www.civil.eng.usm.

my
Demonstrate basic concepts in 1. Explain the principle of
prestressing. prestressing;
2. Describe the prestressing methods;
3. Summarize the prestressing
classifications.
• As the load increases, the beam
deflects slightly and then fails
abruptly.
• Under load, the stresses in the
beam will be compressive in the
top fibers, but tensile in the There are two ways of countering the
bottom fibers. phenomenon of “low tensile strength”
• Concrete is strong in compression, in concrete structures:
but weak in tension. As can be 1. Reinforcement → reinforced
expected, the beam cracks at the concrete (RC)
bottom and break, even with a
relatively small load. 2. Prestressing → prestressed
concrete (PSC)
• Steel is strong in tension.
• Steel bars are used as
reinforcement.
• In RC, concrete is designed to
resist compression and to hold
bars in position, and steel is used
to resist tension.
• Tensile strength of concrete is
neglected (i.e. zero).
• RC beams allows crack under
service load.

• To increase the concrete's strength
further, a compressive stress (pre-
stressing) is induced into a concrete
member before it begins its working
life.
• The compressive stress is positioned
to be in areas where tensile stresses
will develop under working load.
• The initial load or ‘pre-stress force’
is applied to enable the structure to
counteract the stresses arising
during its service period.
The application of a force to the structure,
other than the applied loads, for the
purpose of introducing the internal stresses
of suitable magnitude and distribution,
which assists the performance of the
structure.

PSC is a modified form of reinforced

concrete in which internal stresses of a
suitable magnitude and distribution are
introduced so that the stresses resulting
from the external loads are counteracted
to a desired degree.
1. Control or eliminate tensile stresses 1. Improved performance of concrete
in the concrete (cracking) at least up in “ordinary” design situations
to service load levels. (compared to R/C).

2. Control or eliminate deflection at 2. Extended range of application of

structural concrete (longer spans).
some specific load level.
3. Innovative forms of structures.
3. Allow the use of high strength steel
and concrete.
Consider a simply supported rectangular beam carrying a uniformly distributed vertical
load (Fig. 1.4):
Now, we are aiming to put an initial compression in the beam so that the tension stress
(due to external loads) will cancel out. If “the prestress force P” is introduced and
applied along the CoG, how much P is required to cancel out the tension stress?

The applied prestressing force, P,

required to cancel out the tensile stress
is:
𝑃
− 9.6 = 0
𝐴
𝑃 = 9.6 × 500 ∗ 200 = 960 kN

The stresses developed at the top fiber:

960
+ 9.6 = 19.2 NΤmm2
200 × 500
However, the stresses developed in the beam must be limit to a certain value =
permissible stress limits, hence, the stresses at the top and bottom must be vary over
the full range of permissible stresses for the two extreme loading conditions by
introducing an eccentricity, e.
A rectangular concrete beam of cross-section 30 cm deep and 20 cm wide is
prestressed by means of 15 wires of 5 mm diameter located 6.5 cm from the bottom
of the beam and 3 wires of diameter of 5 mm, 2.5 cm from the top. Assuming the
prestress in each wire is 840 N/mm2, calculate the stresses at the extreme fibers of
the mid-span section when the beam is supporting its own weight over a span of 6 m.
If a uniformly distributed live load of 6kN/m is imposed, evaluate the maximum
working stress in concrete. The density of concrete is 25kN/m3.
1. Section remains uncracked under
service loads
• Increase in shear capacity.
• Reduction of steel corrosion
• Suitable for use in pressure vessels,
• Increase in durability. liquid retaining structures.
• Full section is utilized • Improved performance (resilience)
• Higher moment of inertia under dynamic and fatigue loading.
(higher stiffness)
• Less deformations (improved
serviceability).
 3. Suitable for precast construction:
• The advantages of precast
2. High span-to-depth ratios construction are as follows.
Larger spans possible with 1. Rapid construction
prestressing (bridges, buildings with 2. Better quality control
large column-free spaces). 3. Reduced maintenance
4. Suitable for repetitive
Span to depth
Structure construction
ratio
5. Multiple use of formwork
RCS 28:1
• Reduction of formwork
PSC 45:1
6. Availability of standard
shapes.
 :

