Reinforced Concrete Design III- Fourth Year-Civil Engineering

CHAPTER 3 PRESTRESSED CONCRETE

3.1 Prestressed Concrete

It is a method of applying pre-compression to control the stresses

resulting due to external loads below the neutral axis of the beam.

3.2 Why Do We Need to Prestress?

- Concrete is strong in compression and weak in tension

– Tensile strength of concrete is 8 to 14 % of compressive strength

– Flexural cracks develop early

– Can be counteracted by application of compressive stresses

– Prestressing allows optimal utilization of compressive stresses in

concrete
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Reinforced Concrete Design III- Fourth Year-Civil Engineering

 Some Examples

3.3 Advance of prestressing; -

1) Prevent tension cracks under working loads to be used for water

and oil tanks and members subjected to corrosion conditions.

2) Smaller section will be required for design (the entire section

remains effective for stresses)

3) Larger span will be possible because of reduction in weight.

4) Deflection under working load will be reduced.

5) Prestress reduce diagonal tension stresses at working loads. This

led to use of modified I and T sections.

Diagonal
tension crack
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Reinforced Concrete Design III- Fourth Year-Civil Engineering

3.4 Procedure of prestressing

1. Steel strands (or tendons) were placed in the lower part of the
beam form.

2. The strands were tensioned to a very high stress.

3. The concrete was placed in the form and allowed to gain sufficient
strength for the prestressed strands to be cut.

4. The strands were cut.

The cut strands tend to resume their original length, thus

compressing the lower part of the beam and causing a negative
bending moment. The positive moment caused by the beam weight and
any superimposed gravity loads is directly opposed by the negative
moment.

𝑷𝒋 𝑷𝒋

(a) Cables stretched and concrete placed

𝑷𝒋 𝑷𝒋

(b) Cable cut after concrete gains sufficient strength

(c) Negative moment produced

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Reinforced Concrete Design III- Fourth Year-Civil Engineering

3.5 Type of prestress tendons

Three type of steel tendons are used in prestressed concrete: wire,

strands (or cables) made with several wires, and bars. Typical shapes
and commonly available diameter are shown in the table below.

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Reinforced Concrete Design III- Fourth Year-Civil Engineering

3.6 Design of prestressed members

3.6.1 Stages of loading

1- Transfer (initial) stage:

Refer to the stage where the prestressing force is transferred to
the concrete and no external loads are present except the weight of
the member.

Because of elastic shortening in concrete, slip at anchorages and

frictional losses along tendons, an immediate reduction in prestress
occur from 𝑃 to prestress force 𝑃

𝑃 = (1 − 𝑖𝑛𝑖𝑡𝑖𝑎𝑙 𝑙𝑜𝑠𝑠𝑒𝑠)𝑃

Initial prestress force Jacking force

𝑷𝒊 𝑷𝒊
𝒆
Concrete Centroid

𝒉 𝒚𝒕
𝑷𝒊 𝑷𝒊
𝒚𝒃
𝑷𝒊 𝒆 𝑷𝒊 𝒆

𝑷𝒊 𝑷𝒊 𝒆 𝒚𝒕 𝑴𝒈 𝒚𝒕 𝟏
𝒇𝒕𝒊 (𝒕𝒆𝒏𝒔𝒊𝒐𝒏) ≤ 𝒇
𝑨 𝑰 𝑰 𝟒 𝒄𝒊

𝑷𝒊 𝑷𝒊 𝒆 𝒚𝒃 𝑴𝒈 𝒚𝒃 𝒇𝒄𝒊 (𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒑. ) ≤ 𝟎. 𝟔𝒇𝒄𝒊

𝑨 𝑨 𝑰

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Reinforced Concrete Design III- Fourth Year-Civil Engineering

2- Service (working) stage:

Refer to the final loading (total load) under service conditions where
all prestress losses have occurred

𝑃 =𝑅𝑃 → (𝑃 > 𝑃 )

Effective prestress 𝑅: reduction factor due to time dependent

force losses 12 − 20% (𝑅 = 88 − 80%)

