Civil Engineering Design (1)

3. Design of PSC Members

3.1 Basis

Sign Convention

In order to derive equations that enable design, we maintain a rigid sign convention:

x Moment:
Positive sag;
x Eccentricity of prestress:
Positive above centroid;
x Section Modulus:
Negative for the bottom of the member;
x Stress:
Positive compression.

With this sign convention, we now have:

P Pe MC
A Zt Zt Vt
- +
+ + + =
+ -
P Pe MC Vb
A Zb Zb

Thus the final stresses are numerically given by:

29 Dr. C. Caprani
Civil Engineering Design (1)

P Pe M C
Top fibre: Vt  
A Zt Zt
P Pe M C
Bottom fibre: Vb  
A Zb Zb

Note that the sign convention means that:

x the P A terms is always positive;

x the M C Z term is positive or negative depending on whether it is Z t or Z b ,

and;
x the Pe Z term is negative for Z t since Z t is positive and e is negative and the
term is positive for Z b since now both Z b and e are negative.

These signs of course match the above diagrams, as they should.

Governing Inequalities

Given the rigid sign convention and the allowable stresses in the concrete, and noting
that the losses are to be taken into account, the stresses are limited as:

Transfer
Top fibre – stress must be bigger than the minimum allowable tensile stress:

V t t ftt
P Pe M t (1)
  t f tt
A Zt Zt

Bottom fibre – stress must be less than the maximum allowable compressive stress:

30 Dr. C. Caprani
Civil Engineering Design (1)

V b d ftc
P Pe M t (2)
  d f tc
A Zb Zb

Service
Top fibre – stress must be less than the maximum allowable compressive stress:

V t d f sc
§ P Pe · M s (3)
D¨  ¸ d f sc
© A Z t ¹
Z t

Bottom fibre – stress must be bigger than the minimum allowable tensile stress:

V b t f st
§ P Pe · M s (4)
D¨  ¸ t f st
© A Zb ¹ Zb

In these equations it must be remembered that numerically, any allowable tension is a

negative quantity. Therefore all permissible stresses must be greater than this
allowable tension, that is, ideally a positive number indicating the member is in
compression at the fibre under consideration. Similarly, all stresses must be less than
the allowable compressive stress.

31 Dr. C. Caprani
Civil Engineering Design (1)

3.2 Minimum Section Modulus

Given a blank piece of paper, it is difficult to check stresses. Therefore we use the
governing inequalities to help us calculate minimum section modulii for the expected
moments. This is the first step in the PSC design process.

Top Fibre
The top fibre stresses must meet the criteria of equations (1) and (3). Hence, from
equation (1):

P Pe M t
  t f tt
A Zt Zt
§ P Pe · Mt
D¨  ¸ D t D f tt
© A Zt ¹ Zt
ª § P Pe · Mt º
 «D ¨  ¸ D » d D f tt
¬ © A Z t ¹
Z t ¼

If we now add this to equation (3):

ª § P Pe · M s º ª § P Pe · Mt º
D
« ¨  ¸   D
» « ¨  ¸  D » d f sc  D f tt
¬ © A Z t ¹ Z t ¼ ¬ © A Z t ¹ Z t ¼
Ms M
 D t d f sc  D f tt
Zt Zt

Hence:

Ms  DMt
Zt t (5)
f sc  D f tt

32 Dr. C. Caprani
Civil Engineering Design (1)

Bottom Fibre
The bottom fibre stresses must meet equations (2) and (4). Thus, from equation (2):

P Pe M t
  d f tc
A Zb Zb
§ P Pe · Mt
D¨  ¸ D d D f tc
© A Zb ¹ Zb
ª § P Pe · Mt º
 «D ¨  ¸  D » t D f tc
¬ © A Zb ¹ Zb ¼

Adding equation (4) to this:

ª § P Pe · M s º ª § P Pe · Mt º
«D ¨  ¸ »  «D ¨  ¸ D » t f st  D f tc
¬ © A Z b ¹
Z b ¼ ¬ © A Z b ¹
Z b ¼

Ms M
 D t t f st  D f tc
Zb Zb

Hence:

Ms DMt
Zb t (6)
D ftc  f st

Note that in these developments the transfer moment is required. However, this is a
function of the self weight of the section which is unknown at this point. Therefore a
trial section or a reasonable self weight must be assumed initially and then checked
once a section has been decided upon giving the actual Z t and Z b values.

33 Dr. C. Caprani