GENERAL INFORMATION:

This section specifies the general practices and requirements regarding the use of reinforcing
steel for the design and fabrication of precast prestressed concrete members. For specific
practices and requirements (sizes, spacings and misc. details), refer to the appropriate section of
this chapter.

All prestressed and non-prestressed reinforcement used in the design and fabrication of
prestressed concrete members shall conform to the requirements of Sections 223, 405 and 406
of the current edition of the VDOT Road and Bridge Specifications and as specified herein.

PRESTRESSED TENDONS:
Prestressed tendons shall conform to the requirements of Section 223 of the VDOT Road and
Bridge Specifications and as specified below.

Prestressed tendons shall be uncoated, seven-wire, low-relaxation steel strands conforming to

the requirements of ASTM A416 (AASHTO M203), Grade 270.

For strand properties and design strengths, see File No. 12.01-3.

The use of stress-relieved strands or substitution of stress-relieved strands for low-relaxation

strands shall not be permitted.

Prestressed concrete members shall be designed using 1/2 diameter strands unless specified
otherwise in this chapter.

Strands for prestressed members shall be distributed uniformly across the width of the member in
a 2 X 2 grid pattern for strands up to and including 0.6 diameter. The grid pattern shall be laid
out symmetrically about a vertical axis through the centroid of the member cross section.

For computation of prestress losses, see File Nos. 12.01-4 thru -6.

The use of debonded strands in prestressed members shall not be permitted.

NON-PRESTRESSED REINFORCEMENT:
Non-prestressed reinforcement shall conform to the requirements of Sections 405 and 406 of the
VDOT Road and Bridge Specifications and as specified below.

Deformed reinforcing bars shall conform to the requirements of ASTM A615, Grade 60.

Plain steel bars when used as dowels shall conform to the requirements of ASTM A36.

Spiral wire ties shall conform to the requirements of ASTM A82 (AASHTO M32).

PRESTRESSED CONCRETE VOL. V - PART 2

DATE: 31Mar2006
REINFORCEMENT SHEET 1 of 8
GENERAL INFORMATION FILE NO. 12.01-1
NON-PRESTRESSED REINFORCEMENT CORROSION PROTECTION:
For non-prestressed reinforcement requiring corrosion protection, refer to the appropriate section
of this chapter or the standard detail sheet for the member.

Non-prestressed reinforcement requiring epoxy coating or galvanization shall conform to the

requirements of Section 223 of the VDOT Road and Bridge Specifications.

PRESTRESSED CONCRETE VOL. V - PART 2

DATE: 01Jun2005
REINFORCEMENT SHEET 2 of 8
GENERAL INFORMATION FILE NO. 12.01-2
 SEVEN-WIRE GRADE 270 LOW-RELAXATION STRANDS
Nominal Area Ultimate Yield
Nominal of Strength of Strength of
Diameter of Strand Strand Strand 0.75 fs' As 0.90 fy A s
Strand
As fs' A s f y A s
(in) (in2) (lbs) (lbs) (lbs) (lbs)
3/8 (0.375) 0.085 22950 20660 17210 18590
7/16 (0.438) 0.115 31050 27950 23290 25160
1/2 (0.500) 0.153 41310 37180 30980 33460
1/2 (special) 0.167 45000 40500 33750 36450
0.60 0.217 58590 52730 43940 47460

The 1/2 (special) strand shown above is not listed in ASTM A416. It is a 1/2 diameter strand
designed to have a minimum breaking strength of 45,000 lbs. and a minimum yield strength of
40,500 lbs.

fy = 0.90 fs' = yield stress of prestressing steel (AASHTO 9.1.2).

0.75 fs' A s = required tensioning force per strand immediately prior to release (after losses due
to anchorage set and other factors). This force shall be entered in the table on
the standard beam detail sheet as the Prestress Force Per Strand
(AASHTO 9.15.1).

0.90 f y A s = maximum tensioning force per strand for short periods of time prior to seating to
offset seating and friction losses (AASHTO 9.15.1).

PRESTRESSED CONCRETE VOL. V - PART 2

DATE: 31Mar2006
REINFORCEMENT SHEET 3 of 8
STRAND PROPERTIES AND DESIGN STRENGTHS FILE NO. 12.01-3
PRESTRESS LOSSES:
The loss of prestress can be defined as the difference between the initial stress in the strands
and the effective stress in the strands after losses have occurred. The loss of prestress can
generally be attributed to the cumulative effects from the following sources:

Elastic Shortening (ES)

Relaxation of Prestressing Steel (CRs)

Shrinkage of Concrete (SH)

Creep of Concrete (CRc)

Anchorage Set (seating or slip) caused by movement of strands due to chuck seating in
wedge-type anchorages

Other Factors such as casting bed and form deformations, and temperature effects, if
any.

Producers of prestressed concrete members will normally make the necessary adjustments to the
prestressing (jacking) force to compensate for the losses due to anchorage set and other factors.

COMPUTATION OF PRESTRESS LOSSES:

Prestress losses excluding friction for normal designs shall be computed using the approximate
method contained in Article 9.16.2 of the AASHTO specifications as supplemented herein. For
unusual or complex designs, more detailed methods (time-dependent analysis) may be used. In
no case shall the total prestress losses excluding friction be less than 25,000 psi for both
pretensioned and post tensioned members.