1. Prestressing needs skilled technology.

Hence, it is not as common as
reinforced concrete.
2. The use of high strength materials is
costly.
3. There is additional cost in auxiliary
equipment.
4. There is need for quality control and
inspection.
The main factors for concrete used in
PSC are:
1. Ordinary Portland cement-based
concrete is used but strength usually
greater than 50 N/mm2;
2. A high early strength is required to
enable quicker application of pre-
stress;
3. A larger elastic modulus is needed to
reduce the shortening of the member;
4. A mix that reduces creep of the
concrete to minimize losses of pre-
stress.
The steel used for pre-stressing has a
nominal yield strength of between 1550
to 1800 N/mm2. The different forms of
steel may take are:
1. Wires: individually drawn wires of 7 mm
diameter;
2. Strands: a collection of wires (usually 7)
wound together and thus having a diameter
that is different to its area;
3. Tendon: A collection of strands encased in
a duct – only used in post-tensioning;
4. Bar: a specially formed bar of high
strength steel of greater than 20 mm
diameter.
• There are 3 basic types of high-
strength steel commonly used as
tendons in prestressed concrete
construction;
1. Cold-drawn stress-relieved round
wire;
2. Stress-relieved strand;
3. High-strength alloy steel bars.
• Tendon is defined as a wire, strand,
cable or bar (or any discrete group of
wires, strands or bars) that is intended
to be either pretensioned or post-
tensioned.
Wires
• Wires are cold-drawn solid steel
elements, circular in cross-section, with
diameter usually in the range of 2.5 –
12.5 mm. The different types of wires
are as follows.
• Plain wire: No indentations on the
surface.
• 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.
• 2-wire strand: Two wires are spun
a) Plain wire b) Indented wire together to form the strand.
• 3-wire strand: Three wires are spun
• The typical characteristic tensile together to form the strand.
strength fpk for wires is in the range of • 7-wire strand: In this type of
1570 – 1860 MPa. Wires are sometimes strand, six wires are spun around a
indented or crimped to improve bond central wire. The central wire is
characteristics. larger than the other wires.
• 19-wire strand: 19 wires are spun
together to form the strand.
 • Stress-relieved strand is the most
commonly used prestressing steel.
• 7-wire strand is widely used in both
pretensioned and post-tensioned
applications.
• 19-wire strand consists of 2 layers of 9
wires or 2 layers of 6 and 12 wires
spirally wound around a central wire.
• The 19-wire strand is used in post-
Strands tensioned application, and not
recommended for pretensioned
applications due to relative low surface
area to volume ratio.
Tendon Cables
• A group of strands are placed together • Cables consist of a group of tendons
to form a prestressing tendon. The formed by multiwire strands woven
tendons are used in post-tensioned together as shown in Fig 1.9 below.
members. The following figure shows
the cross section of a typical tendon.
The strands are placed in a duct which
may be filled with grout after the post-
tensioning operation is completed.
Bars
• A tendon can be made up of a single Example of Prestressing Contractors in
steel bar. The diameter of a bar is Malaysia:
much larger than that of a wire. • Freyssinet PSC (M) Sdn Bhd;
• Bars are available in the range of
• VSL Engineers (M) Sdn Bhd;
diameter 20 – 50 mm with typical
characteristic minimum breaking • BBR Construction System (M) Sdn Bhd.
stresses in the range of 1030 – 1230
MPa.
• The high-strength steel tendons are • The pre-stress is transferred to the
pulled (pretensioned) between two end concrete from the tendons, due to the
abutments prior to the casting of bond between them.
concrete. • During the transfer of pre-stress, the
• The abutments are fixed at the ends of member undergoes elastic shortening.
a pre-stressing bed. • If the tendons are located
• Once the concrete attains the desired eccentrically, the member is likely to
strength for pre-stressing, the tendons bend and deflect
are cut loose from the abutments.
Stages of pretensioning
1. Anchoring of tendons against the end
abutments
2. Placing of jacks
3. Applying tension to the tendons
4. Casting of concrete
5. Cutting of the tendons
• The essential devices for pre-
tensioning are as follows :
• Prestressing bed;
• End abutments;
• Shuttering/mould;
• Jack;
• Anchoring device;
• Harping device (optional).
• An extension of the previous system is
the Hoyer system. This system is
generally used for mass production. The
end abutments are kept sufficient
distance apart, and several members
are cast in a single line. The shuttering
is provided at the sides and between
the members. This system is also called
the Long Line Method.
• The jacks are used to apply tension to
the tendons. Hydraulic jacks are
commonly used. These jacks work on oil
pressure generated by a pump.
• The principle behind the design of jacks
is Pascal’s law.
• The load applied by a jack is measured
by the pressure reading from a gauge
attached to the oil inflow or by a
separate load cell.
A double acting hydraulic jack with a
load cell.
Anchoring devices are often made on the
wedge and friction principle.
In pre-tensioned members, the tendons
are to be held in tension during the
casting and hardening of concrete.
Here simple and cheap quick-release grips
are generally adopted.

