A 68 ft. simply supported prestressed beam is loaded as shown.

Using ACI
318 Building Code Allowable Stresses, determine the maximum concentrated
dead load it can carry. The beam has a superimposed concentrated live load
of 9.5 kips and the following information:
fc = 6000 psi
fci = 0.73 of cylinder strength
Time dependent losses of the initial prestress = 18%
fpu = 270 ksi
ft = 12 f ' c
Number of tendons = 16-1/2 diameter-seven wire strand
conc = 145 lbs/ft3
Beam Properties
Ic = 81430 in4
Ac = 191.6 in2
H = 45 in
ct = 26.3 in
cb = 18.7 in
Wd = 442 lbs/ft
ee = 17.4 in
ec = 15.2 in

Solution:
Critical load will occur at service load
Solving for other properties
r 2=

I 81430
=
=425 2
A g 191.6

I 81430
st = t =
=3096.23
26.3
c
s b=

I 81430
2
=
=4354.5
c b 18.7

fpe=78 of fpi

fpi=0.7 fpu=0.7 ( 270 )=189 ksi

fpe=0.78 ( 189 )=155 ksi
'

fc=0.45 f c=2700 psi

ft =12 f ' c=929.5 psi
Pe= Aps ( fpe ) =( 16 ) ( 0.153 ) (155 )=379.4 kips
Using Basic Concept
t
e cb
M
Pe
t
f b=
1 2 tT
A
r
sb

At Top Fiber
2700=

MT
( 379.4 103 )
15.2 ( 26.3 )
1

191.6
425
3096.2

MT = 7995631.1 lb-in
At Bottom Fiber
MT
( 379.4 10 3 )
15.2 ( 18.7 )
930=
1

191.6
425
4354.4

MT = 7995631.1 lb-in
Use MT = 7995631.1 lb-in
Maximum Moment at Midspan
W L+ 3 P
R= D
2
W D +3 P L W D L2
M=

P(17)
2
2
8
7995631.1

1 442 ( 68 ) +3 P 68 442 ( 68 )
=

17 P
2
2
2
8

()

Solving for P
P= 12083 lb (12.1 kips)
Solving for PD
PD = 12.1 9.5

( )

PD = 2.6 kips
The prestresssed beam could carry a maximum concentrated

dead load of 2.6 kips