ANALYSIS OF SECTIONS FOR FELXURE

Differentiation can be made between the analysis and design of prestressed sections for flexure.
By analysis is meant the determination of stresses in the steel and concrete when the form and
size of a section are already given or assumed.
A rather controversial point in the analysis of prestressed-concrete beams has been the choice of
a proper system of sign conventions. Many authors have used positive sign (+) for compressive
stresses and negative sign (−) for tensile stresses, basing their convention on the idea that
prestressed concrete beams are normally under compression and hence the plus sign should be
employed to denote that state of stress. The author prefers to maintain the common sign
convention as used for the design of other structures; that is, minus for compressive and plus for
tensile stresses whether it will be the stresses in steel or concrete, prestressed or reinforced.
When the sense of the stress is self-evident, signs will be omitted.

Basic Assumptions:
The analysis of stresses developed in a prestressed concrete structural element is based on the
following assumptions:
(i) concrete is a homogeneous elastic material
(ii) within the range of working stresses, both concrete and steel behave elastically, although the
small amount of creep which occurs in both the materials under sustained loading, and
(iii) a plane section before bending is assumed to remain plane even after bending, which implies
a linear strain distribution across the depth of the member.

Stresses in Concrete Due to Prestress:

Some of the basic principles of stress computation for prestressed concrete have already been
mentioned in the previous chapter. They will be discussed in greater detail here. First of all, let
us consider the effect of prestress. According to present practice, stresses in concrete due to
prestress are always computed by the elastic theory. Consider the prestress F existing at the time
under discussion, whether it be the initial or the final value. If F is applied at the centroid of the
concrete section, and if the section under consideration is sufficiently far from the point of
application of the prestress, then, by St. Venant’s principle, the unit stress in concrete is uniform

1
across that section and is given by the usual formula, f = F/A, where A is the area of that
concrete section.
F
The stress induced in the steel is- ∆fs = nfc = n A

Example 1: A 20 m long pre-tensioned member has section of 200 mm by 300 mm. It is

concentrically prestressed with 550 mm2 of high-tensile steel at a unit stress of 1000 MPa.
Compute the fiber stresses in concrete and steel at mid-span section assuming n = 6.

Solution:
Given that, Aps = 550 mm2 , fps = 1000 MPa
F = Aps × fps = 550 × 1000 = 5,50,000 N, A = 200 × 300 = 60,000 mm2
3003
I = 200 × = 450 × 106 mm4 .
12
F −550,000
∴ fc = − A = = −9.16 MPa [Ans.]
60,000

And, nfc = 6 × 9.16 = 55 MPa

Stress in steel after transfer =1,000−55 = 945 MPa) [Ans.]

Example 2: A pre-tensioned member has a section of 8 in. by 12 in. (203 mm by 305 mm.) It is
concentrically prestressed with 0.8 sq in. (516 mm2) of high-tensile steel wire, which is anchored
to the bulkheads of a unit stress of 150,000 psi (1034 MPa). Assuming n = 6, compute the
stresses in the concrete and steel immediately after transfer.

Solution:
Given that, Aps = 0.8 in2 , fps = 1,50,000 psi
F = Aps × fps = 0.80 × 1,50,000 = 1,20,000 lb
F 1,20,000
Using the elastic theory, we have, fc = A = = 1250 psi (8.6 N/mm2 )
12×8

 nfc = 6 × 1250 = 7500 psi (51.7 MPa)

Stress in steel after transfer =150,000−7500=142,500 psi (982.8 MPa) [Ans.]

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Stresses in Concrete Due to Eccentric Tendons:
Next, suppose that the prestress F is applied to the concrete section with an eccentricity e, as
shown in Fig. 1; then it is possible to resolve the prestress into two components: a concentric
load F through the centroid, and a moment Fe. By the usual elastic theory, the fiber stress at any
My Fey
point due to moment Fe is given by the formula- f = =
I I

Fig. 1: Eccentric prestress on a section

F Fey
Then the resultant fiber stress due to the eccentric prestress is given by, f = − A ± I

Example 3: A 20 m long pre-tensioned member has section of 200 mm by 300 mm. It is

eccentrically prestressed with 550 mm2 of high-tensile steel at a unit stress of 1000 MPa. The
c.g.s. is 65 mm above the bottom fiber as shown in Fig. 2. Compute the fiber stresses in concrete
and steel at mid-span section assuming n = 6.

