PRESTRESS CONCRETE DESIGN

WHAT IS PRESTRESSED CONCRETE?

The principle behind prestressed concrete is that compressive stresses induced by high-
strength steel tendons in a concrete member before loads are applied will balance the tensile
stresses imposed in the member during service.

NORMAL LOADING
PRESTRESSED CONCRETE

Fig. A: Beam Deflects Downward Fig. B: Beam Deflects Upward Due

Due to Load to Prestress Load

Fig. C: Prestressed Concrete Beam

Returns Flat Due to Load

Fig. D: Prestressed Reinforcing

Material (Tendons)

Prestressed concrete members can be placed in one of two categories: Pre-tensioned or

Post-tensioned.
 PRESTRESS CONCRETE DESIGN
PRE-TENSIONED

Tendons are stretched to a desired tension. The concrete is then placed and tendons
become bonded to concrete throughout their length. After concrete has hardened, the tendons
are released by cutting them at the anchorages. The tendons tend to regain their original
length by shortening and in this process transfer through bond a compressive stress to the
concrete. This will cause the beam to camber upward.

POST-TENSIONED

The tendons are not placed in direct contact with the concrete, but are encapsulated
within a protective sleeve or duct which is either cast into the concrete structure or placed
adjacent to it.

At each end of a tendon is an anchorage assembly firmly fixed to the surrounding concrete.
Once the concrete has been cast and set, the tendons are tensioned ("stressed") by pulling
the tendon ends through the anchorages while pressing against the concrete.
 PRESTRESS CONCRETE DESIGN

Fig. 2: Post-tensioned

TYPICAL PRESTRESSED CONCRETE SECTION

I-Girder
PRESTRESS CONCRETE DESIGN

(𝐏ⅇ)𝐜 𝐌𝐜 𝐩 (𝐏ⅇ)𝐜 𝐌𝐜
𝐏 + − − + −
− 𝐈 𝐈 𝐀 𝐈 𝐈
𝐀

𝐏 (𝐏ⅇ)𝐜 𝐌𝐜 𝐩 (𝐏ⅇ)𝐜 𝐌𝐜
− − + − − +
𝐀 𝐈 𝐈 𝐀 𝐈 𝐈

DUE TO PRESTRESS DUE TO LOAD (MOMENT) TOTAL

 PRESTRESS CONCRETE DESIGN
SAMPLE PROBLEMS:
1. A simply supported bridge on bearings at 12m is designed using the prestressed beam
as shown. The prestress force is 750 kN at an eccentricity of 200 mm from the centroid
of the section. Weight of the beam is 2.64 kN/m. Superimposed dead load is 5 kN/m
and live load of 6 kN/m. Consider 20% loss of prestress at service loads.

a) Solve for the Initial Stress at Bottom and Top fiber at midspan of the beam.
b) Solve for the Final Stress at Bottom and Top fiber at midspan of the beam.
c) Draw the Stress Diagram at Initial & Final Stage

A = 119,500 mm2
I = 4,301.36x106 mm4

2. A 750 kN prestress force is applied in a simply supported girder beam to support

superimposed loads. The beam dimension is are 300mm by 500mm. The tendons
have an eccentricity of 50mm at support and 150 mm at midspan from its centroid and
lose 20% of its load during the final state. The beam's own weight is 3.6 kN/m.
Use f'ci = 26 Mpa and f'c = 34.5 Mpa.

a) Solve for the Initial Stress at Bottom and Top fiber at the support of the beam.
b) Solve for the Final Stress at Bottom and Top fiber at the support of the beam.
c) Determine the max superimposed load (kN/m) that the beam can carry without
exceeding the allowable stresses.

ALLOWABLE STRESSES:
@ INITIAL STAGE:

Tensile Stress ≤ 0.25√𝑓′𝑐𝑖

Compressive Stress ≤ 0.60𝑓′𝑐𝑖

@ FINAL STAGE:

Tensile Stress ≤ 0.5√𝑓′𝑐𝑖

Compressive Stress ≤ 0.45𝑓′𝑐𝑖
 PRESTRESS CONCRETE DESIGN
3. The prestressed hollow core slab used for flooring is prestressed by the force 450 kN
at eccentricity of 38 mm from its centroid. It is simply supported on a span of 7.5m.
Allowable stresses are 3.0 MPa in tension and 16 MPa in compression. Consider a
15% loss of prestressing force at service loads.

a) Solve for the stress at the bottom fiber of the slab at L/4 from the center
bearings.
b) Solve for the resulting stress at the bottom fiber of the slab at the midspan.
c) Determine the maximum total load the slab can carry so that the allowable
stresses will not be exceeded.

A = 171x103 mm2
I = 336 x109 mm4

4. A flooring a made up of a double tee joist (DT) and simply supported at a length of 8m
and is pre-tensioned in each stem with an initial force of 750 kN. The tendon is 75mm
above the bottom fiber, and the force will lose 15% of its strength at final stage.

a) Solve for the stress at the bottom fiber of the DT at the midspan due to initial
prestressing force alone.
b) Solve for the stress at the bottom fiber of the DT at the midspan at service stage.
c) Determine the additional superimposed load that the DT can carry that will result
a zero stress at the bottom fiber.

DL = 2.4 kPa
LL = 4.8 kPa
A = 200x103 mm2
I = 1880x106 mm4

PREPARED BY:

ENGR. RONIE PIEDAD