Updated: Jan 16, 2023 Department of Civil Engineering, University of Engineering and Technology Peshawar, Pakistan

Lecture 07

Introduction to
Prestressed Concrete

By:
Prof. Dr. Qaisar Ali
Civil Engineering Department
UET Peshawar

[email protected]
www.drqaisarali.com
Prof. Dr. Qaisar Ali CE 416: Reinforced Concrete Design – II 1
Updated: Jan 16, 2023 Department of Civil Engineering, University of Engineering and Technology Peshawar, Pakistan

Lecture Contents

 Introduction
▪ Background
▪ Principle of Prestressing
▪ Methods of Prestressing
▪ Advantages of Prestressed Concrete

 Material properties
▪ High Strength Concrete
▪ Prestressing Steel

 Example

 References

Prof. Dr. Qaisar Ali CE 416: Reinforced Concrete Design – II 2

Updated: Jan 16, 2023 Department of Civil Engineering, University of Engineering and Technology Peshawar, Pakistan

Learning Outcomes

 At the end of this lecture, students will be able to;

➢ Explain Principle of Pre-stressing

➢ Classify methods of Pre-stressing

➢ Describe the advantages of prestressed concrete

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Updated: Jan 16, 2023 Department of Civil Engineering, University of Engineering and Technology Peshawar, Pakistan

Introduction

 Background
⚫ Concrete is basically a compressive material, with its strength in
tension being relatively low.

⚫ Prestressing applies a precompression force to the member that

reduces or eliminates undesirable tensile stresses that would
otherwise be present.

a) Reinforced concrete
cracked under load.

b) Post-tensioned concrete
before loading.

c) Post-tensioned concrete
after loading.

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Updated: Jan 16, 2023 Department of Civil Engineering, University of Engineering and Technology Peshawar, Pakistan

Introduction

 Principle of prestressing
⚫ The principle underlying prestressed concrete is that;

Compressive stresses induced in a concrete member by pre-

compression before loading can partially or completely eliminate
the tensile stresses induced after loading.

⚫ This statement has been elaborated in subsequent slides

Prof. Dr. Qaisar Ali CE 416: Reinforced Concrete Design – II 5

Updated: Jan 16, 2023 Department of Civil Engineering, University of Engineering and Technology Peshawar, Pakistan

Introduction

 Principle of prestressing

Prof. Dr. Qaisar Ali CE 416: Reinforced Concrete Design – II 6

Updated: Jan 16, 2023 Department of Civil Engineering, University of Engineering and Technology Peshawar, Pakistan

Introduction

 Principle of prestressing

Prof. Dr. Qaisar Ali CE 416: Reinforced Concrete Design – II 7

Updated: Jan 16, 2023 Department of Civil Engineering, University of Engineering and Technology Peshawar, Pakistan

Introduction

 Principle of prestressing
⚫ Some important conclusions can be drawn from previous simple
examples
▪ Prestressing can control or even eliminate concrete tensile stress for
specified loads.

▪ Eccentric prestress is usually much more efficient than concentric

prestress.

▪ Variable eccentricity is usually preferable to constant eccentricity,

from the viewpoints of both stress control and deflection control.

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Updated: Jan 16, 2023 Department of Civil Engineering, University of Engineering and Technology Peshawar, Pakistan

Introduction

 Advantages and disadvantages of prestressed concrete

Advantages Disadvantages

• Economical for long-span structures. • Less economical for short spans.

• Sufficient space required for precast

• Fast construction.
works.
• Highly skilled manpower and
• Smooth and pleasant crack free surface.
supervision required.
• Increased sustainability against sudden • Higher grades of concrete and steel
impact. needed.
• Higher durability than the conventional
• Limited use in higher seismic zones.
reinforced concrete.
• Conveniently used in the construction of
• Limited use in high rise buildings.
long span bridges and warehouses etc.

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Updated: Jan 16, 2023 Department of Civil Engineering, University of Engineering and Technology Peshawar, Pakistan

Introduction

 Methods of prestressing
⚫ Although many methods have been used to produce the desired
state of precompression in concrete members, all pre-stressed
concrete members can be placed in one of two categories:

1. Pre-tensioned,

2. Post-tensioned.

⚫ Please attentively watch the video clips on the next slide in

order to better comprehend these techniques.

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Updated: Jan 16, 2023 Department of Civil Engineering, University of Engineering and Technology Peshawar, Pakistan

Introduction

 Methods of prestressing

Pre-tensioning

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Updated: Jan 16, 2023 Department of Civil Engineering, University of Engineering and Technology Peshawar, Pakistan

Introduction

 Methods of prestressing

Post-tensioning Post-tensioned Concrete Girder at BRT

Peshawar

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Updated: Jan 16, 2023 Department of Civil Engineering, University of Engineering and Technology Peshawar, Pakistan

Introduction

 Methods of prestressing
1. Pre-tensioning
❑ Advantages

▪ Well suited to the mass production of beams using the long-line

method of prestressing.

