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Specific Influences on Fatigue Life of Prestressing Steel

Conference Paper · September 2018

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 Specific influences on fatigue life of prestressing steel
M.Sc. Jörn Remitz *
Univ.-Prof. Dr.-Ing. Martin Empelmann **

* Technische Universität Braunschweig, Institute of Building Materials, Concrete Construction and Fire Protection
(iBMB) – Division of Concrete Construction, Germany, j.remitz@ibmb.tu-bs.de
** Technische Universität Braunschweig, Institute of Building Materials, Concrete Construction and Fire Protection
(iBMB) – Division of Concrete Construction, Germany, massivbau@ibmb.tu-bs.de

Abstract:
The fatigue life of prestressed concrete bridges is of major importance for new and existing bridges. In general, the
fatigue life depends on the fatigue behaviour of the prestressing steel. In current code provisions, e.g. in EC2, the
fatigue life of prestressing steel is described by S-N curves based on the relationship between stress range in the steel
and number of load cycles. However, the fatigue life of prestressing steel is affected by structural and systematic
influences and mechanisms resulting from specific fatigue processes and stress conditions in pre- and post-tensioned
concrete structures.
In order to identify, examine and quantify different influences on the fatigue behaviour of prestressing steel, a database
of international test results was set up and fatigue tests on pre- and post-tensioned concrete beams were carried out at
the iBMB, Division of Concrete Construction of the TU Braunschweig. In this paper the investigations are presented
and evaluated in comparison to current code provisions. Moreover, specific influences on the fatigue behaviour of
prestressing steel in pre- and post-tensioned concrete are discussed.
Keywords: Fatigue, Prestressing Steel, Pre-/Post-Tensioned Concrete

1 Introduction
The majority of international concrete bridges is constructed as prestressed concrete structures (Figure 1). Due to
increasing traffic loads and proceeded service lives the fatigue life of prestressed concrete bridges is of major
importance for new and existing bridges. In general, the fatigue life depends on the fatigue behaviour of the pre- or
post-tensioned steel and can be significantly lower than the ultimate strength.
In current code provisions, e.g. in DIN EN 1992-1-1 [1] including the German National Annex [2] (EC2+NA), the
fatigue life of prestressing steel is described by fatigue strength curves based on the relationship between stress range in
the steel and number of load cycles. However, the fatigue life of prestressing steel is affected by structural and
systematic influences and mechanisms resulting from specific fatigue processes and stress conditions in pre- and post-
tensioned concrete structures. These include e.g. friction between prestressing steel and duct due to tendon curvature in
post-tensioned concrete or between prestressing steel and concrete in pre-tensioned concrete.
In order to identify, examine and quantify these influences on the fatigue behaviour of prestressing steel, a database of
international fatigue test results was set up and fatigue tests on pre- and post-tensioned concrete beams were conducted
at the iBMB, Division of Concrete Construction of the TU Braunschweig.
In the following, the fatigue behaviour of prestressing steel is described and specific influences on the fatigue behaviour
of prestressing steel in pre- and post-tensioned concrete are discussed on the basis of theoretical and experimental
investigations.

Figure 1: Pre-tensioned concrete bridge (left) and post-tensioned concrete bridge (right)
 2

