CENGR 2230 -

Construction
Materials & Testing

ENGR. RUEL V. VERGARA

CONCRETE
WHAT IS CONCRETE?
WHAT IS CONCRETE?

▪ Is made by mixing cement, water, course & fine aggregates, and admixtures (if necessary). The aim
is to mix these materials in measured amounts to make concrete that is easy to transport, place,
compact, and finish which will then set and harden to give a strong and durable product. The
amount of each material (i.e. cement, water, and aggregates) affects the properties of hardened
concrete.

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PROPORTIONATING AND
MIXING CONCRETE
PROPORTIONATING AND MIXING CONCRETE

▪ A concrete mix is designed to produce concrete that can be easily placed at the lowest cost.

▪ The concrete must be workable and cohesive when plastic, then set and harden to give strong and
durable concrete.

▪ The mix design must consider the environment that the concrete will be in; ie exposure to sea
water, trucks, cars, forklifts, foot traffic or extremes of hot and cold.

▪ The proportions of each material in the mixture affects the properties of the final hardened
concrete. These proportions are best measured by weight. Measurement by volume is not as
accurate, but is suitable for minor projects.

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FACTORS AFFECTING CONCRET MIXTURE

▪ CEMENT CONTENT
As the cement content increases, so does strength and durability. Therefore to increase the
strength, increase the cement content of a mix.

▪ WATER CONTENT
Adding more water to a mix gives a weaker hardened concrete. Always use as little water as
possible, only enough to make the mix workable.

▪ WATER TO CEMENT RATIO

As the Water to Cement Ratio increases, the strength and durability of hardened concrete
decreases. To increase the strength and durability of concrete, decrease the Water-Cement ratio.

▪ AGGREGATES
Too much fine aggregate gives a sticky mix. Too much coarse aggregate gives a harsh or boney
mix.

▪ MIXING
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Concrete must be mixed so the Cement, Water, Aggregates and Admixtures blend into an even
mix. Concrete is normally mixed by machine.
CONCRETE IN PRACTICE
CONCRETE IN PRACTICE

▪ Concrete is a composite with properties that change with time. During service, the quality of
concrete provided by initial curing can be improved by subsequent wetting as in the cases of
foundations or water retaining structures. However, concrete can also deteriorate with time due
to physical and chemical attacks.

▪ Structures are often removed when they become unsafe or uneconomical. Lack of durability has
become a major concern in construction for the past 20 to 30 years. In some developed countries,
it is not uncommon to find large amount of resources, such as 30 to 50% of total infrastructure
budget are applied to repair and maintenance of existing structures. As a result, many government
and private developers are looking into lifecycle costs rather than first cost of
construction. Durability of concrete depends on many factors including its physical and chemical
properties, the service environment and design life. As such, durability is not a fundamental
property.

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TWO GROUPS OF CONCRETE PROPERTIES

FRESH CONCRETE HARDENED CONCRETE

▪ The stage of concrete in which concrete can be ▪ The stage of concrete where the mixture has
moulded and it is in plastic state. This is also cured and attains maximum strength.
called "Green Concrete". Another term used to
describe the state of fresh concrete
inconsistence, which is the ease with which
concrete will flow.

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FRESH CONCRETE
PROPERTIES OF FRESH CONCRETE

SETTING
▪ The hardening of concrete before its hydration or the transition process of changing of concrete from
plastic state to hardened state.
▪ Setting of concrete is based or related to the setting of cement paste. Thus cement properties greatly
affect the setting time.

