Loss of Prestress

1
Precast & Prestressed Concrete
CENG 415

Dr. Muhammad Ajmal CENG 415

2 Introduction

 Loss of prestress takes place due to the following causes:

➢ Elastic Shortening
➢ Creep
➢ Shrinkage
➢ Relaxation
➢ Frictional loss
➢ Anchorage slip

Dr. Muhammad Ajmal CENG 415

3 Elastic shortening of Concrete
 For a pretensioned member, assuming only axial compression (hence shortening)
−𝑃𝑖 𝐿 𝑓𝑐𝑖 𝐿
𝛿= =
𝐸𝑐 𝐴𝑐 𝐸𝑐
 If ∆𝑓𝑠 = 𝑙𝑜𝑠𝑠 𝑖𝑛 𝑝𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑡𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑠𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑑𝑢𝑒 𝑡𝑜 𝛿
∆𝑓𝑠 𝐿
𝛿=
𝐸𝑠
 Thus,
𝑓𝑐𝑖 𝐿 ∆𝑓𝑠 𝐿
=
𝐸𝑐 𝐸𝑠
𝑓𝑐𝑖 𝐸𝑠
∆𝑓𝑠 =
𝐸𝑐
∆𝑓𝑠 = 𝑛. 𝑓𝑐𝑖
 Where ‘n’ is the modular ratio at the time of transfer.

Dr. Muhammad Ajmal CENG 415

 Generally, Prestressing force is eccentric and so bending effect is present.

4 Allowance for this bending effect can be made by considering an average eccentricity of tendons.
 Generally, fc is calculated at the steel level.

𝑃𝑖 𝑒𝑐2 𝑀𝑜 𝑒
𝑓𝑐 = − 1+ 2 +
𝐴𝑐 𝑟 𝐼𝑐

𝑀𝑜 = 𝑠𝑒𝑙𝑓 𝑤𝑒𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑡 𝑚𝑜𝑚𝑒𝑛𝑡

∆𝑓𝑠 = 𝑛. 𝑓𝑐

 For post tension members, the above formula can be used directly to compute the loss.

 However, for post tensioned members the situation is little different.

 Since the tendons are stressed one at a time (or in pairs), the tendon which are stressed will not have any loss
due to elastic shortening of concrete (shortening take place simultaneously during stressing).

 For simplicity, as an average, only half of the total loss that would have occurred in pretensioned case is
considered for post tension member.

Dr. Muhammad Ajmal CENG 415

5 Example
 For the pretensioned beam assume the following:
𝑓𝑐′ = 41.4 𝑀𝑃𝑎
𝑓𝑐𝑖 = 31 𝑀𝑃𝑎
𝐴𝑝 = 988𝑚𝑚2 , 7 𝑤𝑖𝑟𝑒 𝑡𝑒𝑛𝑑𝑜𝑛𝑠
𝐸𝑠 = 186.2 × 103 𝑀𝑃𝑎
𝑃𝑖 = 1380 𝑘𝑁
 Calculate loss due to elastic shortening.

Dr. Muhammad Ajmal CENG 415

6 Solution:

Dr. Muhammad Ajmal CENG 415

7 Solution (contd.)

Dr. Muhammad Ajmal CENG 415

8 Loss due to friction

 This loss occurs only in posttension members.

 Pretensioned members do not have this loss.
 As a tendon is anchored at one end and stretching by jack at the end, friction loss takes
place.
 The steel slides over the duct.
 Total friction loss is taken as
 Total Loss= Loss due to curvature + Loss due to wobble friction (length effect +possible
misalignment)

Dr. Muhammad Ajmal CENG 415

9 𝑑𝑃 = 𝜇𝑁 + 𝐾𝑃. 𝑑𝑥
 𝜇 = 𝐶𝑜𝑒𝑓𝑓𝑖𝑐𝑖𝑒𝑛𝑡 𝑜𝑓 𝑓𝑟𝑖𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛
 𝐾 = 𝑤𝑜𝑏𝑏𝑙𝑒 𝑓𝑟𝑖𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝑐𝑜𝑒𝑓𝑓𝑖𝑐𝑖𝑒𝑛𝑡
𝑑𝑃 = 𝑃 𝜇𝑑𝛼 + 𝐾. 𝑑𝑥
𝑑𝑃
= 𝜇𝑑𝛼 + 𝐾. 𝑑𝑥
𝑃
𝐵 𝛼 𝑥
𝑑𝑃
න = 𝜇 න 𝑑𝛼 + 𝐾 න 𝑑𝑥
𝐴 𝑃 0 0
𝑃𝐵 = 𝑃𝐴 . 𝑒 − 𝜇𝛼+𝐾𝑥