2 Fatigue behaviour of prestressing steel

2.1 Current code provisions
The fatigue life of tendons is usually described by fatigue strength curves (S-N curves), specifying the stress range in
the prestressing steel as a function of the number of load cycles until failure. In current code provision such as EC2, a
distinction is made between pre-tensioned and post-tensioned steel. Post-tensioned steel is further differentiated into
single strands in plastic ducts, straight tendons or curved tendons in plastic ducts and curved tendons in steel ducts,
taking into account fretting fatigue.
Further influences within these classifications, e.g. an explicit consideration of the lateral contact loads between
prestressing steel and duct due to tendon curvature in post-tensioned concrete or the influence of friction stresses
between prestressing steel and concrete in pre-tensioned concrete are not taken into account.
2.2 Database of fatigue test results
The fatigue behaviour of prestressing steel has been investigated in numerous fatigue tests on single prestressing steel as
well as on pre- and post-tensioned concrete beams. These fatigue tests from international literature were compiled in a
database by the iBMB, Division of Concrete Construction of the TU Braunschweig ([3], [4]).
In order to illustrate the fatigue life of prestressing steel, the results of fatigue tests with prestressing strands are
exemplarily shown in Figure 2, differentiated in single prestressing strands and embedded strands in pre-tensioned
concrete beams and embedded strands in steel ducts in post-tensioned concrete beams. Comparing the test results and
S-N curves according to EC2+NA the following conclusions can be drawn:
‒ There is a good correlation between test results of single prestressing steel and the S-N curve according to
EC2+NA for pre-tensioned steel.
‒ Compared to the test results, the normative S-N curves do not reflect the fatigue life of the prestressing steel in
pre- and post-tensioned concrete beams.
‒ At high stress ranges (approx. ≥ 200 N/mm²) there is a similar fatigue life of single prestressing steel and
embedded prestressing steel in pre- and post-tensioned concrete beams. Thus, the S-N curves according to
EC2+NA allow a reliable determination of the fatigue life of prestressing steel.
‒ In contrast, at low stress ranges (approx. < 200 N/mm²) a large part of the test results of prestressing steel in
pre- and post-tensioned concrete beams indicates a reduced fatigue life compared to single prestressing steel.
In addition, there is a great deviation between test results and S-N curves according to EC2+NA which
requires further consideration.

Figure 2: Test results of single prestressing strands and prestressing strands in pre- and post-tensioned concrete beams
in comparison to EC2+NA

To explain the apparently different fatigue behaviour of prestressing steel in pre- and post-tensioned concrete, certain
influences are considered in the following.
 3

2.3 Influences on fatigue behaviour

Basically, the fatigue behaviour of prestressing steel depends on production and material parameters (e.g. composition
of steel) as well as type and diameter of prestressing steel (strands, wires or bars). These parameters can be summarized
as inherent influences which define the basic material fatigue. In example, the fatigue life of prestressing strands is
reduced compared to prestressing wires resulting from inner friction processes caused by the contact pressure between
the twisted wires of strands (see section 4.1).
The influences resulting from specific fatigue processes and stress conditions in pre- and post-tensioned concrete
structures are combined into
‒ specific structural influences in post-tensioned concrete structures and
‒ specific structural influences in pre-tensioned concrete structures.
The effect of these influences are of great interest regarding the fatigue behaviour of embedded prestressing steel,
especially keeping in mind the statements in section 2.2, and therefore are discussed in more detail in the following.
Load-dependent influences, including e.g. varying loads and stress ranges during the fatigue life, are not considered
within this paper. More detailed descriptions of the various parameters influencing the fatigue behaviour of prestressing
steel are compiled e.g. in [3] and [4].

3 Specific structural influences in post-tensioned concrete structures

3.1 General
Previous investigations on the fatigue behaviour of prestressing steel in post-tensioned concrete beams showed,
especially at low stress ranges, a substantially reduced fatigue life of the embedded prestressing steel (lower number of
load cycles at the same stress range) compared to single prestressing steel (see Figure 2). The reduction of fatigue life
can be explained by specific stress conditions in post-tensioned concrete structures (see Figure 3). For these, usually
curved tendons are used to create lateral deviation forces opposite to the external loads. Then, in combination with
cyclic loading
‒ locally high lateral loads in the contact zone between prestressing steel and duct due to curvature and
‒ relative displacements between prestressing steel and duct occurring in the vicinity of cracks
result in friction stresses between prestressing steel and duct. Especially when using steel ducts, fatigue failure of the
prestressing steel usually occurs in the contact zone between strands and duct. According to [7], these effects can be
distinguished into a surface damage similar to wear under mechanical stresses (fretting corrosion) and a reduction of
fatigue strength by material fatigue (fretting fatigue). Although in current code provisions a differentiation is already
made between straight and curved tendons in steel ducts taking into account fretting corrosion, no explicit consideration
of lateral contact loads between prestressing steel and duct is made.