WORKABILITY
 Referred to as the ease with which a concrete can be transported, placed and consolidated without
excessive bleeding or segregation.
 The internal work done required to overcome the frictional forces between concrete ingredients for
full compaction.
 The strength of concrete is adversely and significantly affected by the presence of voids in the
compacted mass, it is vital to achieve a maximum possible density, 5% of voids can lower the
strength by as much as 30%.
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PROPERTIES OF FRESH CONCRETE

BLEEDING
▪ Bleeding is predominantly observed in a highly wet mix, badly proportioned and insufficiently mixed
concrete.
▪ Due to bleeding, water comes up and accumulates at the surface. Sometimes, along with this water,
certain quantity of cement also comes to the surface. When the surface is worked up with the trowel,
the aggregate goes down and the cement and water come up to the top surface. This formation of
cement paste at the surface is known as “Laitance”.

SEGREGATION
▪ Defined as the separation of the constituent materials of concrete.
▪ A good concrete is one in which all the ingredients are properly distributed to make a homogeneous
mixture.

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PROPERTIES OF FRESH CONCRETE

HYDRATION
▪ Concrete derives its strength by the hydration of cement particles. The hydration of cement is not a
momentary action but a process continuing for long time.
▪ If the hydration is to continue, extra water must be added to refill the loss of water on account of
absorption and evaporation.

AIR ENTRAINMENT
▪ Air entrainment reduces the density of concrete and consequently reduces the strength. Air
entrainment is used to produce a number of effects in both the plastic and the hardened concrete.

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HARDENED CONCRETE
PROPERTIES
PROPERTIES OF HARDENED CONCRETE

STRENGTH OF CONCRETE
▪ The strength of concrete is basically referred to compressive strength and it depends upon three
factors.
• Paste Strength
It is mainly due to the binding properties of cement that the ingredients are compacted
together. If the paste has higher binding strength, higher will be strength of concrete.

• Interfacial Bonding
Interfacial bonding is very necessary regarding the strength. Clay hampers the bonding
between paste and aggregate. The aggregate should be washed for a better bonding between
paste and aggregate.

• Aggregate Strength
It is mainly the aggregate that provide strength to concrete especially coarse aggregates
which act just like bones in the body. Rough and angular aggregate provides better bonding and
high strength. 16
FACTORS AFFECTING STRENGTH OF CONCRETE

▪ WATER-CEMENT RATIO
It is water cement ratio that basically governs the property of strength. Lesser the water cement
ratio, greater will be strength.

▪ TYPE OF CEMENTING MATERIAL

Type of cement affect the hydration process and therefore strength of concrete.

▪ AMOUNT OF CEMENTING MATERIAL

It is the paste that holds or binds all the ingredients. Thus greater amount of cementing material
greater will be strength.

▪ TYPE OF AGGREGATE
Rough and angular aggregates is preferable as they provide greater bonding.

▪ AIR CONTENT
▪ ADMIXTURES
Chemical admixtures like plasticizers reduce the water cement ratio and increase the strength of 17
concrete at same water cement ratio. Mineral admixtures affect the strength at later stage and
increase the strength by increasing the amount of cementing material.
PROPERTIES OF HARDENED CONCRETE

CONCRETE CREEP
▪ Deformation of structure under sustained load. Basically, long term pressure or stress on concrete
can make it change shape.
▪ This deformation usually occurs in the direction the force is being applied. Like a concrete column
getting more compressed, or a beam bending.
▪ Creep does not necessarily cause concrete to fail or break apart.
▪ Creep is factored in when concrete structures are designed.

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FACTORS AFFECTING CREEP

▪ AGGREGATE
Aggregate undergoes very little creep. It is really the paste which is responsible for the creep.
However, the aggregate influences the creep of concrete through a restraining effect on the
magnitude of creep.

▪ MIX PROPORTIONS
The amount of paste content and its quality is one of the most important factors influencing
creep. A poorer paste structure undergoes higher creep.

▪ AGE OF CONCRETE
Age at which a concrete member is loaded will have a predominant effect on the magnitude of
creep. This can be easily understood from the fact that the quality of gel improves with time.

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PROPERTIES OF HARDENED CONCRETE

SHRINKAGE
▪ The term shrinkage is loosely used to describe the various aspects of volume changes in concrete
due to loss of moisture at different stages due to different reasons.