▪ Pre-tensioning is a particularly economical method of prestressing, not

only because the standardization of design permits reusable steel or
fiberglass forms, but also because the simultaneous prestressing of
many members at once results in great saving of labor.

▪ In addition, expensive end-anchorage hardware is eliminated.

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Updated: Jan 16, 2023 Department of Civil Engineering, University of Engineering and Technology Peshawar, Pakistan

Introduction

 Methods of prestressing
2. Post-tensioning
❑ Advantages

▪ A significant advantage of all post-tensioning schemes is the ease

with which the tendon eccentricity can be varied along the span to
provide the desired counter moment.

Post tensioning under progress Conduit Anchor blocks and wedges

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Updated: Jan 16, 2023 Department of Civil Engineering, University of Engineering and Technology Peshawar, Pakistan

Material Properties

1. High strength concrete

⚫ Although the exact definition is arbitrary, the term generally
refers to concrete having uniaxial compressive strength in the
range of about 8000 to 15,000 psi or higher.

⚫ In the case of pretensioned elements, higher bond strength

results in a reduction in the development length required to
transfer prestress force from the cables to the concrete.

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Updated: Jan 16, 2023 Department of Civil Engineering, University of Engineering and Technology Peshawar, Pakistan

Material Properties

2. Prestressing steel
❑ Importance

Effect of shrinkage and creep of concrete in reducing Stress variation with strain
prestress force for axially prestressed beam

Prof. Dr. Qaisar Ali CE 416: Reinforced Concrete Design – II 16

Updated: Jan 16, 2023 Department of Civil Engineering, University of Engineering and Technology Peshawar, Pakistan

Material Properties

2. Prestressing steel
❑ Importance

⚫ The initial strain in the steel is:

εsi = fsi/Es = 30/29000 = 1.03 x 10-3

⚫ And the steel elongation is:

Δs = εsils = 1.03 × 10-3ls

⚫ The sum of shrinkage and creep strain in the concrete is about

0.90 × 10-3, and the corresponding length change is:

(εsh + εcu)lc = 0.90 × 10-3lc

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Updated: Jan 16, 2023 Department of Civil Engineering, University of Engineering and Technology Peshawar, Pakistan

Material Properties

2. Prestressing steel
❑ Importance

⚫ Since ls and lc are nearly the same for fst = 30 ksi, which
means that the combined effects of shrinkage and creep of the
concrete is almost a complete loss of the stress in steel.

⚫ The effective steel stress remaining after time-dependent

effects would be fse = (1.03 – 0.90) × 10-3 × 29 × 103 ≈ 4 ksi

Prof. Dr. Qaisar Ali CE 416: Reinforced Concrete Design – II 18

Updated: Jan 16, 2023 Department of Civil Engineering, University of Engineering and Technology Peshawar, Pakistan

Material Properties

2. Prestressing steel
❑ Importance

⚫ For high strength steel at an initial stress of 150 ksi, the initial
strain would be:
εsi = 150/29000 = 5.17 × 10-3

εsils = 5.17 × 10-3ls

⚫ The effective steel stress fse after losses due to shrinkage and
creep would be fse = (5.17 – 0.90) × 10-3 × 29 × 103 = 124 ksi

⚫ The loss is about 17 percent of the initial steel stress in this case
compared with 87 percent loss when mild steel was used.

Prof. Dr. Qaisar Ali CE 416: Reinforced Concrete Design – II 19

Updated: Jan 16, 2023 Department of Civil Engineering, University of Engineering and Technology Peshawar, Pakistan

Material Properties

2. Prestressing steel
❑ Types prestressing steel

i. Round wires
⚫ Wires are normally bundled in groups of up to about 50 individual
wires to produce prestressing tendons of the required strength.

ii. Stranded cable

⚫ Stranded cable, more common than wire in U.S. practice, is
fabricated with six wires wound around a seventh of slightly larger
diameter.

Prof. Dr. Qaisar Ali CE 416: Reinforced Concrete Design – II 20

Updated: Jan 16, 2023 Department of Civil Engineering, University of Engineering and Technology Peshawar, Pakistan

Material Properties

2. Prestressing steel
❑ Sizes

Steel Diameter range, inch (mm)

Prestressing Wire 0.192 to 0.276 (5 to 7 mm)

Strand 0.250 to 0.600 (6 to 15 mm)

Prof. Dr. Qaisar Ali CE 416: Reinforced Concrete Design – II 21

Updated: Jan 16, 2023 Department of Civil Engineering, University of Engineering and Technology Peshawar, Pakistan

Material Properties

2. Prestressing steel
❑ Strength

Yield Tensile strength Elastic Modulus

Steel Grades (ksi) Steel Es (psi)

Un-bonded
26,000,000 psi
strand
Round wires 235, 240, 250
Bonded strand ≈ 27,000,000 psi

Strands (7-wired)
250, 270 Smooth round ≈ 29,000,000 psi
300 (not recognized by ASTM A421) wires (same as for reinforcing bar)

Prof. Dr. Qaisar Ali CE 416: Reinforced Concrete Design – II 22

Updated: Jan 16, 2023 Department of Civil Engineering, University of Engineering and Technology Peshawar, Pakistan

Material Properties

2. Prestressing steel
❑ Relaxation

⚫ When prestressing steel is stressed to the levels that are

customary during initial tensioning and at service loads, it
exhibits a property known as relaxation.