Detail Contact loads

P up P
up up
up

Tendon Lateral loads u p Detail Lateral contact loads on curved tendons

Figure 3: Lateral loads on prestressing steel in curved tendons in post-tensioned concrete beams

3.2 Experimental investigations

In order to investigate the influence of lateral contact loads on the fatigue life of prestressing steel, four fatigue tests on
post-tensioned concrete beams were carried out with variation of tendon curvature and concrete strength (Figure 4,
beams B1 - B4 in Figure 2). Based on the test results the following main conclusions can be drawn:
‒ The influence of tendon curvature could be ascertained. The number of load cycles until the first wire break
occurs was increased using a larger radius of curvature (B4, see Figure 2) compared to the minimum radius of
curvature according to the general approval of the used tendon (B3, see Figure 2).
‒ The influence of concrete strength was negligible (B1 compared to B3, see Figure 2).
‒ As a result of lateral contact loads, significant deformations of the duct and the surrounding concrete were
observed at the contact zone between prestressing steel and duct (Figure 5 a, b, c).
 4

‒ The majority of wire breaks was located in the contact zone between prestressing steel and duct in areas of
bending cracks (Figure 5 d, e).
‒ Furthermore, fretting corrosion could be observed in the contact zone (Figure 5 e).
Further details and results of the tests are described in [6].

Figure 4: Test setup of fatigue tests on post-tensioned concrete beams

(a) (b) (c) (d) (e)

Figure 5: Arrangement of strands in the duct (a), deformation of duct/concrete (b/c) and wire breaks (d, e) due to
lateral contact loads

3.3 Theoretical investigations

In the experimental investigations, the friction processes between prestressing steel and duct due to the local contact
loads could be determined as a decisive influence on the fatigue life of the prestressing steel. To quantify the influence
of the lateral contact loads, own and international fatigue test results have been evaluated. Lateral contact loads between
prestressing steel and duct can be determined by the prestressing force P, the number of prestressing steel elements n,
the radius of curvature R and a k-factor which takes into account locally increased contact loads between steel and duct
due to the stacked arrangement of prestressing steel in the duct (Figure 6).

Figure 6: Exemplary tendon geometry (left), resulting truss model (middle) and calculated contact loads or k-factors
(right)

The maximum lateral contact load up,max can be calculated by using the maximum k-factor kmax representing the
maximum contact load between prestressing steel and duct [8]:

, ∙ (1)
∙
 5

Within theoretical investigations a simplified calculation approach was derived to estimate the maximum k-factor for
customary prestressing strands in steel ducts taking into account the diameter ratio of strands p and duct duct as well as
the number of strands in the duct n [9]:

,
, 1 0,9 ∙ ∙ 1 (2)


In order to illustrate the influence of lateral loads on the fatigue life of tendons, the fatigue test results (with prestressing
strands 15,3 mm and 15,7 mm in steel ducts) were evaluated with regard to the number of load cycles (until the first
wire break occurred) as a function of the calculated maximum lateral contact load between strand and duct according to
Eq. (1). In addition, S-N curves were proposed for different lateral contact loads (Figure 7, c.f. [9]).

Figure 7: Results of fatigue tests with prestressing strands 15.3 mm and 15.7 mm in steel ducts and derived
S-N curves considering lateral contact loads

As shown in Figure 7, a good correlation between lateral contact loads and fatigue life of prestressing steel can be
noted. For high lateral loads of 90 kN/m < up,max ≤ 200 kN/m the red dashed line was assumed (c.f. [9]). For small
lateral loads of 60 kN/m < up,max ≤ 90 kN/m (light green dashed line) and up,max ≤ 60 kN/m (dark green dashed line) a
higher fatigue life was determined compared to the S-N curve according to EC2+NA (black line). This is the case if e.g.
larger radii of tendon curvature or smaller tendons (with a small number of prestressing strands in the duct) are present.
As a result, a more economical estimation or a better prediction accuracy of the fatigue life of curved tendons is
possible by taking into account the local contact loads e.g. within the practical design and construction of post-tensioned
concrete bridges.