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TYPES OF SHRINKAGE IN CONCRETE
PLASTIC SHRINKAGE
▪ Shrinkage of this type manifests itself soon
after the concrete is placed in the forms
while the concrete is still in the plastic
state. Loss of water by evaporation from
the surface of concrete or by the
absorption by aggregate or subgrade, is
believed to be the reasons of plastic
shrinkage.
DRYING SHRINKAGE
▪ The drying shrinkage of concrete is
analogous to the mechanism of drying of
timber specimen. The loss of free water
contained in hardened concrete, does not
result in any appreciable dimension
change.
▪ It is the loss of water held in gel pores that
causes the change in the volume. Under
drying conditions, the gel water is lost
progressively over a long time, as long as
the concrete is kept in drying conditions.
▪ Cement paste shrinks more than mortar
and mortar shrinks more than concrete.
Concrete made with smaller size aggregate 21
shrinks more than concrete made with
bigger size aggregate.
TYPES OF SHRINKAGE IN CONCRETE
AUTOGENEOUS SHRINKAGE
▪ Autogeneous shrinkage is of minor
importance and is not applicable in
practice to many situations except that of
mass of concrete in the interior of a
concrete dam.
CARBONATION SHRINKAGE
▪ Carbonation shrinkage is probably caused
by the dissolution of crystals of calcium
hydroxide and deposition of calcium
carbonate in its place. As the new product
is less in volume than the product replaced,
shrinkage takes place.
▪ Carbonation of concrete also results in
increased strength and reduced
permeability, possibly because water
released by carbonation promotes the
process of hydration and also calcium
carbonate reduces the voids within the
cement paste.
▪ As the magnitude of carbonation shrinkage 22
is very small when compared to long term
drying shrinkage, this aspect is not of
much significance
FACTORS AFFECTING SHRINKAGE

▪ DRYING CONDITION OR THE

RELATIVE HUMIDITY OF THE
ATMOSPHERE
▪ HARDNESS OF AGGREGATE
AND THE MODULUS OF
ELASTICITY
▪ MOISTURE MOVEMENT

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PROPERTIES OF HARDENED CONCRETE

MODULUS OF ELASTICITY
▪ Is a quantity that measures an object or substance’s resistance to being deformed elastically when
a stress is applied to it.

WATER TIGHTNESS (IMPERMEABILITY)

▪ Subtances such as liquids or gases, cannot pass.

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PROPERTIES OF HARDENED CONCRETE

RATE OF STRENGTH GAIN OF CONCRETE

▪ To determine the rate of gain of strength of concrete, there is a need to select period shorter than
28 day, as 28 day is considered to be the reference time. In concrete practice, it is accepted that
after 28 days concrete usually gains most of its strength. Strength determined at an early stage say
after 7th day of placing of concrete can be compared to strength determined after 28 days, which is
considered to be the reference time. In this way, rate of gain of strength of concrete can be
determined.

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FACTORS AFFECTING RATE OF STRENGTH GAIN
OF CONCRETE

▪ CONCRETE POROSITY
Voids in concrete can be filled with air or with water. Broadly speaking, the more porous the
concrete, the weaker it will be.

▪ WATER-CEMENT RATIO
This is defined as the mass of water divided by the mass of cement in a mix.

▪ SOUNDNESS OF AGGREGATE
If the aggregate in concrete is weak, the concrete will also be weak.

▪ AGGREGATE PASTE BOND

The compactness of the bond between the paste and the aggregate is critical. If there is no bond,
the aggregate effectively represents a void & voids are a source of weakness in concrete.

▪ CEMENT-RELATED PARAMETERS
Many parameters relating to the composition of the cement constituents and their proportions in
the cement can affect the rate of strength gain and the final strength achieved.
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PLANNING AND SITE PREPARATION
FOR CONCRETE
STEPS SHOULD BE TAKEN BEFORE ANY
CONCRETE IS PLACED
▪ SAFETY
Workers on the site should always wear their PPE.