Examples of anchoring devices

 Advantages Disadvantages

• Pre-tensioning is suitable for precast • A prestressing bed is required for the

members produced in bulk.
pre-tensioning operation.
• In pre-tensioning large anchorage
• There is a waiting period in the
device is not present.
prestressing bed, before the concrete
attains sufficient strength.
• There should be good bond between
concrete and steel over the
transmission length.
• The ducts for the tendons (or strands) • If the ducts are filled with grout, then
are placed along with the reinforcement it is known as bonded post-tensioning.
before the casting of concrete. • In unbonded post-tensioning, the ducts
• The tendons are placed in the ducts are never grouted and the tendon is
after the casting of concrete. The duct held in tension solely by the end
prevents contact between concrete and anchorages.
the tendons during the tensioning
operation.
• Unlike pre-tensioning, the tendons are
pulled with the reaction acting against
the hardened concrete.
1. Casting of concrete.
2. Placement of the tendons.
3. Placement of the anchorage block and
jack.
4. Applying tension to the tendons.
5. Seating of the wedges.
6. Cutting of the tendons.
• Casting bed Casting Bed, Mould and Ducts

• Mould/Shuttering
• Ducts
• Anchoring devices
• Jacks
• Couplers (optional)
• Grouting equipment (optional).
Anchoring Devices
• In post-tensioned members the
anchoring devices transfer the
prestress to the concrete.
• The devices are based on the following
principles of anchoring the tendons.
• Wedge action
• Direct bearing
• Looping the wires
Couplers
• The couplers are used to connect
strands or bars. They are located at
the junction of the members, for
example at or near columns in post-
tensioned slabs, on piers in
posttensioned bridge decks.
Grouting
• Grouting can be defined as the filling of
duct, with a material that provides an
anticorrosive alkaline environment to
the prestressing steel and also a strong
bond between the tendon and the
surrounding grout. The major part of
grout comprises of water and cement,
with a water-to-cement ratio of about
0.5, together with some water-reducing
admixtures, expansion agent and
pozzolans.
Source of prestressing force:
• This classification is based on the
method by which the prestressing force
is generated.
• There are three sources of
prestressing force: Mechanical,
hydraulic and electrical.
External or internal prestressing:
• This classification is based on the
location of the prestressing tendon
with respect to the concrete section.
External
prestressing of a
box girder

Internal
prestressing of a
box girder
Pre-tensioning or post-tensioning
• This is the most important
classification and is based on the
sequence of casting the concrete and
applying tension to the tendons.

Linear or circular prestressing

• This classification is based on the
shape of the member prestressed.

Circularly prestressed containment structure

Full, limited or partial prestressing
• Based on the amount of prestressing
force, three types of prestressing are
defined.

Uniaxial, biaxial or multi-axial

prestressing
• As the names suggest, the classification
is based on the directions of
prestressing a member.

Biaxial prestressing of a slab