CAMBER HEIGHT
 III
STRUCTURE DESIGN
CALCULATION RESULTS
FOR DEFLECTION DUE
TO CONCRETE,
PRE-STRESSING AND
CREEP

(CONSULTANTS CALCULATION
RESULTS)
 I
INTRODUCTION

CALCULATION RESULTS

The following tables are the results obtained by the consultants for hollow slab. The
highlighted values are the total deflection at each design points.