𝑺. 𝑫. 𝑳 + 𝑳. 𝑳

𝑷𝒔𝒆 𝑷𝒔𝒆
𝒆

𝑺. 𝑫. 𝑳 + 𝑳. 𝑳
𝑷𝒔𝒆 𝒆 𝑷𝒔𝒆 𝒆
𝒉 𝒚𝒕
𝑷𝒔𝒆 𝑷𝒔𝒆
𝒚𝒃

Concrete Centroid

𝑷𝒔𝒆 𝑷𝒔𝒆 𝒆 𝒚𝒕 𝑴𝒔 + 𝑴𝒈 𝒚𝒕
𝒇𝒄𝒔 (𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒑. ) ≤ 𝟎. 𝟒𝟓𝒇𝒄
𝑨 𝑰 𝑰

𝑷𝒊 𝑷𝒔𝒆 𝒆 𝒚𝒃 𝑴𝒔 + 𝑴𝒈 𝒚𝒃 𝟏
𝒇𝒕𝒔 (𝒕𝒆𝒏𝒔𝒊𝒐𝒏) ≤ 𝒇
𝑨 𝑨 𝟐 𝒄
𝑰

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Reinforced Concrete Design III- Fourth Year-Civil Engineering

3.6.2 Flexural analysis based on permissible stresses

Based on permissible stresses in concrete (at stage of transfer and

service load stage), the following basic equation are used: -
𝑃 𝑃 𝑒𝑦 𝑀 𝑦
− + − =𝑓
𝐴 𝐼 𝐼
𝑂𝑟
𝑃 𝑃 𝑒 𝑀
− + − =𝑓 (𝑡𝑒𝑛𝑠𝑖𝑜𝑛) … … . (1)
𝐴 𝑆 𝑆
𝑃 𝑃 𝑒 𝑀
− − + =𝑓 (𝑐𝑜𝑚𝑝. ) … . … . . (2)
𝐴 𝑆 𝑆

𝑃 𝑃 𝑒 𝑀
− + − =𝑓 (𝑐𝑜𝑚𝑝. ) … … . . . (3)
𝐴 𝑆 𝑆
𝑃 𝑃 𝑒 𝑀
− − + =𝑓 (𝑡𝑒𝑛𝑠𝑖𝑜𝑛) … … . . (4)
𝐴 𝑆 𝑆

where

𝑆 & 𝑆 are section modulus, 𝑆 = , 𝑆 =

𝑏ℎ
𝑏ℎ
𝐹𝑜𝑟 𝑟𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑔𝑢𝑙𝑎𝑟 𝑠𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛, 𝑆 = 𝑆 = 12 =
ℎ 6
2
𝑀 : moment due to member weight only

𝑀 : moment due to S.D. L+L.L (𝑀 + 𝑀ℓ )

𝑀 : total moment (𝑀 + 𝑀 )

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Reinforced Concrete Design III- Fourth Year-Civil Engineering

Permissible stresses in concrete flexural members

-Allowable stresses in concrete immediately after prestress

transfer (ACI Code 18.4.1)
a) Extreme fiber stress in compression 𝑓 = 0.6𝑓
b) Extreme fiber stress in tension except as 1
𝑓 = 𝑓
permitted in (c) 4
c) Extreme fiber stress in tension at ends of simply 1
𝑓 = 𝑓
supported members 2

𝑓 : compression strength of concrete at time of initial prestress

-Allowable stresses in concrete at service loads (ACI Code 18.4.1)

a) Extreme fiber stress in compression due to

𝑓 = 0.45𝑓
prestress + sustained loads
b) Extreme fiber stress in compression due to
𝑓 = 0.6𝑓
prestress + total loads
c) Extreme fiber stress in tension in precompressed 𝑓 = 1 𝑓
tensile zone 2

𝑓 : compression strength of concrete

Prestressing tendons (Permissible stresses) (ACI Code 18.5)

a) Due to jacking force 𝑓 = 0.94 𝑓 ≤ 0.8𝑓

b) Immediately after prestress transfer 𝑓 = 0.82 𝑓 ≤ 0.74𝑓
c) Post-tensioning tendons, at anchorages
and couplers, immediately after tendon 𝑓 = 0.70 𝑓
anchorage

