2.

3 PRESTRESS LOSSES
 LEARNING OUTCOMES

1. able to calculate the prestress loss due to

elastic shortening, relaxation of prestressing
steel, creep of concrete, shrinkage of
concrete and friction
 Definition of Prestress Losses
 Loss of prestress is the difference between the initial tensile stress
in prestressing tendons at the time the tendons were seated in their
anchorages, and the effective prestress at a particular time
considered.
 Loss of prestress occurs in both pre-tensioning and post-
tensioning methods.
Force
Po

Loss of Prestress

KPo

Time( t)
 TYPES OF PRESTRESS LOSSES
 The initial prestress in concrete undergoes a gradual reduction
with time from the stage of transfer due to various causes which
is known as ‘loss of prestress’.

Table 2.1: Types of losses of prestress

Pre-tensioning Post-tensioning

1. Elastic deformation of 1. Relaxation of stress

concrete
2. Relaxation of stress in
steel
3. Shrinkage of concrete
4. Creep of concrete
in steel
2. Shrinkage of concrete
3. Creep of concrete
4. Friction
5. Anchorage slip
6. Elastic shortening
As per BS EN 1992-1-1 2004
When determining the immediate losses ΔPi(x): (see 5.10.4 and
5.10.5):
- losses due to elastic deformation of concrete ΔPel
- losses due to short term relaxation ΔPr
- losses due to friction ΔPμ(x)
- losses due to anchorage slip ΔPsl

Mean value of the prestress force Pm,t(x) at time t > t0 should be

determined with respect to the prestressing method.

In addition, time dependent losses of prestress ΔPc+s+r(x) (see

5.10.6) due to *creep and *shrinkage of concrete and long term
*relaxation of the prestressing steel :

Pm,t(x) = Pm0(x) - ΔPc+s+r(x).

Loss Due to Elastic Shortening :

P'  e 2 A 
cp  1  
A I 
Concrete strain =  cp /Ecm, thus reduction in steel strain =  cp /Ecm
  cp 
  E   e cp
and the reduction in steel stress =  E  s
 cm 

thus loss in prestress force =

 e cp Ap Es/Ecm = e

where Ap = area of tendons Ecm = based

P'  e 2 A  on concrete
=  e Ap A 1  I  strength, see
  Table 6.11 of
text book OR
P'  e 2 A  Table 3.1 of BS
 
Hence , P’ = Po -  e Ap A 1  I  EN 1992-1-1-
2004

Po
Remaining prestress force, P’ = Ap  e 2 A 
1 e 1  
A I 
 In pre-tensioned construction, full loss will be present.
 In post-tensioning, the effect will only apply to previously
tensioned cables, normally adequate to assume 50% of the
above losses.
Thus, remaining prestress force is

Po
P’ = Ap  e 2 A 
1  0.5 e 1  
A I 
From Code, elastic deformation of concrete ΔPel
 EXAMPLE 1: Loss due to Elastic Shortening of Concrete
A pre-tensioned concrete beam (100x300) is prestressed by straight
wires carrying an initial force of 150 kN at an eccentricity of 50 mm.
The modulus of elasticity of steel and concrete are 210 kN/mm2 and 35
kN/mm2 respectively. Estimate the percentage loss of stress in steel due
to elastic deformation of concrete if the area of steel wires is 188 mm 2.

Solution:
Po= 150 kN, e = 50 mm, Ap = 188 mm2
e = Es/Ecm = 210/35 = 6, I = bh3/12 = 2.25x108 mm4
Ac = A = 100x300
= 30,000mm2
Po P ’ = 150x103 / [1+(6)(188/30000)(1+(502x30000)/2.25x108]
P' 
Ap  e 2 A  = (150/1.038) x 10-3
1   e 1  
A I 
= 143 kN
Loss of force due to elastic shortening = 150 -143 = 7 kN
% of losses due to elastic shortening = (7/143) x 100
= 5%
* Loss Due to Creep in Concrete :
 Creep of concrete is defined as time dependent increase of strain in
hardened concrete subjected to sustained stress.
 The loss of prestress in the tendons may be calculated on the assumption
that creep is proportional to the stress in the concrete. The loss of
prestress is obtained as the product of the creep per unit length of the
concrete adjacent to the tendons and the modulus of elasticity of the
tendons.
Factors influencing creep:
~ ambient relative humidity
~ ambient temperature
~ stress level
~ strength of concrete
~ age of concrete at loading
~ duration of stress
~ water/cement ratio
~ type of cement and aggregate in concrete
 P'  e2 A 
 cp  1  
A I 

