LECTURE 2 - PRESTRESSED CONCRETE

DESIGN
PRESTRESSED CONCRETE
q BASIC CONCEPT OF PRESTRESSING

Ø PRESTRESSING
§ preloading of a structure before the application of the service
loads so as to improve its general performance in specific ways

§ 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
PRESTRESSED CONCRETE
q BASIC CONCEPT OF PRESTRESSING

Ø PRESTRESSED CONCRETE

§ a material that has induced

internal stress to balance
out stresses, to a desired
degree, due to externally
applied loads
PRESTRESSED CONCRETE
q BASIC CONCEPT OF PRESTRESSING

Ø PRESTRESSING FORCE

§ a compressive force that prestresses the sections along

the span of the structural element prior to the application
of the transverse gravity dead and live loads or transient
horizontal loads
PRESTRESSED CONCRETE
q BASIC CONCEPT OF PRESTRESSING

PRESTRESSING FORCE

§ prestressing force involved is determined mainly on the

basis of:

ütype of system to be constructed

üspan length

üslenderness
PRESTRESSED CONCRETE
q ADVANTAGES

Ø takes the full advantages of high strength concrete and high

strength steel

Ø needs less materials, so it is a smaller and lighter structure

Ø usually has no or less cracks, because of using the entire section

to resist the load and the member is almost entirely in
compression
PRESTRESSED CONCRETE
q ADVANTAGES

Ø has better corrosion resistance

Ø very effective for deflection control

Ø has better shear resistance

PRESTRESSED CONCRETE
q DISADVANTAGES

Ø more expensive in terms of:

§ materials: needs higher quality materials
§ fabrication: more technically complex and requires high
skilled labor
§ delivery: heavy precast members require large cranes

Ø has small margin for error: concrete casting needs superior

quality and accurate supervision
PRESTRESSED CONCRETE
q DISADVANTAGES

Ø has more complicated design

Ø special tools are needed to provide the prestressing

Ø more risky, especially if not stressed properly

PRESTRESSED CONCRETE
q COMPARISON WITH REINFORCED CONCRETE
Reinforced Concrete
Ø tensile strength of concrete is
negligible and disregarded
Ø tensile forces resulting from
the bending moments are
resisted by the bond created in
the reinforcement
Prestressed Concrete
Ø permanent stresses in the
member are created before the
full dead and live loads are
applied in order to eliminate or
considerably reduce the net
tensile stresses caused by these
loads
PRESTRESSED CONCRETE
q COMPARISON WITH REINFORCED CONCRETE
Reinforced Concrete
Ø cracking and deflection
irrecoverable once the member
has reached its limit state at
service load
Prestressed Concrete
Ø if the flexural tensile strength of
the concrete is exceeded, the
prestressed member starts to act
like an reinforced concrete
element
PRESTRESSED CONCRETE

q CASTING YARD
FOR
PRESTRESSING
CONCRETE
PRESTRESSED CONCRETE
q PRESTRESSED CONCRETE
GIRDER FOR BRIDGES
PRESTRESSED CONCRETE
q APPLICATIONS

Ø the main material for floors in high-rise buildings and the entire
containment vessels of nuclear reactors

Ø commonly used in bridges and parking garages due to its ability

to be stressed and then de-stressed, relative high loads and
height limitations, and wide span requirements

Ø can be used to temporarily repair a damaged building by holding

up a damaged wall or floor until permanent repairs can be made