4 Specific structural influences in pre-tensioned concrete structures

4.1 General
In pre-tensioned concrete structures straight tendons are generally used. Nevertheless, previous investigations on the
fatigue behaviour of prestressing steel in pre-tensioned concrete beams indicated a reduced fatigue life of the embedded
prestressing steel compared to single prestressing steel and consequentially to the S-N curve according to EC2+NA
(especially at small stress ranges or high numbers of load cycles) (see Figure 2).
This reduction of fatigue life is caused by structural influences on the fatigue life of prestressing steel in pre-tensioned
concrete structures. Based on previous fatigue tests the following main conclusions could be drawn regarding these
influences on the fatigue behaviour of the prestressing steel:
‒ The fatigue life of prestressing steel depends on the ratio between reinforcement steel and prestressing steel
(e.g. [10]). Even with a slight increase of the reinforcement, a significant increase in fatigue life could be
observed in fatigue tests on pre-tensioned concrete beams. This is due to the improved bond properties of
reinforcement steel, which limit crack widths and deformations. Additionally, prestressing steel stresses and
stress ranges are reduced.
‒ Concrete cracks and the progressive damage of the bond between prestressing steel and concrete in the vicinity
of cracks resulting from cyclic loading have an influence on the fatigue behaviour of prestressing steel (e.g.
[11], [12]). On the one hand, this is caused by increased steel stresses (and stress ranges) in the crack area. On
the other hand, the reduced fatigue life is explained by bending stresses in the prestressing steel.
 6

‒ Within fatigue tests on pre-tensioned concrete beams in [13], corrosion products could be found on the surface
of prestressing steel. This is an indication of friction processes in the contact zone between prestressing steel
and concrete and is also known as fretting corrosion (analogously to post-tensioned concrete in section 3.1). As
a result of these friction effects, in some tests, the fatigue life was considerably reduced compared to tests on
single prestressing steel (with equal stress ranges) [12].
The mentioned fretting fatigue processes and friction stresses within concrete that influence the fatigue of prestressing
steel have not been investigated in detail (Figure 8).

Figure 8: Friction effects and stresses in pre-tensioned concrete and resulting fatigue wire breaks

4.2 Experimental investigations (outlook)

Besides previous fatigue tests, an own test on a pre-tensioned concrete beam was carried out. The result of the test
validated the reduced fatigue life of embedded prestressing steel compared to single prestressing steel (B5, Figure 2).
In order to identify and quantify the specific structural influences on the fatigue behaviour of prestressing steel, further
experimental investigations are currently conducted. These include fatigue tests on single prestressing strands with and
without concrete covering as well as on pre-tensioned concrete beams (Figure 9). Besides the abovementioned inherent
influences on fatigue of prestressing steel such as inner friction processes caused by the contact pressure between the
twisted wires of strands (Figure 8 left), structural influences such as friction processes between outer wires of strands
and concrete are studied (Figure 8 right). Furthermore construction and design aspects e.g. the amount of reinforcement
steel or the calculation of stresses and stress ranges in the prestressing steel are considered.

Figure 9: Test setup of fatigue tests on single prestressing strands (left), single prestressing strands embedded in
concrete (middle) and pre-tensioned concrete beams (right)

First results of fatigue tests on single prestressing strands with and without concrete covering are shown in Figure 10.
At stress ranges of more than approximately 300 N/mm² an equal fatigue life of strands with and without concrete
covering can be presumed. In contrast, a reduced fatigue life of strands with concrete covering can be noticed compared
to strands without concrete covering. Detailed investigations on fatigue processes between prestressing steel and
concrete are still carried out within microscopic examinations of the fatigue wire breaks.
 7

Figure 10: Test results of single prestressing strands with and without concrete covering

