General Principles

Dr Antonis Michael
Department of Civil Engineering
Frederick University

Professional Societies

The International Federation for Structural Concrete
CEB-FIB (Merge of Euro-International Concrete
Committee (CEB - Comité Euro-International du
Béton) and the International Federation for
Prestressing (FIP - Fédération Internationale de la
Précontrainte) in 1998.
 CEB-FIB Model
 Structural Concrete Journal of the FIB
 European Standards

PCI (Precast/Prestessed Concrete Institute) USA
 PCI Design Handbook
 PCI Journal

1
Definition of Prestress in EN1992

“The process of prestressing consists in

applying forces to the concrete structure by
stressing tendons relative to the concrete
member. “Prestress” is used globally to
name all the permanent effects of the
prestressing process, which comprise internal
forces in the sections and deformations of the
structure.”

ACI Definition of Prestressed Concrete

“Concrete in which there have been

introduced internal stresses of such
magnitude and distribution that the stresses
resulting from given external loadings are
counteracted to a desired degree. In
reinforced concrete members the prestress is
commonly introduced by tensioning the steel
reinforcement”

2
General Principles of Prestressed Concrete

First Concept: Stress Superposition Method

 Prestressed concrete an elastic composite
material

Concrete subjected to 2 systems of forces:
 Internal prestress (pre-compression by tendons
counteract tension in concrete)
 External loads

Prestressed Rectangular Beam

Beam is prestressed with a tendon through the

centroid and is loaded with external load
P
Uniform Compressive Stress σ =−
Ac

Where: P = Prestress force

Ac = Cross-sectional area

3
 -P/Ac

c.g.c and c.g.s

M is the moment from the external load

I = moment of Inertia, y = distance to centroid
M ⋅ yt
−
Ic
-P/Ac

c.g.c and c.g.s

+ =

M ⋅ yb
Ic

Resulting Stresses

P M ⋅ yt
σ top = − −
Ac Ic

P M ⋅ yb
σ bot = − +
Ac Ic

4
 Beam with Eccentric Tendon
-P/Ac

c.g.c + =
c.g.s

P ⋅ y P ⋅ yb
Ic
An extra moment is generated due to tendon eccentricity
M ⋅ yt
−
Ic

c.g.c
+ =
c.g.s

M ⋅ yb
Ic

Beam with Curved Tendon

c.g.c

c.g.s

c.g.c yP Stress in concrete:

FBD
c.g.s P P ⋅ y P ⋅ yb
σ =− +
F Ac Ic
A

Concrete stress depends only on prestressing force P and eccentricity yP

5
 Stages of Loading

Prestressing force only

Prestressing + self weight

After installation

Stresses
Prestressing Force Only

P0 P0 ⋅ y P ⋅ yb P0 P0 ⋅ y P ⋅ yt
σ bot ,0 = − − σ top, 0 = − +
Ac Ic Ac Ic

Prestressing + Self Weight

P0 P0 ⋅ yP ⋅ yb M SW ⋅ yb P0 P0 ⋅ yP ⋅ yt M SW ⋅ yt
σ bot ,0 = − − + σ top ,0 = − + −
Ac Ic Ic Ac Ic Ic

After Installation

Pe Pe ⋅ yP ⋅ yb M SW ⋅ yb M SL ⋅ yb Pe Pe ⋅ yP ⋅ yt M SW ⋅ yt M SL ⋅ yt
σ bot ,∞ = − − + + σ top ,∞ = − + − −
Ac Ic Ic Ic Ac Ic Ic Ic

I
I and y can be substituted by section modulus W W =
y

6
 Example 1
G=200kN
Q=100kN Q=100kN
120cm
yP

7.5m

30cm
5m 5m 5m

C30 Concrete, P0 = 2800 kN

Concrete cover to c.g.s. = 7cm Find:
γcon = 25 kN/m3 Top and bottom stresses at
time 0 and after installation
Total Prestress Losses 20%