3/28/2023

Introduction to
Pre-stressed Structures
Goman Ho
Arup Fellow
29 Mar 2023

What is Pre-stressed Concrete?

• Concrete is strong in compression but weak in tension

• In prestressed concrete, tendons are used to apply prestress compression to the member

• The axial compression counteracts the tensile stresses induced by the applied loadings

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Classification of Pre-Stressing System

Pre-stressing

Pre-tensioning Post-tensioning

Internal External

Pre-tensioning Method

Stage 1 Stage 2 Stage 3 Stage 4

Tendons and Tendons are stressed Concrete is cast into When the concrete
reinforcement are to about 70% of their the beam mould and has cured the
positioned in the ultimate strength. allowed to cure to stressing force is
beam mould. the required initial released and the
strength. tendons anchor
themselves in the
concrete.
Source: Prof. Dr. Azlan Abdul Rahman, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia © UTM 2006

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Post-tensioning Method

Stage 1 Stage 2 Stage 3 Stage 4

Cable ducts and Concrete is cast Tendons are Wedges are inserted
reinforcement are into the beam threaded through the into the end
positioned in the beam mould and allowed cable ducts and anchorages and the
mould. The ducts are to cure to the tensioned to about tensioning force on
usually raised towards required initial 70% of their the tendons is
the neutral axis at the strength. ultimate strength. released. Grout is
ends to reduce the then pumped into
eccentricity of the the ducts to protect
stressing force. the tendons.

Source: Prof. Dr. Azlan Abdul Rahman, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia © UTM 2006

Bonded Post-tensioned Concrete

• Process
- Concrete is casted around a curved duct (usually corrugated), to
allow room for the tendon to be inserted.
- After the concrete has hardened the tendons are pulled in tension and
then wedged.
- The duct is then injected with grout

6 Source: Danny Efland, Maria Cuellar and Joel Irvine

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Bonded Post-tensioned Concrete

• Advantages
- Tendons are less likely to de-stress in accidents
- Tendons can be easily 'weaved' allowing more efficient designs
- Higher ultimate strength due to bond generated between the strand and concrete
- No issues with maintaining the anchor

7 Source: Danny Efland, Maria Cuellar and Joel Irvine

Un-bonded Post-Tension
• In post-tensioning, the steel in the concrete is stretched after the curing process.
• Unlike bonded, un-bonded provides tendons freedom of movement by coating each tendon
with grease and covering it with a plastic sheathing
• Tension on the concrete is achieved by the cables acting against the steel anchors that are
buried in the perimeters of the concrete

• Advantages
- Post-stress grouting is eliminated
- Ability to de-stress the tendons
- Economical
- Replaceable
- Simple stressing equipment

8 Source: Danny Efland, Maria Cuellar and Joel Irvine

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Un-bonded Post-Tension

9 Source: Danny Efland, Maria Cuellar and Joel Irvine

Prestress force is applied by jacking tendons against an

already-cast concrete member

Live / Dead Anchor Dead Anchor Coupler

10 Dead End
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Post-tensioning System

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Post-tensioning - Internal Prestress

• Tendons are embedded in the concrete section
• The flexible duct is curved gradually to achieve the desired profile

Tendons
Cross Section

Tendon Profile - Elevation

Tendon Profile - Plan

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Post-tensioning - External Prestress

• Tendons are located inside the voids of box girder
• Deviator is used to hold the cables into the desired profile

Tendons
Cross Section at Deviator

Tendon Profile - Elevation

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Deck with Combined Internal and External PT

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Deck with Combined Internal and External PT

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Pretensioning System
• Strands are pretensioned between end anchorages
and the concrete members cast around strands.

Pretensioning of strands

Casting of concrete

Anchorages release and

strands cutting

PT beam with strand position shown

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Pretensioning System

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Precast Beam, Pretensioning

• Precast pretensioned beams produced in yard in large quantities
• Usually with in-situ top slab
• Standard precast beams available

Cathy Pacific Cargo Terminal

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Advantage of Prestress Deck Compared to RC

• Stiffer structure – cracking is delayed by PT

• Reduced depth of deck – beneficial when there is headroom constraint
• Reduced self-weight – more important for longer span
• Facilitates precasting
- reduce lifting weight of precast beam
- enable precast segmental construction
• Less cracking, less susceptible to corrosion (provided that proper grouting is carried out
for post-tensioning system)

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Common Types of Prestressed Concrete Bridge

PT Deck

In-situ Precast Incremental

Launching
Precast Full Span
Falsework Segmental Beam Launching

MSS Span by span

Balanced Cantilever Balanced

with Travelling Cantilever
Formwork

• Prestress design is much influenced by deck type / construction method adopted.