▪ MEASUREMENT
Measure and stake out the area to be concreted and consider how thick the slab must be.

▪ THE FINISHING LEVEL

Once the thickness of concrete has been established, work out where the concrete will finish.
Concrete cannot finish too high against steps or the external house wall and should not cover any
part of weepholes in the wall.

▪ STEPS (STAIRS)
Steps must have even risers.

▪ EXCAVATION
The ground should be excavated as deep as is required by the finishing levels. Any roots or grass
must be dug out until there is firm soil to place on. Always dig the hole wider than needed to allow
for the formwork. Try to keep the edges and corners square.
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▪ SUBGRADE
The soil a concrete pavement or floor rests on is called the subgrade.
PLANNING AND SITE PREPARATION FOR
CONCRETE

CONCRETE PLANNING
▪ The most important step in placing concrete is planning. Proper concrete planning also eliminates
problems of Delay, Segregation and Wastage.

FORMWORK
▪ Formwork gives concrete its shape, formwork must be properly braced so it is strong. It should not
flex or move.

SERVICES
▪ Plumbing, heating or electrical services often run through a slab. These must be in place before any
concrete is poured.

UNDERLAY AND SERVICES

▪ The underlay, or vapour barrier, is a heavy plastic covering the ground to minimize water vapour
rising through the hardened concrete. Always overlap the sheets a minimum of 200 mm and do not
tape them. Tape the edges of underlay only around drainage pipes or services which pass vertically 29
through the concrete slab.
PLANNING AND SITE PREPARATION FOR
CONCRETE

REINFORCEMENT LOCATION
▪ Reinforcement can be used to increase the strength of concrete and/or to help control cracking.

ACCESS
▪ Clear access must be provided to transport the concrete. If concrete is to be delivered by trucks
make sure they have unrestricted access to the site in all weather conditions. Placement ensure all
planning and site preparation takes into account how concrete will be placed allowing room for
trucks, ramps for wheelbarrows, space for a pump etc.

JOINTS
▪ The position, type and number of joints should be planned well before the concrete is placed.

WASTAGE
▪ Good planning and site preparation reduces wastage. Reducing wastage can cut costs, since up to
15% of concrete can be lost this way.
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TYPES OF CONCRETE
TYPES OF CONCRETE

NORMAL CONCRETE
▪ The concrete in which common ingredients i.e. aggregate, water, cement are used is known as
normal concrete. It is also called normal weight concrete or normal strength concrete.
▪ It has a setting time of 30 - 90 minutes depending upon moisture in atmosphere, fineness of cement
etc.
▪ The development of the strength starts after 7 days the common strength values is 10 MPa (1450 psi)
to 40 MPa (5800 psi). At about 28 days 75 - 80% of the total strength is attained.
▪ Almost at 90 days 95% of the strength is achieved.

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PROPERTIES OF NORMAL CONCRETE

▪ Its slump varies from 1 - 4 inches.

▪ Density ranges from 140 pcf to 175 pcf.
▪ It is strong in compression and weak in tension.
▪ Air content 1 - 2 %.
▪ Normal concrete is not durable against severe conditions e.g. freezing and thawing.

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TYPES OF CONCRETE

HIGH STRENGTH CONCRETE

▪ Compressive strength of high strength concrete mix is usually greater than 6,000 pounds per
square inch.
▪ High strength concrete is made by lowering the water cement (W/C) ratio to 0.35 or lower.
▪ Often silica fume is added to prevent the formation of free calcium hydroxide crystals in the
cement, which might reduce the strength at the cement aggregate bond.
▪ Low w/c ratios and the use of silica fume make concrete mixes significantly less workable, which is
particularly likely to be a problem in high-strength concrete applications where dense rebar cages
are likely to be used. To compensate for the reduced workability in the high strength concrete mix,
superplasticizers are commonly added to high-strength mixtures.
▪ Aggregate must be selected carefully for high strength mixes, as weaker aggregates may not be
strong enough to resist the loads imposed on the concrete and cause failure to start in the
aggregate.
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TYPES OF CONCRETE

HIGH PERFORMANCE CONCRETE

This mix has the following main properties:
▪ High strength. ▪ Permeability.