Ap  e 2 A 
Es P' 1  
A  I 
 EXAMPLE 2: Loss due to creep in concrete
A post-tensioned concrete beam of rectangular section, 100mm wide
and 300mm deep, is stressed by a parabolic cable with zero eccentricity
at the supports and an eccentricity of 50mm at the centre of span. The
area of the cable is 200mm2 and final stress in cable is 1200 N/mm2.
If the ultimate creep strain is 30x10-6 mm/mm per N/mm2 of stress and
modulus of elasticity of steel is 210 kN/mm2, compute the loss of stress
in steel only due to creep of concrete.

Solution:
A = (100x300) mm2 P’ = Ap x pe = 200 x 1200 x 10-3 = 240 kN
I = 100x3003/12 = 2.25x108 mm4 e = 50 mm

P'  e2 A 
Stress in concrete at the level of tendon,  cp  1  
A I 
At support section, e = 0,
cp = 240x103 / (100x300) = 8 N/mm2
At centre of span; e = 50mm; cp = 8 ( 1 + 0.33)
= 10.7 N/mm2
Average stress, cp = 9.3 N/mm2

Loss of stress in the cable due to creep of concrete

= Es x cp x Specific creep strain

= (210x103) (9.3) (30x10-6) = 58.59 N/mm2

 Percentage loss = (58.59 /1200)x 100 = 4.9 %

 * Loss Due to Relaxation of Steel :
See Section 3.3.2.7 of Eurocode; using 1000-hour
relaxation.

~ Usually about 70% of characteristic strength

~ Losses about 4 – 10% of prestress force after transfer

* Due to Shrinkage of Concrete:
based on empirical figures for
shrinkage/unit length of concrete (cs) for
particular curing conditions and transfer
maturity.
Shrinkage strain to be considered depends
upon the following:
a) aggregate used;
b) original water content;
c) effective age at transfer;
d) effective section thickness;
e) ambient relative humidity.
Typical values:
 pre-tensioned (stressed at 3 to 5 days)
range from : 230x10-6 for UK outdoor exposure (80%
relative humidity)
to : 550x10-6 for indoor exposure (50% relative
humidity)

The loss in steel stress is given by:  cs Es hence,

Loss in prestress force =  cs Es Ap

 Example 3: Loss due to shrinkage of concrete

A concrete beam is prestressed by a cable carrying an initial

prestressing force of 300 kN. The cross-sectional area of the wires in
the cable is 300 mm2. Calculate the percentage loss of stress in cable
only due to shrinkage for the pre-tensioned beam. Assume Es=210
kN/mm2, total residual shrinkage strain = 300x10-6.

Solution
Initial stress in wires, fpi = Po/Aps= (300x103/300) = 1000 N/mm2

Loss of stress = cs Es = (300x10-6)(210x103) = 63 N/mm2

Percentage loss of stress = (63/1000) x 100 = 6.3%.

 Loss Due to Friction :
(Section 5.10.5.2, BS EN 1992-1-1-2004
When a post-tensioning cable is stressed, it will move relative to the duct
and other cables within the duct and friction will tend to resist this
movement, hence reducing the effective prestress force at positions
remote from the jacking point.

~ This effect may be divided into unintentional profile variations, and those due to designed
curvature of ducts.

1) ‘wobble’ effects in straight ducts will usually be present.