⚫ Relaxation is defined as the loss of stress in stressed material

held at constant length.

⚫ The same basic phenomenon is known as creep when defined in

terms of change in strain of a material under constant stress.

Prof. Dr. Qaisar Ali CE 416: Reinforced Concrete Design – II 23

Updated: Jan 16, 2023 Department of Civil Engineering, University of Engineering and Technology Peshawar, Pakistan

Material Properties

2. Prestressing steel
❑ Relaxation

⚫ To be specific, if a length of prestressing steel is stressed to a

sizable fraction of its yield strength 𝑓𝑝𝑦 (say 80 to 90 percent) and
held at a constant strain between fixed points such as the ends
of a beam, the steel stress 𝑓𝑝 will gradually decrease from its
initial value 𝑓𝑝𝑖

Prof. Dr. Qaisar Ali CE 416: Reinforced Concrete Design – II 24

Updated: Jan 16, 2023 Department of Civil Engineering, University of Engineering and Technology Peshawar, Pakistan

Material Properties

2. Prestressing steel
❑ Relaxation

⚫ A satisfactory estimate for ordinary stress relieved strand and

wires can be obtained from eq. (1), which was derived from more
than 400 relaxation tests of up to 9 years duration:

𝑓𝑝 𝑙𝑜𝑔𝑡 𝑓𝑝
=1− − 0.55 ―――(1)
𝑓𝑝𝑖 10 𝑓𝑝𝑦

Where;

𝑓𝑝 = final stress after 𝑡 hours,

𝑓𝑝𝑖 = Initial stress, and

𝑓𝑝𝑦 = Nominal yield stress.

Prof. Dr. Qaisar Ali CE 416: Reinforced Concrete Design – II 25

Updated: Jan 16, 2023 Department of Civil Engineering, University of Engineering and Technology Peshawar, Pakistan

Material Properties

2. Prestressing steel
❑ Relaxation

⚫ For low-relaxation strand, eq. (1) is replaced by:

𝑓𝑝 𝑙𝑜𝑔𝑡 𝑓𝑝
=1− − 0.55 ―――(2)
𝑓𝑝𝑖 45 𝑓𝑝𝑦

Prof. Dr. Qaisar Ali CE 416: Reinforced Concrete Design – II 26

Updated: Jan 16, 2023 Department of Civil Engineering, University of Engineering and Technology Peshawar, Pakistan

Example

 Example 7.1
⚫ A high strength prestressing steel having nominal yield strength of
250ksi is subjected to an initial stress of 200ksi.

Determine the time in hours at which the stress is 90% of the initial
stress.

Prof. Dr. Qaisar Ali CE 416: Reinforced Concrete Design – II 27

Updated: Jan 16, 2023 Department of Civil Engineering, University of Engineering and Technology Peshawar, Pakistan

Example

 Solution (Example 7.1)

▪ Given Data

𝑓𝑝𝑦 = 250𝑘𝑠𝑖
𝑓𝑝𝑖 = 200𝑘𝑠𝑖
𝑓𝑝 = 0.9𝑓𝑝𝑖

▪ Required Data

𝑇𝑖𝑚𝑒, 𝑡 =?

Prof. Dr. Qaisar Ali CE 416: Reinforced Concrete Design – II 28

Updated: Jan 16, 2023 Department of Civil Engineering, University of Engineering and Technology Peshawar, Pakistan

Example

 Example 7.1
From the relaxation equation, we have

𝑓𝑝 𝑙𝑜𝑔𝑡 𝑓𝑝
=1− − 0.55
𝑓𝑝𝑖 10 𝑓𝑝𝑦

By substituting the relevant values, we get

0.9(200) 𝑙𝑜𝑔𝑡 0.9(200)

=1− − 0.55
200 10 250

𝑙𝑜𝑔𝑡 1 − 0.9
⇒ =
10 0.17

𝑡 = 762698.59 ℎ𝑜𝑢𝑟𝑠 ≈ 87𝑦𝑒𝑎𝑟𝑠

Prof. Dr. Qaisar Ali CE 416: Reinforced Concrete Design – II 29

Updated: Jan 16, 2023 Department of Civil Engineering, University of Engineering and Technology Peshawar, Pakistan

References

 Design of Concrete Structures 14th / 15th edition by Nilson, Darwin and

Dolan.

 Building Code Requirements for Structural Concrete (ACI 318-19)

Figure 9

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