For the design of prestressed concrete members prestress losses excluding friction shall be
computed at the following stages in the life of the member:

Transfer (release) of Prestress

fs(at transfer) = CRs(18) + ES

log (24 t ) fi
where CRs (18) = 0.55 fi
Kr *
fy

where CRs(18) = loss due to relaxation of prestressing

steel at 18 hours (psi)

t = time in days (0.75 days) for which

relaxation is calculated

PRESTRESSED CONCRETE VOL. V - PART 2

DATE: 31Mar2006
REINFORCEMENT SHEET 4 of 8
PRESTRESS LOSSES FILE NO. 12.01-4
 f = initial stress at the beginning of the
i
relaxation loss period
= 0.75fs for low relaxation strands

*
f = yield stress of the strands
y
= 0.90fs for low relaxation strands

K = 45 for low relaxation strand

r

Service Load

fs (at service) = SH + ES + CRc + CRs

where fs (at service) = total loss excluding friction (psi)

SH = loss due to concrete shrinkage (psi)

ES = loss due to elastic shortening (psi)

CRc = loss due to creep of concrete (psi)

CRs = loss due to relaxation of prestressing

steel (psi)

For estimating elastic shortening loss (ES) to be used in the above equations,
Article 9.16.2.1.2 of the AASHTO specifications gives the following equation:

E
s
ES = fcir AASHTO Eq. 9-6
E ci

where Es = modulus of elasticity of prestressing steel

= 28 x 106 psi

fci = strength of concrete at release

Eci = modulus of elasticity of concrete at release after losses

3
= 33 w 2 fci'

fcir = average concrete stress at the c.g. of prestressing steel due to

prestressing force after losses and dead load weight of the beam
immediately after transfer.

PRESTRESSED CONCRETE VOL. V - PART 2

DATE: 31Mar2006
REINFORCEMENT SHEET 5 of 8
PRESTRESS LOSSES FILE NO. 12.01-5
The value of fcir may be approximated as follows:

ftransfer = stress in prestressing steel at transfer after losses

Es
E M bm e s
fi CR s (18) + ci
Ibm

ftransfer =
Es e 2
A *s
1.0
1.0 + + s
E ci A bm Ibm

Therefore fcir can be calculated as follows:

f transfer A *s f A *s e s2 M bm e s
fcir = + transfer
A bm Ibm Ibm

For estimating creep of concrete loss (CRc), Article 9.16.2.1.3 of the AASHTO
specifications notes the following equation:

CRc = 12fcir 7fcds AASHTO Eq. 9-9

where fcds = concrete stress at the c.g. of the prestressing steel due to all
dead loads except dead load weight of the beam.

The value of fcds may be computed as follows:

MDL (non comp ) e s MDL (comp ) [y cb y b + e s ]

fcds = +
Ibm Icomp

PRESTRESSED CONCRETE VOL. V - PART 2

DATE: 31Mar2006
REINFORCEMENT SHEET 6 of 8
PRESTRESS LOSSES FILE NO. 12.01-6
DRAPING OF STRANDS:
Prestressed members shall be designed with strands having either a straight or a double
draped (harped) profile along the length of the member.

Draped points (hold-downs) shall be located at 0.4L and 0.6L.

The number of draped strands permitted shall not exceed 14 ( 7 rows of 2 strands ).

COMPUTATION OF HOLD-DOWN FORCES:

Strand hold-down devices are rated (maximum safe working load) by uplift force per strand as
well as by total uplift force per device. The magnitude of these forces shall be investigated to
ensure the availability of hold-down devices to carry these loads. In the event the actual uplift
force per strand or total uplift force per hold-down device exceeds the maximum safe working
loads of 4 kips and 48 kips respectively, the designer shall verify the availability of a hold-down
device to carry the required uplift forces with local fabricators of prestressed members. Only as
a last resort may these forces be split into two or more locations straddling the 0.4L and 0.6L
points.

Definitions:

Fpull = Maximum pretensioned force per strand immediately prior to transfer.

Fv = Uplift force per strand at drape point.

Fh = Horizontal force per strand at drape point.

V = Distance from c.g. of strands at midspan to c.g. of strands at end of beam.

H = Distance from end of beam to drape point.

Friction Factor = Increase in force due to friction losses (1.05 for swivel devices and 1.15
for non-swivel devices).

PRESTRESSED CONCRETE VOL. V - PART 2

DATE: 01Jun2005
REINFORCEMENT SHEET 7 of 8
DRAPING OF STRANDS / HOLD-DOWN FORCES FILE NO. 12.01-7
Equations for calculating hold-down forces:

Fpull = 0.80 fs' A*s (for low-relaxation strands)

V
Fv = Fpull Friction Factor 4 kips per strand
H

Total Uplift Force = Fv x (number of draped strands) 48 kips per device

PRESTRESSED CONCRETE VOL. V - PART 2

DATE: 31Mar2006
REINFORCEMENT SHEET 8 of 8
DRAPING OF STRANDS / HOLD-DOWN FORCES FILE NO. 12.01-8