𝑓 : permissible tensile stress of reinforcement

𝑓 : yield strength of prestressing tendons
𝑓 : tensile strength of prestressing tendons
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Reinforced Concrete Design III- Fourth Year-Civil Engineering

3.6.3 Design of beams with variable eccentricity

To find section modulus

(1 − 𝑅)𝑀 + 𝑀 + 𝑀ℓ
𝑆 ≥ →→ 𝑑𝑒𝑟𝑖𝑣𝑒𝑑 𝑓𝑟𝑜𝑚 𝑅 × 𝐸𝑞. (1) − 𝐸𝑞. (3)
𝑅𝑓 −𝑓
(1 − 𝑅)𝑀 + 𝑀 + 𝑀ℓ
𝑆 ≥ →→ 𝑑𝑒𝑟𝑖𝑣𝑒𝑑 𝑓𝑟𝑜𝑚 𝐸𝑞. (4) − 𝑅 × 𝐸𝑞. (2)
𝑓 −𝑅𝑓

Concrete stresses under initial condition at the centroid, 𝑓 . is

𝑦 𝒇𝒕𝒊
𝑓 . =𝑓 − (𝑓 − 𝑓 )
ℎ +
𝑦 𝑓 −𝑓 .
=
𝒚𝒕 ℎ 𝑓 −𝑓
𝒇𝒄𝒆𝒏𝒕. 𝑦
𝑃 = 𝐴 × |𝑓 .| 𝒉 𝑓 −𝑓 . = (𝑓 − 𝑓 )
ℎ
𝑦
∴𝑓 . = 𝑓 − (𝑓 − 𝑓 )
ℎ
−
𝒇𝒄𝒊

The required eccentricity at max. moment section based on top fiber

requirements:
𝑆 𝑀
𝑒 = 𝑒 = (𝑓 − 𝑓 .) + →→ 𝑑𝑒𝑟𝑖𝑣𝑒𝑑 𝑓𝑟𝑜𝑚 𝐸𝑞. (1)
𝑃 𝑃

Alternatively, based on bottom fiber requirements:

𝑆 𝑀
𝑒 = 𝑒 = (𝑓 . −𝑓 ) + →→ 𝑑𝑒𝑟𝑖𝑣𝑒𝑑 𝑓𝑟𝑜𝑚 𝐸𝑞. (2)
𝑃 𝑃

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Reinforced Concrete Design III- Fourth Year-Civil Engineering

3.6.4 Design of beams with constant eccentricity

To find section modulus

𝑀 + 𝑀 + 𝑀ℓ
𝑆 ≥
𝑅𝑓 −𝑓
𝑀 + 𝑀 + 𝑀ℓ
𝑆 ≥
𝑓 −𝑅𝑓

The required eccentricity based on top fiber requirements

𝑆
𝑒 = (𝑓 − 𝑓 .) →→ 𝑑𝑒𝑟𝑖𝑣𝑒𝑑 𝑓𝑟𝑜𝑚 𝐸𝑞. (1)
𝑃

The required eccentricity based on bottom fiber requirements

𝑆
𝑒 = (𝑓 . −𝑓 ) →→ 𝑑𝑒𝑟𝑖𝑣𝑒𝑑 𝑓𝑟𝑜𝑚 𝐸𝑞. (2)
𝑃

Note//

1) If tension stresses are not allowed at both stages (initial and

service load stages), 𝑓 and 𝑓 shall be equal to zero

2) Values of 𝑓 and 𝑓 are negative and 𝑅=

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Reinforced Concrete Design III- Fourth Year-Civil Engineering

3.6.5 Spacing limit of reinforcement

Section 7.6.7 of ACI code prescribes a clear distance between

pretensioning tendons at each end of a member not less than four
times the diameter for wires and three times the diameter for
strands.

Another requirement can be derived from section 3.3.3 of the

code where it is stated that the clear spacing between prestressing
tendons shall not be less than one and one-third times the maximum
size of the coarse aggregate used in the concrete.

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