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In-situ Deck on Falsework

• Internal or external post-tensioning

• Constructed span by span

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In-situ Deck on Movable Scaffolding System (MSS)

• Similar to in-situ deck cast on traditional falsework in
terms of PT design, except that the deck may have to
be designed for MSS gantry load at temporary stage.

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In-situ Balanced Cantilever by Form Traveller

• Typically internal prestressing
• Constructed in balanced cantilever

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Precast Segmental, Span by Span Construction

• Internal or external post-tensioning, or mix
• Segments are supported by gantry at temporary stage

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Precast Segmental Deck

https://roselliott.files.wordpress.com/2012/04/dsc00769.jpg
Typical Section
of Shear Key

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27 Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aClkJkRn3E0

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Precast, Full Span Launching

• Entire span is precast and pretensioned in the yard, and transported to
the site for erection
• Very fast construction
• Feasibility depends on the availability of route for precast delivery

Incheon Bridge, Korea

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Let’s have a Break

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Incremental Launching
• Deck is produced in casting yard located behind the abutment in segments by match-
casting. The deck is jacked forward a distance equal to the length of the segment in each
cycle.
• Applicable to deck with constant cross section with straight alignment or constant
horizontal and vertical curvature
• Launching stage is critical in prestress design

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31 Source : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vKGYs71N72c

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Advantages of Precast Concrete Construction

• Quality – Production line casting in a controlled environment
• Economy – Repetitive operations, re-use of equipment
• Safety – Minimise working at height

match casting of segment segment stacking

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Internal Prestressing vs External Prestressing

• Mixture of internal and external prestressing is possible – common for precast segmental bridge with balanced cantilever
construction
Internal Prestressing External Prestressing
Cable inspection & replacement not possible Cable inspection & replacement possible

Superior ULS performance with bonded tendons Inferior ULS performance with unbonded tendons

Thicker web due to reduction of effective web thickness Web can be sized thinner
the presence of cables
Depth of deck could be more effectively utilized – cable Cables extreme position restricted by deviator – typ
typically around 125mm from soffit at mid span around 350mm form soffit at mid span

Cable profile more complicated to avoid clashing and Cable profile generally simpler – need attention to avoid
achieve efficient design, particular with the use of clashing with blister for highly curved deck
blisters.
Higher PT loss due to friction and wobble Less PT loss due to friction and wobble

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Prestressing in other Structural Elements

• Transverse prestressing of deck

• Precast pier

• Precast concrete pile

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Transverse Prestressing of Deck

• Applicable to wide box girder or deck comprising
central spine beam plus precast wing
• Post-tensioning flat duct to be used

Marina Bayfront Bridge, Singapore

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Precast Pier
• Hollow pier section divided into segments
• Post-tensioning of internal prestress
• Pier base portion may need to be in-situ RC for ductility
under seismic

A30 Viaduct, Canada

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Pretensioned Concrete Pile

• Precast driven pile
• Pretensioning of high strength concrete
• Typically with circular hollow section of 250mm to 1200mm
diameter / square section
• With steel pile shoe and steel end plates for splicing

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Detailing Practice

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Considerations of Detailing
• Attention to detailing of prestressing tendons is required to achieve a buildable and robust
design.
• The following aspects will be discussed:
- Cover to tendons
- Spacing of tendons
- Requirement of proprietary system
- minimum radius and straight length
- work clearance for stressing
- anchorages
- Coordination with reinforcement
- Checking of clashing between cables
- Tendon Profile

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References for Detailing Requirements

• BS5400-4 Section 6.8 and Appendix D
- cover and spacing requirements of tendons, “deem-to-
satisfy”
approach
• AASHTO LRFD Section 5.10.3 & 5.10.4
- effects of curved tendons covered in greater details than
BS5400
• Catalogues of the proprietary prestressing system
• VSL Reports on “Detailing for Post-tensioned”
- quite a detailed account of detailing requirements
with reference to design principle behind

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BS5400 Detailing Requirement of Post-tension Duct