5 Conclusions
Prestressed concrete structures under cyclic loads, such as bridges, need to be designed against fatigue failure. Here, the
fatigue of prestressing steel is often the decisive failure mode. In order to investigate the fatigue behaviour of
prestressing steel in pre- and post-tensioned concrete structures, experimental and theoretical investigations on pre- and
post-tensioned concrete were conducted at the iBMB, Division of Concrete Construction of the TU Braunschweig. In
this paper specific influences on the fatigue behaviour of prestressing steel in pre- and post-tensioned concrete were
discussed.
In summary, the fatigue life of prestressing steel is affected by structural and systematic influences and mechanisms
resulting from specific fatigue processes and stress conditions in pre- and post-tensioned concrete structures. These
include e.g. friction between prestressing steel and duct in post-tensioned concrete due to tendon curvature or between
prestressing steel and concrete in pre-tensioned concrete.
Based on the presented results regarding the fatigue of prestressing steel in post-tensioned concrete, a more economical
estimation or a better prediction accuracy of the fatigue life of curved tendons is possible by taking into account the
local contact loads e.g. within the practical design and construction of post-tensioned concrete bridges.
With regard to the fatigue of prestressing steel in pre-tensioned concrete structures, further investigations are currently
carried out considering different structural influences. First results were already shown.

6 Acknowledgements
The investigations presented in this paper have been conducted at the iBMB, Division of Concrete Construction of the
TU Braunschweig within two research projects funded by the Deutsches Institut für Bautechnik (DIBt) as well as a
current research project funded by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG, German Research Foundation) –
Project number 351987113. The authors acknowledge the financial support.

7 References
[1] DIN EN 1992-1-1: Eurocode 2: Design of concrete structures – Part 1-1: General rules and rules for buildings.
German version EN 1992-1-1:2004 + AC:2010, Berlin: Beuth, January 2011.
[2] DIN EN 1992-1-1/NA: National Annex – Nationally determined parameters – Eurocode 2: Design of concrete
structures - Part 1-1: General rules and rules for buildings. Berlin: Beuth, April 2013.
[3] Empelmann, M. & Sender, C.: Sachstandbericht zur Dauerschwingfestigkeit von Spannstählen unter dynamischer
Beanspruchung im eingebauten Zustand. Report T3245, Fraunhofer IRB, Stuttgart, Germany, 2010.
[4] Empelmann, M.; Remitz, J.: Ermüdungsverhalten von Spanngliedern mit nachträglichem Verbund. In: Beton-
und Stahlbetonbau 109 (2014), No. 11, pp. 760-770.
[5] Paulson Jr., C.; Frank, K. H.; Breen, J. E.: A Fatigue Study of Prestressing Strand. Research Report No. 300-1,
University of Texas at Austin, Bureau of Engineering Research, USA, 1983.
[6] Remitz, J.; Empelmann, M., Ermüdungsfestigkeit von eingebauten Spanngliedern – Versuche an
Spannbetonträgern. In: Bauingenieur 90 (2015), No. 12, pp. 553-561.
[7] Funk, W.: Der Einfluss der Reibkorrosion auf die Dauerhaltbarkeit zusammengesetzter Maschinenelemente.
Dissertation, Technische Hochschule Darmstadt, Germany, 1968.
[8] Weiher, J.: Verhalten von PE-HD Schutzhüllen bei der Umlenkung von verbundlosen Spanngliedern.
Dissertation, TU München, Germany, 2007.
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[9] Remitz, J.; Empelmann, M.: Einfluss von Umlenkbelastungen auf die Ermüdung von Spanngliedern im
nachträglichen Verbund. In: Beton- und Stahlbetonbau 113 (2018), No. 8.
[10] Overman, T. R; Breen, J. E.; Frank, K. H.: Fatigue Behavior of Pretensioned Concrete Girders. Research Report
No. 300-2F, University of Texas at Austin, Center for Transportation Research, USA, 1984.
[11] Ozell, A. M.; Diniz, J. F.: Fatigue Tests of Prestressed Concrete Beams Pretensioned with 1/2 Inch Strands. In:
PCI Journal of the Prestressed Concrete Institute, Vol. 3, No. 1, pp. 79-88, 1958.
[12] Abeles, P. W.; Brown II, E. I.; Hu, C. H.: Fatigue Resistance of Under-Reinforced Prestressed Beams subjected
to Different Stress Ranges. ACI-Publication SP-41, pp. 237-277, 1974.
[13] Heller, B. E.: Fatigue Response of Pretensioned Concrete Beams. Master Thesis, University of Texas at Austin,
USA, 2003.

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