If Po = jack force, and Px = cable force at distance x from jack, then:

 kx
2.718)
P
where e = base of Napierian
and k = angular displacement x  P
logs e
(=
pero unit length ( 0.005 < k < 0.01 radians/m)
 = coefficient of friction (see Table 5.1 of Code)

2) Duct Curvature - cause greater prestress losses:

Px  Po e  

Where  = sum of angular displacement over distance x.

In accordance to the code, loss due to
friction can be estimated from:
 EXAMPLE 5: Loss due to friction

A concrete beam of 10m span, 100mm wide and 300 mm

deep is prestressed by 3 cables. The area of each cable is
200 mm2 and initial stress in the cable is 1200 N/mm2.
Cable 1 is parabolic with eccentricity of 50 mm above the
centroid at the supports and 50 mm below the centre of
span. Cable 2 is also parabolic with zero eccentricity at the
supports and 50 mm below the centroid at the center of
span. Cable 3 is straight with uniform eccentricity of 50mm
below neutral axis.

If the cables are tensioned from one end only, estimate the
percentage loss of stress in each cable due to friction.
Assume K=0.005 per metre. Given the equation of
parabolic cable is:

Y = (4e/L2) (xL- x2)

 dy1

1
N.A. 2
3

Ap for each cable = 200 mm2

pi = 1200 N/mm2

50 mm
300 mm N.A.

50 mm

At end support At midspan

Note : post-tensioned beam, since parabolic profile

Solution:
Table 5.1, take  = 0.19 for internal strands (or cables).
Slope at ends (at x = 0) = dy/dx = (4e/L2) (L-2x) = 4e/L
For Cable 1, slope at end = (4x100)/(10m x103) = 0.04
The cummulative angle between tangents,  = (2 x 0.04)
= 0.08 radians
For Cable 2, slope at the end = (4x50)/(10x1000) = 0.02
The cumulative angle between tangents,  = (2x0.02) = 0.04 radians
Initial prestressing force in each cable, Po = fpi x Ap
= 1200 x10-3 x 200 = 240 kN
*Cable 3,  = 0
Using Eqn. 5.45 of Code, loss of prestress force,
P (x) = Pmax (1 – e -  ( + K x))
(At farther end of tensioning point, i.e. at anchorage, x = 10m)
Loss of stress in:
Cable 1: loss = Po (1 – e -0.19(0.08 + 0.005(10))
= 0.024 Po = 5.86 kN;
% loss = (5.86/ 240) x 100 = 2.4%
Cable 2: loss = 0.017 Po = 4.07 kN ;
% loss = 1.7%
Cable 3: loss = 9.454x10-3 Po = 2.27 kN;
% loss = 0.95%
 Loss Due to Draw-In During Anchorage :
(Section 5.10.5.3, BS EN 1992-1-1-2004)
 In most post-tensioning systems, when the cable is
tensioned and the jack is released to transfer prestress
to concrete, the friction wedges, employed to grip the
wires, slip over a small distance before the wires are
firmly housed between the wedges.
 The magnitude of slip depends upon the type of wedge
and the stress in the wires.
 The magnitude of loss of stress due to slip in anchorage
is computed as:
PL

AE s
P Es

A L
EXAMPLE 4: LOSS DUE TO ANCHORAGE SLIP
(DRAW-IN)
A concrete beam is post-tensioned by a cable carrying an initial
stress of 1000 N/mm2. The slip at the jacking end was observed to
be 5mm. The modulus of elasticity of steel is 210 kN/mm2.
Estimate the percentage loss of stress due to slip if the length of
the beam is (a) 30m and (b) 3m
P Es
Solution: 
A L
(a) For 30m long beam,
Loss of stress = (210x103 x 5)/(30x103) = 35 N/mm2
Percentage loss of stress = (35/1000)x100 = 3.5%
(b) For 3m long beam
Loss of stress = (210x103x 5)/(3x103) = 350 N/mm2
Percentage loss of stress = (350/1000)x100 = 35%
 Loss Due to time-dependent :

May combine all three * (creep and shrinkage of

concrete and relaxation of steel)
Where :
See Example 11.7, text book, pp
346-347