▪ High workability. ▪ Density.

▪ High durability. ▪ Heat of hydration.

▪ Ease of placement. ▪ Toughness.

▪ Compaction without segregation. ▪ Volume stability.

▪ Early age strength. ▪ Long life in severe environments.

▪ Long-term mechanical properties.

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PROPERTIES OF HIGH PERFORMANCE CONCRETE
MIX
▪ Strength of high performance concrete ranges from 10000 psi - 15000 psi
▪ Water cement ratio can be reduced to 0.25

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TYPES OF CONCRETE

AIR ENTRAINED CONCRETE

▪ One of the greatest achievements in field of concrete technology is development of air entrained
concrete. It is used where the concrete is vulnerable to freezing and thawing action.
▪ It is used where the concrete is vulnerable to freezing and thawing action. It is prepared by adding
the air entraining admixture.

The air entrainment in concrete does the following functions:

▪ It lowers the surface tension of water and thus bubbles are created.
▪ Secondly the air entraining agents prevents coalescing i.e. the combining of bubbles. The diameter
of these bubbles ranges form 10 micrometer to 1000 micrometer and in entrapped air the diameter
of bubble is greater than 1mm.

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DRAWBACK OF AIR ENTRAINED CONCRETE

▪ It has low strength as compare to normal concrete.

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TYPES OF CONCRETE

LIGHT WEIGHT CONCRETE

▪ The concrete which has substantially lower mass per unit volume then the concrete made of
ordinary ingredients is called lightweight concrete. The aggregates used are lighter in weight.
▪ Density of light weight concrete is 240 kg/m³ (15pcf) -1850 kg/m³ (115 pcf).
▪ Strength of light weight concrete blocks varies from 7 MPa (1000 psi) - 40 MPa (5800 psi).
▪ Sometimes Air Entrained Admixtures are also added to it giving resistance to freezing and
thawing along with strength.

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USES OF LIGHT WEIGHT CONCRETE

▪ Used where extra load is not applied e.g. parapet wall, road lining etc. or to reduce dead load.

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TYPES OF CONCRETE

SELF COMPACTING CONCRETE

This self-consolidating concrete is characterized by:
▪ Extreme fluidity as measured by flow, typically between 650-750 mm on a flow table, rather than
slump (height).
▪ No need for vibrators to compact the concrete.
▪ Placement being easier.
▪ No bleed water, or aggregate segregation.

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USES AND APPLICATIONS OF SELF-
COMPACTING CONCRETE
▪ It is used in location unreachable for vibrations. e.g. underground structure, deep wells or at bottom
of deep sea
▪ SCC can save up to 50% in labor costs due to 80% faster pouring and reduced wear and tear on
formwork.

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TYPES OF CONCRETE

SHOTCRETE
▪ Shotcrete concrete uses compressed air to shoot concrete onto (or into) a frame or structure.
▪ Shotcrete is mortar or (usually) concrete conveyed through a hose and pneumatically projected at
through a shortcrete nozzle with high velocity onto a surface. Shotcrete undergoes placement and
compaction at the same time due to the force with which it is projected from the nozzle.
▪ It can be impacted onto any type or shape of surface, including vertical or overhead areas.
▪ Shotcrete is frequently used against vertical soil or rock surfaces, as it eliminates the need for
formwork.
▪ It is sometimes used for rock support, especially in tunneling.
▪ Shotcrete is also used for applications where seepage is an issue to limit the amount of water
entering a construction site due to a high water table or other subterranean sources.
▪ This type of concrete is often used as a quick fix for weathering for loose soil types in construction
zones.
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TYPES OF CONCRETE

