PRE-STRESSED

CONCRETE S U B M I T T E D B Y:

A I S H WA R YA S I N H A

D I V I S H A VA R S H N E Y

NADEEM AHMED

ABHISHEK NEHRA
WHAT IS PRE-STRESSED CONCRETE?
• Pre-stressed Concrete is basically Concrete in which internal stresses of a suitable magnitude and
distribution are introduced so that the stresses resulting from external loads are counteracted to
a desired degree.
• Pre-stressed Concrete comprises of Concrete and High Tensile Steel as basic components.
• Both Steel and Concrete are stressed prior to the application of external load.
• The use of Pre-stressed Concrete spread rapidly from 1935.
• Pre-stressed Concrete has been widely used for the construction of long-span bridges, industrial
shell roofs, marine structures, nuclear pressure vessels, water-retaining structures, transmission
poles, railway sleepers and a host of other structures.
TERMINOLOGY
• TENDON: A stretched element used in a concrete member of structure to impart pre-stress to the
concrete. High-tensile wires, bars, cables or strands are used as tendons. A group of tendons form
a prestressing cable. The cables are used in bridges
•WIRES: A prestressing wire is a single unit made of steel. The nominal diameters of the wires are
2.5, 3.0, 4.0, 5.0, 7.0 and 8.0 mm. The different types of wires are as follows.
1) Plain wire: No indentations on the surface. 2) Indented wire: There are
circular or elliptical indentations on the surface.
• STRANDS: A few wires are spun together in a helical form to form a prestressing strand. The
different types of strands are as follows: 1) Two-wire strand: Two wires are spun
together to form the strand. 2) Three-wire strand: Three wires are spun together to form
the strand. 3) Seven-wire strand: In this type of strand, six wires are spun around a
central wire. The central wire is larger than the other wires.
TERMINOLOGY
• 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. Bars are available in the following sizes: 10, 12, 16, 20, 22, 25, 28 and 32 mm.
•ANCHORAGE: A device used to enable the tendon to impart and maintain prestress in a
concrete.
• PRE-TENSIONING: A method of pre-stressing concrete in which the tendons are tensioned
before the concrete is placed. In this method, the pre-stress is imparted to concrete by bond
between steel and concrete.
• POST-TENSIONING: A method of pre-stressing concrete by tensioning the tendons against
hardened concrete. In this method, the pre-stress is imparted to concrete by bearing.
 CROSS-SECTION
OF
TENDONS WITH
ANCHORAGE.
ANCHORAGE

BARS

GROUP OF
TENDONS
OR
CABLE
ADVANTAGES OF PRE-STRESSED CONCRETE
1) Section remains uncracked under service loads
• Reduction of steel corrosion.
• Full section is utilized: Higher moment of inertia (higher stiffness) Less deformations (improved
serviceability).
• Increase in shear capacity.
• Improved performance under dynamic and fatigue loading.
2) High span-to-depth ratios
• Larger spans possible with prestressing (bridges, buildings with large column-free spaces)
ADVANTAGES OF PRE-STRESSED CONCRETE
3) Suitable for precast construction
• Rapid construction.
• Better quality control.
• Reduced maintenance.
• Suitable for repetitive construction.
• Availability of standard shapes.
DISADVANTAGES OF PRE-STRESSED CONCRETE
• Prestressing needs skilled technology. Hence, it is not as common as reinforced concrete.
• The use of high strength materials is costly.
• There is additional cost in auxiliary equipment.
• There is need for quality control and inspection.
CLASSIFICATION OF PRE-STRESSING
1). EXTERNAL OR INTERNAL PRE-STRESSSING SYSTEM:
When the prestressing is achieved by elements located outside the concrete, it is called external
prestressing. The tendons can lie outside the member or inside the hollow space of a box girder.
This technique is adopted in bridges and strengthening of buildings.
When the prestressing is achieved by elements located inside the concrete member (commonly, by
embedded tendons), it is called internal prestressing. Most of the applications of prestressing are
internal prestressing.

External prestressing of a box girder Internal prestressing of a box girder

CLASSIFICATION OF PRE-STRESSING
2). PRE-TENSIONING & POST-TENSIONING:
Pre-tensioning: The tension is applied to the tendons before casting
of the concrete. The pre-compression is transmitted from steel to
concrete through bond over the
transmission length near the ends.

Post-tensioning: The tension is applied to the tendons (located

in a duct) after hardening of the concrete. The pre-compression
is transmitted from steel to concrete by the anchorage device
(at the end blocks).
 CLASSIFICATION OF PRE-STRESSING
3). LINEAR OR CIRCULAR PRE-STRESSING
Linear Prestressing: When the prestressed members are straight or flat, in the direction of
prestressing, the prestressing is called linear prestressing. For example, prestressing of beams,
piles, poles and slabs. The profile of the prestressing tendon may be curved.
Circular Prestressing: When the prestressed members are curved, in the direction of prestressing,
the prestressing is called circular prestressing. For example, circumferential prestressing of tanks,
silos, pipes and similar structures.

