Research I Reinforcement concrete II

Prestressed reinforced concrete

Prepared by: Hamez Habibi

Introduction
 Typically, conventional reinforced concrete with a span of up to 6 meters is the most
cost-effective method. Prestressed concrete has high economic efficiency in conditions with
openings of more than 9 meters. Between 6 and 9 meters, two options should be considered
according to the specific conditions of the most suitable option.
In conventional reinforced concrete, the stresses are carried by the rebar, while the
prestressed concrete bears the load using inductive stresses throughout the structural element.
This makes it more resistant to impact and vibration than conventional concrete, and can also
form tall, thin structures with much smaller cross-sections to support equivalent loads.
It is now commonly used for floor beams, piles and rail beams, as well as structures such
as bridges, water tanks, roofs and corridors. In general, prestressed concrete is not required for
columns and walls, however it can be used for tall columns and high retaining walls with high
flexural stresses.
Prestressed concrete is a structural material that allows pre-defined engineering stresses
to be applied to members to counteract the stresses created during loading. These properties
combine the high compressive strength of concrete and the high tensile strength of steel.
Prestressed concrete was patented by San Francisco engineer PH Jackson in 1886,
although it did not appear as an acceptable building material until 50 years later that a shortage
of steel, along with technological advances, made prestressed concrete a desirable building
material. In the post-European era it became a feminine habit. Reconstruction of war.
It is now commonly used for floor beams, piles and rail beams, as well as structures such
as bridges, water tanks, roofs and corridors. In general, prestressed concrete is not required for
columns and walls, however it can be used for tall columns and high retaining walls with high
flexural stresses.

Comparison of non-prestressed beam (top) and prestressed concrete beam (bottom) under

load:
1. Non-prestressed beam without load
2. Non-prestressed beam with load
3. Before concrete solidifies, tendons embedded in concrete are tensioned
4. After concrete solidifies, tendons apply compressive stress to concrete
5. Prestressed beam without load
6. Prestressed beam with load

Steel
 The steel used for prestressing can be in the form of wire or reinforcement, which can be
classified to form cables. Solid rods can also be used.
Wire is made by pulling a carbon steel rod through a set of transition molds. Wire
diameters usually range from 3mm to 7mm and can be round, corrugated or serrated to provide
better bond strength. Another form is filamentary fiber, which consists of straight-cored wire that
is wound in spirals around subsequent wires and forms shapes such as 7 wires (6 to 1) and 19
wires (9-9 to 1). Give. Strings, such as wire harnesses, can be used individually or in groups to
form cables.

Method
The prestressed concrete production process can take place by means of prestressing or
after stretching.

Pre-tension
This process involves pressing wires or cables by attaching them to the end of a metal
mold that can be up to 120 meters long. Hydraulic jacks pinch the wire as needed and often add
10% to compensate for creep and other damage caused by prestressing. Then the lateral forms
are fixed and concrete is laid around the tensioned wires. The concrete hardens and contracts,
holding the steel along its entire length and transferring stress from the jacks, creating
compressive pressure in the concrete.
When the concrete reaches the desired strength, the cables pulled from the jacks are
released. Typical concrete strength of 28 N / mm2 can be achieved with 24 hours steam curing as
well as using additives.
To create shorter features, split plates can be placed anywhere on the feature, which, if
disconnected, can cut the wires.

Pre-tensioning process

Post-tensioning
This follows the reverse method to pre-tensioning, whereby the concrete member is cast
and the prestressing occurs after the concrete is hardened. This method is often used where
stressing is to be carried out on site after casting an insitu component or where a series of precast
concrete units are to be joined together to form the required member.
 The wires, cables or bars may be positioned in the unit before concreting, but bonding to
the concrete is prevented by using a flexible duct or rubber sheath which is deflated and removed
when the concrete has hardened.
Stressing is carried out after the concrete has been cured by means
of hydraulic jacks operating from one or both ends of the member. Due to the high
local stresses at the anchorage positions it is common for a helical (spiral) reinforcement to be
included in the design. When the required stress has been reached, the wire or cables are
anchored to maintain the prestress. The ends of the unit are sealed with cement mortar to
prevent corrosion due to any entrapped moisture and to assist in stress distribution.
Anchorages used in post-tensioning depend on whether the tendons are to
be stressed individually or as a group. Most systems use a form of split cone wedges or jaws
which act against a form of bearing or pressure plate.
There are many different post-tensioning systems. For example, the
Freyssinet system enables the stressing strands to be tensioned simultaneously using center hole
tensioning jacks, anchored by tapered jaws. This is suitable for pre-stressing elements up to 50 m
in length.
The Macalloy system on the other hand, involves applying stress to the concrete by
means of a solid bar, usually with a diameter of 25-75 mm. The bar is anchored at each end by a
special nut which bears against an end plate to distribute the load.

Forces on post-tensioned concrete with profiled (curved) tendon

Advantages and disadvantages

The advantages of prestressed concrete include:
 The inherent compressive strength of concrete is used to its fullest.
o The special alloy steels used to form the prestressing tendons are used to their
fullest.
o Tension cracks are eliminated, reducing the risk of
the steel components corroding.
 Shear stresses are reduced.
o For any given span and loading condition a reduction in weight can be achieved
from using a component with a smaller cross section.
o A composite member can be formed by joining individual precast
concrete units together.
The disadvantages of prestressed concrete include:
  A high degree of workmanship and control is required.
o Special alloy steels are more expensive than traditional steels used in reinforced
concrete.
 Expensive equipment is needed and there are complex safety requirements.

Prestressed concrete is a very versatile building material because it is almost a perfect

combination of its two main constituents: High-strength steel makes it easy to achieve complete
strength before tensile. And modern precast concrete to minimize cracking. A wide range of
applications in its inclusion in the main design codes that cover most areas of construction and
engineering, including buildings, bridges, dams, foundations, sidewalks, piles, stadiums, silos
and Tanks are reflected.

Building construction
Building structures usually have to meet a wide range of structural, aesthetic and
economic needs. Among these, it is important: the minimum number of retaining walls
(columns) or columns. The low thickness (depth) of the structure allows the placement of office
space or additional floors in multi-storey construction. Fast construction cycle, especially for
multi-storey buildings; And low unit cost to maximize the building owner ROI.
Concrete prestressing allows "balancing" forces to enter the structure to withstand loads
during operation. It provides many benefits to building structures:
• Build longer openings with the same depth
Load balancing leads to a reduction in deflection during operation, which allows the span
(and less support) to be increased without increasing the structural depth.
• Reduce the thickness of the construction
For a given opening, the lower operating deviations create thinner structural sections,
which in turn lead to a lower floor-to-floor height or more service space of the building.
• Faster removal time
Typically, prestressed concrete building elements fully load and support themselves
within five days. At this point, they can remove the mold and put it back in the next part of the
building, which speeds up the "cycle time" of the build.
• Reduce material costs
 The combination of reduced structural thickness, reduced reinforcements, and rapid
construction often results in prestressed concrete having significant economic advantages in
building structures over alternative structural materials.
Some of the prominent structures made of prestressed concrete include the Sydney Opera
House and the Sydney World Tower. St. George's Tower George, London; CN Tower, Toronto;
Kai Tak Cruise Terminal and World Trade Center, Hong Kong; Ocean Heights 2, Dubai; York
Tower, Melbourne;] Toure Espasio, Madrid; Tanjong Pagar Center, Singapore; Zagreb
International Airport, Croatia; And the Gateway Capital, Abu Dhabi, UAE.

Sydney Opera House