PERVIOUS CONCRETE
▪ Pervious concrete contains a network of holes or voids, to allow air or water to move through the
concrete. This allows water to drain naturally through it, and can both remove the normal surface
water drainage infrastructure, and allow replenishment of groundwater when conventional
concrete does not.
▪ It is formed by leaving out some or the entire fine aggregate (fines), the remaining large aggregate
then is bound by a relatively small amount of Portland cement.
▪ When set, typically between 15% and 25% of the concrete volumes are voids, allowing water to
drain.
▪ The majority of pervious concrete pavements function well with little or no maintenance.
Maintenance of pervious concrete pavement consists primarily of prevention of clogging of the void
structure.
▪ In preparing the site prior to construction, drainage of surrounding landscaping should be designed
to prevent flow of materials onto pavement surfaces. Soil, rock, leaves, and other debris may
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infiltrate the voids and hinder the flow of water, decreasing the utility of the pervious concrete
pavement.
TYPES OF CONCRETE

ROLLER COMPACTED CONCRETE

▪ Roller compacted concrete, sometimes called rollcrete, is a low-cement-content stiff concrete
placed using techniques borrowed from earthmoving and paving work.
▪ The concrete is placed on the surface to be covered, and is compacted in place using large heavy
rollers typically used in earthwork.
▪ The concrete mix achieves a high density and cures over time into a strong monolithic block.
▪ Roller compacted concrete is typically used for concrete pavement. Roller compacted concrete
dams can also be built, as the low cement content causes less heat to be generated while curing
than typical for conventionally placed massive concrete pours.

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TYPES OF CONCRETE

PERVIOUS CONCRETE
▪ Pervious concrete contains a network of holes or voids, to allow air or water to move through the
concrete. This allows water to drain naturally through it, and can both remove the normal surface
water drainage infrastructure, and allow replenishment of groundwater when conventional
concrete does not.
▪ It is formed by leaving out some or the entire fine aggregate (fines), the remaining large aggregate
then is bound by a relatively small amount of Portland cement.
▪ When set, typically between 15% and 25% of the concrete volumes are voids, allowing water to
drain.
▪ The majority of pervious concrete pavements function well with little or no maintenance.
Maintenance of pervious concrete pavement consists primarily of prevention of clogging of the void
structure.
▪ In preparing the site prior to construction, drainage of surrounding landscaping should be designed
to prevent flow of materials onto pavement surfaces. Soil, rock, leaves, and other debris may
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infiltrate the voids and hinder the flow of water, decreasing the utility of the pervious concrete
pavement.
TESTS ON CONCRETE
CONCRETE SLUMP TEST

CONCRETE SLUMP TEST

▪ This test is performed to check the consistency of freshly made concrete. The slump test is done to
make sure a concrete mix is workable. The measured slump must be within a set range, or
tolerance, from the target slump.

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EQUIPMENT USED FOR SLUMP TEST

▪ Standard slump cone (100 mm top diameter x 200 mm bottom diameter x 300 mm high)
▪ Small scoop
▪ Bullet-nosed rod (600 mm long x 16 mm diameter)
▪ Rule
▪ Slump plate (500 mm x 500 mm)

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PROCEDURE OF SLUMP TEST FOR CONCRETE