Circularly
Linearly prestressed
prestressed railway containment
sleepers structure
CLASSIFICATION OF PRE-STRESSING
4). FULL, LIMITED OR PARTIAL PRE-STRESSING
Full Prestressing: When the level of prestressing is such that no tensile stress is allowed in
concrete under service loads, it is called Full Prestressing.
Limited Prestressing: When the level of prestressing is such that the tensile stress under service
loads is within the cracking stress of concrete, it is called Limited Prestressing.
Partial Prestressing: When the level of prestressing is such that under tensile stresses due to
service loads, the crack width is within the allowable limit, it is called Partial Prestressing.
SOURCES OF PRE-STRESSING FORCES
1). Hydraulic Prestressing: This is the simplest type of prestressing, producing large prestressing
forces. The hydraulic jack used for the tensioning of tendons, comprises of calibrated pressure
gauges which directly indicate the magnitude of force developed during the tensioning.
2). Mechanical Prestressing: In this type of prestressing, the devices includes weights with or
without lever transmission, geared transmission in conjunction with pulley blocks, screw jacks
with or without gear drives and wire winding machines. This type of prestressing is adopted for
mass scale production.
3). Electrical Prestressing: In this type of prestressing, the steel wires are electrically heated and
anchored before placing concrete in the molds. This type of prestressing is also known as
thermoelectric prestressing.
HYDRAULIC
MACHINE/JA
CK

MECHANICAL PRE-
STRESSING

HYDRAULIC
PRE-
STRESSING

ELECTRICAL PRE-STRESSING
APPLICATIONS OF PRE-STRESSED CONCRETE
Its wide range of application is reflected in its incorporation into the major design codes covering
most areas of structural and civil engineering, including bridges, dams, foundations, pavements,
piles, stadiums, silos, and tanks.
•Building structures: 1. Longer spans for the same structural depth. 2.
Reduced structural thickness. 3. Reduced material costs.
• Prestressed concrete is commonly used in making the following structural elements:
1. Beams and girders.
2. Slabs and grid floors.
3. Pipes and tanks
4. Poles, piles, sleepers and pavements.
5. Shell and folded plate roofs.
MATERIALS FOR PRE-STRESSED CONCRETE
1). HIGH-STRENGTH CONCRETE:
Concrete is a composite material composed of gravels or crushed stones (coarse aggregate), sand
(fine aggregate) and hydrated cement (binder).
• Pre-stressed Concrete requires concrete which has a high compressive strength at a reasonably
early age, with comparatively higher tensile strength than ordinary concrete.
• High-Strength Concrete: The maximum grade of concrete is 60 MPa. The minimum grades of
concrete for prestressed applications are as follows. a). 30 MPa for post-tensioned
members b). 40 MPa for pre-tensioned members.
• Light-weight concrete is used for pre-stressed concrete. The main advantage of using light-
weight concrete is that it reduces the self-weight of the structure, thus minimizing the amount of
concrete and steel required for carrying the load.
MATERIALS FOR PRE-STRESSED CONCRETE
2). HIGH-TENSILE STEEL:
• The development of prestressed concrete was influenced by the invention of high strength steel.
It is an alloy of iron, carbon, manganese and optional materials. In addition to prestressing steel,
conventional non-prestressed reinforcement is used for flexural capacity, shear capacity,
temperature and shrinkage requirements.
• High-tensile steel bars commonly used in prestressing are manufactured in nominal sizes of 10,
12, 16, 20, 22, 25, 28 and 32 mm diameter. The ultimate tensile strength of bars does not vary
appreciably with the diameter. This is because the high strength of the bars is due to alloying
rather than due to cold-working as in the case of wires.
COMPARISON BETWEEN RCC & PRE-
STRESSED CONCRETE
•In RCC beam the concrete in the compression side of the neutral side of the axis alone is
effective. But in the prestressed concrete beam, the entire section is effective.
•Reinforced concrete beams are generally heavy. They always need shear reinforcements
besides the longitudinal reinforcement for flexure. Prestressed concrete beams are
lighter. By providing the curved tendons and the pre-compression, a considerable part of
the shear is resisted.
•In reinforced concrete beams, high strength concrete is not needed. But in prestressed
concrete beams, high strength concrete and high strength steel are necessary. High
strength concrete is needed to resist high stresses at the anchorages. High strength steel
is needed to transfer large prestressing force.
•Reinforced concrete beams being massive and heavy are more suitable in situations
where the weight is more desired than strength. Prestressed concrete beams are very
suitable for heavy loads and longer spans. They are slender and artistic treatments can be
easily provided.
•Cracks do not occur under working loads. Even if a minute crack occurs when
 RCC vs PRE-STRESSED
CONCRETE

Comparison of Non-prestressed Beam and Pre-stressed

Concrete Beam under load:
1. Non-prestressed beam without load
2. Non-prestressed beam with load
3. Before concrete solidifies, cables embedded in concrete are
tensioned
4. After concrete solidifies, cables apply compressive stress to
concrete
5. Pre-stressed beam without load
6. Pre-stressed beam with load