• Cover:
- min. 50mm for durability
- min. cover to ducts perpendicular to plane of curvature: refers to Table 36 of Appendix D
to prevent bursting of side cover
- provide fully anchored stirrup to restrain curved duct against in-plane radial force if
necessary
• Min clear distance between ducts to be the greatest of
- max aggregate size + 5mm
- vertical direction: vertical internal dimension of duct
- horizontal direction: horizontal dimension of duct
• For curved tendons, min distance between centrelines of ducts in the plane of curvature
shall satisfy Table 37 of Appendix D to prevent crushing of concrete between ducts

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Tendon Profile

• Tendon profile shall be presented to reflect the design tendon profile but shall also be
allowed for some tolerance during construction.

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Tendon Profile (Segmental (External PT))

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44 Site Photos – Segments construction

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45 Site Photos – Coupler Connection

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Site Photos – Insitu construction Ready for stressing

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Clashing Check

• Provide alternative reinforcement details to miss the tendon duct.

• Draw tendons and rebars at critical section in scale.

Example of Alternative Web Reinforcement Detail at Blister

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Prestressing in Buildings

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Azura, Hong Kong

• Post-tensioned Transfer Plate

• HKIE/IStructE JSD Structural
Grand Award 2015

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The Site
• Residential Redevelopment at 2A Seymour Road, HK
Azura
• Usage: Residential
(CSR1)
• Services:
• Structural
• Geotechnical

• Design Work Involved: CSR2

• Demolition
• Foundation
• Excavation & Lateral Support
• Superstructure

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Tower Layout Plan

CSR2

Azura
(CSR1)

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Tower Section
2 Levels of
Penthouse • Site at Mid-levels of Hong Kong
Island, Seymour Road

• Site Area = 2100m2

• Single Tower (Height limit =

+260.80mPD max.)

• Height : 166m (Aspect Ratio 8.3)

43 Levels of
• GFA : 19,000m2 approx.
Typical Floors
• 5-levels of podium floor

• 43 Typical Residential Floors

Transfer Plate
2 Levels of Clubhouse +
3 Levels of Car Park

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Typical Floor

CORE

Outline of Transfer Plate

(Area = ~700m2)
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Design & Analysis of Transfer Plate

Tower Wall Above

Podium Wall/ column below

Local Thickening
2900mm

Plate Thickness: 2500mm

(with 400mm local thickening at column edge)

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Design & Analysis of Transfer Plate

Modelling of Post-Tensioned Transfer Plate (Cedrus 3+)

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Site Photos (Rebar Fixing)

Timber formwork erection Column drop/ local thickening

Bottom steel reinforcement Top steel reinforcement

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Site Photos (Laying of Tendons)

Laying of bottom tendons Setting of tendon profile

Laying of top tendons Dead end of tendon

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Site Photos

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Site Photos (Casting of Concrete)

Casting of 1st portion (Bottom Layer) Starter bar on transfer plate

Casting of 4th portion (Top Layer) CJ preparation on the interface

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Site Photo

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Site Photos (Stressing)

Setting up of jacking machine Stressing in progress

Data Recording Stressing completed

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Site Photos (Grouting)

Trial Mix of grouting material Flow Cone Test

Grouting in progress Grouting tube sealed up

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Project Details

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Floor Plans – Transfer Plate

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Elevation

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K11

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Post-Tensioning Shear Wall

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Post-Tensioning Mega Column

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Pre-stressed Steel Member

http://www.tallbridgeguy.com/tag/county-bridge-concept/

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External Post Tension Beam

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External Post Tension Timber Beam

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Pre-stressed/post-Tension Timber Member

Source: Theoretical and experimental research of external prestressed

timber beams in variable moisture conditions, Sladana Miljanovic and
Muhamed Zlater, Coupled Systems Mechanics, Vol 4,(2), 2015

Source: Determining the Flexural Capacity of Long-Span Post-Tensioned

LVL Timber Beams, Wouter van Beerschoten et al,, J Struct Eng, ASCE,
Source: Long-Term Behavior of LVL Posttensioned Timber Beams, Gabriele Granello et Vol145(7), 2019
al, J Struct Eng, ASCE, Vol147(12), 2017

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Prestressed Cable Wall

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Prestressed Atrium Roof

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Prestressed Atrium Roof

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Any Questions ?

[email protected]

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