1. Clean the cone. Dampen with water and place on the slump plate. The slump plate should be clean,
firm, level and non-absorbent. Collect a sample of concrete to perform the slum test.
2. Stand firmly on the footpieces and fill 1/3 the volume of the cone with the sample. Compact the
concrete by 'rodding' 25 times. Rodding means to push a steel rod in and out of the concrete to
compact it into the cylinder, or slump cone. Always rod in a definite pattern, working from outside
into the middle.
3. Now fill to 2/3 and again rod 25 times, just into the top of the first layer.
4. Fill to overflowing, rodding again this time just into the top of the second layer. Top up the cone till it
overflows.
5. Level off the surface with the steel rod using a rolling action. Clean any concrete from around the
base and top of the cone, push down on the handles and step off the footpieces.
6. Carefully lift the cone straight up making sure not to move the sample.
7. Turn the cone upside down and place the rod across the up-turned cone.
8. Take several measurements and report the average distance to the top of the sample.If the sample 50
fails by being outside the tolerance (ie the slump is too high or too low), another must be taken. If
this also fails the remainder of the batch should be rejected.
THE COMPRESSION TEST

COMPRESSION TEST
▪ The compression test shows the compressive strength of hardened concrete. The compression
test shows the best possible strength concrete can reach in perfect conditions. The compression
test measures concrete strength in the hardened state. Testing should always be done carefully.
Wrong test results can be costly.

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EQUIPMENT USED FOR COMPRESSION TEST

▪ Cylinders
▪ Small scoop
▪ Bullet-nosed rod (600 mm x 16 mm)
▪ Steel float
▪ Steel plate

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PROCEDURE OF SLUMP TEST FOR CONCRETE
1. Clean the cylinder mould and coat the inside lightly with form oil, then place on a clean, level and
firm surface, ie the steel plate. Collect a sample.
2. Fill 1/2 the volume of the mould with concrete then compact by rodding 25 times. Cylinders may also
be compacted by vibrating using a vibrating table.
3. Fill the cone to overflowing and rod 25 times into the top of the first layer, then top up the mould till
overflowing.
4. Level off the top with the steel float and clean any concrete from around the mould.
5. Cap, clearly tag the cylinder and put it in a cool dry place to set for at least 24 hours.
6. After the mould is removed the cylinder is sent to the laboratory where it is cured and crushed to
test compressive strength.

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 ADVANTAGES OF
PRESTRESSED CONCRETE
ADVANTAGES OF PRESTRESSED CONCRETE

PRESTRESSED CONCRETE
▪ The prestressing of concrete has several advantages as compared to traditional reinforced
concrete (RC) without prestressing. A fully prestressed concrete member is usually subjected to
compression during service life. This rectifies several deficiencies of concrete. The following text
broadly mentions the advantages of a pre-stressed concrete member with an equivalent RC
member. For each effect, the benefits are listed.

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ADVANTAGES OF PRESTRESSED CONCRETE

SECTION REMAINS UN-CRACKED UNDER SERVICE LOADS

▪ Reduction of steel corrosion
Increase in durability.
▪ Full section is utilized
Higher moment of inertia (higher stiffness)
▪ Less deformations (improved serviceability).
▪ Increase in shear capacity
▪ Suitable for use in pressure vessels, liquid retaining structures.
Improved performance (resilience) under dynamic and fatigue loading.

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ADVANTAGES OF PRESTRESSED CONCRETE

HIGH SPAN TO DEPHT RATIO

▪ Larger spans possible with prestressing (bridges, buildings with large column-free spaces)
▪ Typical values of span-to-depth ratios in slabs are given below.

For the same span, less depth compared to RC member:

▪ Reduction in self weight
▪ More esthetic appeal due to slender sections
▪ More economical sections.

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ADVANTAGES OF PRESTRESSED CONCRETE

SUITABLE FOR PRECAST CONSTRUCTION

▪ Rapid construction
▪ Better quality control
▪ Reduced maintenance
▪ Suitable for repetitive construction
▪ Multiple use of formwork
▪ Reduction of formwork
▪ Availability of standard shapes

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LIMITATIONS OF
PRESTRESSING
LIMITATIONS OF PRESTRESSING

▪ Prestressing needs skilled technology. Hence, it is not as common as reinforced concrete.

▪ The use of high strength materials is costly.
▪ There is additional cost in auxiliary equipments.
▪ There is need for quality control and inspection.

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