𝑜𝑟
𝑃𝑥 = 𝑃𝑠 . 𝑒 − 𝜇𝛼+𝐾𝑙𝑥
 For calculation of 𝜇, the profile can be approximated by a curve or can be calculated segment by
segment.
 If 𝜇𝛼 + 𝐾𝑙𝑥 does not exceed0.3, the formula can be simplified as
𝑃𝑠
𝑃𝑥 =
(1 + 𝐾𝑙𝑥 + 𝜇𝛼)
 𝜇 and K values are available for the types of prestressing steel from the manufacturer.
 Due to friction loss, prestress forces varies
Dr. Muhammad Ajmal CENG 415
10 ACI 318-11 recommended values for K and 𝜇
 If the profile is assumed to a parabolic as shown,
8𝑌𝑜
Angle 𝛼 = 𝑐𝑎𝑛 𝑏𝑒 𝑜𝑏𝑡𝑎𝑖𝑛𝑒𝑑 𝑓𝑟𝑜𝑚 𝑒𝑞𝑢𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝑜𝑓 𝑝𝑎𝑟𝑎𝑏𝑜𝑙𝑎
𝐿

Dr. Muhammad Ajmal CENG 415

11 Example: Calculate frictional loss for, the beam in the
previous example for elastic shortening.

Dr. Muhammad Ajmal CENG 415

12 Loss due to creep of concrete
𝜀𝑐𝑢
 Ultimate creep coefficient, 𝐶𝑢 =
𝜀𝑐𝑖

 𝜀𝑐𝑢 = 𝑖𝑛𝑐𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑠𝑒𝑑 𝑠𝑡𝑟𝑎𝑖𝑛 𝑎𝑡 𝑡𝑖𝑚𝑒 𝑡 = 𝑇

 𝜀𝑐𝑖 = 𝑖𝑛𝑖𝑡𝑖𝑎𝑙 𝑠𝑡𝑟𝑎𝑖𝑛 𝑎𝑡 𝑡 = 0
 If fc = concrete stress at the steel level due to initial prestress and permanent dead load (net stress that is subject to creep), loss
of prestress due to ultimate creep strain is
∆𝑓𝑠 = 𝐸𝑠 𝜀𝑐𝑢
∆𝑓𝑠 = 𝐸𝑠 𝐶𝑢 𝜀𝑐𝑖

𝑓𝑐
∆𝑓𝑠 = 𝐸𝑠 𝐶𝑢
𝐸𝑐

∆𝑓𝑠 = 𝑛𝐶𝑢 𝑓𝑐
Where, 𝐶𝑢 can be taken as 2 for pretension members and 1.6 for posttension members ( normal concrete +normal environment)
Several formulas are available for creep strain Ct at time t, e.g.
𝑡 0.6
𝐶𝑡 = 𝐶
10 + 𝑡 0.6 𝑢
t in days
Thus, creep loss at time t, ∆𝑓𝑠 = 𝑛𝐶𝑡 𝑓𝑐

Dr. Muhammad Ajmal CENG 415

13
Loss due to drying shrinkage of Concrete
 Like creep, shrinkage of concrete will reduce prestress due to shortening of length from shrinkage.
 Let 𝜀𝑠ℎ = 𝑢𝑙𝑡𝑖𝑚𝑎𝑡𝑒 𝑠ℎ𝑟𝑖𝑛𝑘𝑎𝑔𝑒 𝑠𝑡𝑟𝑎𝑖𝑛
 Loss of prestress due to shrinkage
∆𝑓𝑠 = 𝐸𝑠 𝜀𝑠ℎ
 As shrinkage is highly dependent on relative humidity (RH), expressions are available for 𝜀𝑠ℎ as a function of
RH. PCI general expression is
𝑉
𝐿𝑜𝑠𝑠 = 8.2 × 10−6 𝐾𝑠ℎ 𝐸𝑠 1 − 0.06 100 − 𝑅𝐻
𝑠
𝐾𝑠ℎ = 𝑎 𝑓𝑎𝑐𝑡𝑜𝑟 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝑝𝑜𝑠𝑡𝑡𝑒𝑛𝑠𝑖𝑜𝑛𝑒𝑑 𝑚𝑒𝑚𝑏𝑒𝑟𝑠,
𝑑𝑒𝑝𝑒𝑛𝑑𝑠 𝑜𝑛 𝑑𝑎𝑦𝑠 𝑓𝑟𝑜𝑚 𝑒𝑛𝑑 𝑜𝑓 𝑚𝑜𝑖𝑠𝑡 𝑐𝑢𝑟𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑡𝑜 𝑎𝑝𝑝𝑙𝑖𝑐𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝑜𝑓 𝑝𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑡𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑠
 𝐾𝑠ℎ = 1.0 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝑝𝑟𝑒𝑡𝑒𝑛𝑠𝑖𝑜𝑛𝑒𝑑 𝑚𝑒𝑚𝑏𝑒𝑟𝑠
𝑉
 = 𝑣𝑜𝑙𝑢𝑚𝑒 − 𝑠𝑢𝑟𝑓𝑎𝑐𝑒 𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛
𝑠

 𝑅𝐻 = 𝑟𝑒𝑙𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑣𝑒 ℎ𝑢𝑚𝑖𝑑𝑖𝑡𝑦 𝑖𝑛 %
 Like creep, expression for shrinkage as function of t is also available. e. g.
 For moist cured concrete
𝑡
 𝜀𝑠ℎ 𝑡 = 𝜀 t in days and 𝜀𝑠ℎ𝑢 ultimate shrinkage strain
35+𝑡 𝑠ℎ𝑢

Dr. Muhammad Ajmal CENG 415

14 Relaxation

 Losses in steel stress due to relaxation depends upon time, level of prestress and type of
steel.
 Relaxation properties for most steel are known, and a ‘flat value’ therefore is often used in
practice.
 Again, expressions are available for loss due to relaxation.
𝑓𝑝𝑟 𝑙𝑜𝑔𝑡2 −𝑙𝑜𝑔𝑡1 𝑓𝑝𝑖
=1− − 0.55 For stress-relieved steel
𝑓𝑝𝑖 10 𝑓𝑝𝑦

 𝑓𝑝𝑟 = 𝑟𝑒𝑚𝑎𝑖𝑛𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑝𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑡𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑠 𝑎𝑓𝑡𝑒𝑟 𝑟𝑒𝑙𝑎𝑥𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛

 𝑓𝑝𝑖 = 𝑖𝑛𝑖𝑡𝑖𝑎𝑙 𝑝𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑡𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑠 𝑖𝑛 𝑠𝑡𝑒𝑒𝑙
 𝑓𝑝𝑦 = 𝑦𝑖𝑒𝑙𝑑 𝑠𝑡𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑠 𝑜𝑓 𝑃𝑆

Dr. Muhammad Ajmal CENG 415

15 Loss due to anchorage slip

 In posttension, the steel force is transferred to concrete through an anchorage.

 It is very likely that small slip may occur at anchorage, and this will result in loss of
prestress.
 Slip can also occur in the case of pretensioned members due to bond slip.
 The magnitude of slip in post tensioning depends entirely upon the anchorage details.
 For pre-tensioning, it would depend upon type of steel and its bond with concrete.
 Modern hardware and anchorage details ae capable of producing no slip.
 If ∆𝑠 = 𝑝𝑜𝑠𝑠𝑖𝑏𝑙𝑒 𝑠𝑙𝑖𝑝, 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑙𝑜𝑠𝑠 𝑑𝑢𝑒 𝑡𝑜 𝑎𝑛𝑐ℎ𝑜𝑟𝑎𝑔𝑒 𝑠𝑙𝑖𝑝,
∆𝑠
∆𝑓𝑠 = 𝐸𝑠
𝐿
L= length of tendon

Dr. Muhammad Ajmal CENG 415

16 Total amount of losses
𝑇𝑜𝑡𝑎𝑙 𝑙𝑜𝑠𝑠 𝑜𝑓 𝑝𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑡𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑠 = ෍ 𝑙𝑜𝑠𝑠𝑒𝑠 𝑓𝑟𝑜𝑚 𝑎𝑙𝑙 𝑎𝑝𝑙𝑖𝑐𝑎𝑏𝑙𝑒 𝑒𝑓𝑓𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑠

 When data/information available, the loss for each effect can be calculated in the manner as
described and the added to obtain total loss.
 Except for elastic shortening and friction loss, other effects are similar for both
pretensioned and post tensioned members.
 For post tensioned members if stressing is done in sequence, the loss, due to elastic
shortening ½ of the total loss that would occur if it were a pretensioned member.
 Friction loss occurs only in post tensioning. This loss therefore does not exist for
pretensioned members.
 Also note that the span, friction loss varies along the length of the member, maximum loss
being at the dead end.

Dr. Muhammad Ajmal CENG 415

17

 In lieu of exact calculations, some code allow lump sum for all losses (except friction) for
design.
 As a general guidance, the total loss due to
➢ Elastic shortening
➢ Creep
➢ Shrinkage
➢ And relaxation of steel
 Can be estimated as 15-22 % for pretensioned members and 14-20 % for posttensioned
members (excluded friction loss)
 AASHTO lump sum values for 𝑓𝑐′ = 34.5 𝑀𝑃𝑎, Pre-tensioning strands losses are 310 Mpa
and Posttension strand losses are 228 MPa (excluded friction loss)

Dr. Muhammad Ajmal CENG 415

18 Overstressing
 In most In most post-tensioned members, tendons are overstressed
temporarily and then released at the specified jacking force to reduce
frictional loss.
 As the released force is less than the overstressed force, the frictional
effect is put into reverse for some length of the tendons.
 This is illustrated by the following figure.
 A-B represent stress with no overstressing. C-D represents stress with
overstressing (CD is Similar to A-B with a shift corresponding to the
amount of prestress).
 Usually, overstressing is limited to 10 % extra. C Represents the
jacking stress with overstress.
 Immediately after overstress, the stress at the jacking end (C) is released
to A, the specified (allowed) jacking stress. C drops to A. A-E is Portion
where friction is put into reverse.
 By overstressing from A to C, the level of stress is raised from A-B to
C-D, reducing frictional loss. At release, the stress variation is given by A-
E-D.

Dr. Muhammad Ajmal CENG 415

 Example: A post-tensioned concrete beam shown below is prestressed with 12
19
parallel wires ( total Ap=774.2 mm2), by stressing 2 wires at a time. The wires are
stressed form one end to a value f1 to overcome friction loss and then released to a
stress of 862 MPa. Find f1 and compute the total expected loss of prestress. Given
data.
𝜇 = 0.6 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝐾 = 0.0010
𝐸𝑠 = 206.9 × 103 𝑀𝑃𝑎 ; 𝐸𝑐 = 27.6 × 103 𝑀𝑃𝑎
𝑆ℎ𝑟𝑖𝑛𝑘𝑎𝑔𝑒 𝑠𝑡𝑟𝑎𝑖𝑛 = 200 × 10−6 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑐𝑟𝑒𝑒𝑝 𝑐𝑜𝑒𝑓𝑓𝑖𝑐𝑖𝑒𝑛𝑡 𝐶𝑢 = 2
𝑆𝑡𝑒𝑒𝑙 𝑅𝑒𝑙𝑎𝑥𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 = 3 % 𝑜𝑓 𝑖𝑛𝑖𝑡𝑖𝑎𝑙 𝑠𝑡𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑠
𝐴𝑛𝑐ℎ𝑜𝑟𝑎𝑔𝑒 𝑠𝑙𝑖𝑝 = 2.54 𝑚𝑚

Dr. Muhammad Ajmal CENG 415

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