Fig. 2

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Solution:
Given that, Aps = 550 mm2 , fps = 1000 MPa
F = Aps × fps = 550 × 1000 = 5,50,000 N, A = 200 × 300 = 60,000 mm2
3003
I = 200 × = 450 × 106 mm4 , e = 150 − 65 = 85 mm
12

F Fey −550,000 550,000 × 85 × 150

∴ fc = − ± = ± = −9.16 ± 15.58
A I 60,000 450 × 106
 for top fiber, fc = −9.16 + 15.58 = 6.42 MPa (Ans.)
And for bottom fiber, fc = −9.16 − 15.58 = −24.74 MPa (Ans.)
 nfc = 6 × 24.74 = 148.44 MPa
Stress in steel after transfer =1,000−148.44 = 851.56 MPa) [Ans.]

Example 4: A pre-tensioned member has section of 8 in. by 12 in. (203 mm by 305mm) deep
shown in Fig. 3. It is eccentrically prestressed with 0.8 sq in. (516 mm2 ) of high-tensile steel
wire which is anchored to the bulkheads at a unit stress of 150,000 psi (1034 N/mm2 ). The
c.g.s. is 4 in. (101.6 mm) above the bottom fiber. Assuming that n = 6, compute the stresses in
the concrete and steel immediately after transfer due to the prestress only.

Fig. 3

Solution:
Given that, Aps = 0.8 in2 , fps = 1,50,000 psi
F = Aps × fps = 0.80 × 1,50,000 = 1,20,000 lb
8 × 123
I= = 1152 in4 . (479.5 × 106 mm4 )
12
F Fey −120,000 120,000×2×6
Top fiber stress = − A + = + = −1250 + 1250 = 0
I 96 1152

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 F Fey −120,000 120,000×2×6
Bottom fiber stress = − A − = − = −1250 − 1250 = −2500 psi.
I 96 1152

 nfc = 6 × 2500 = 15,000 psi

Stress in steel after transfer =150,000−15,000=135,000 psi [Ans.]

Stresses in Concrete Due to Loads:

Stresses in concrete produced by external bending moment, whether due to the beam’s own
weight or to any externally applied loads, are computed by the usual elastic theory-
My
f=
I
Often, only the resulting stresses in concrete due to both prestress and loads are desired, instead
F Fey My
of their separate values. They are given by the following formula- f = − A ± ±
I I

Example 5: A 20 m long pre-tensioned member has section of 200 mm by 300 mm. It is

eccentrically prestressed with 550 mm2 of high-tensile steel at a unit stress of 1000 MPa. The
c.g.s. is 65 mm above the bottom fiber as shown in Fig. 4. The beam is loaded by a uniformly
distributed load of 5 kN/m including its self-weight. Compute the fiber stresses in concrete at
mid-span section assuming n = 6.

Fig. 4

Solution:
Given that, Aps = 550 mm2 , fps = 1000 MPa
F = Aps × fps = 550 × 1000 = 5,50,000 N, A = 200 × 300 = 60,000 mm2

5
 3003
I = 200 × = 450 × 106 mm4 , e = 150 − 65 = 85 mm
12
wL2 5×202
Now moment at mid-span, M = = = 250 kN − m = 250 × 106 N − mm
8 8

F Fey My −550,000 550,000 × 85 × 150 250 × 106 × 150

∴ fc = − ± ± = ± ±
A I I 60,000 450 × 106 450 × 106
= −9.16 ± 15.58 ± 83.3
 for top fiber, fc = −9.16 + 15.58 − 83.3 = −76.88 MPa (Ans.)
And for bottom fiber, fc = −9.16 − 15.58 + 83.3 = 58.66 MPa (Ans.)
 nfc = 6 × 58.66 = 352 MPa
Stress in steel after transfer =1,000−352 = 648 MPa) [Ans.]

Example 6: A 40 ft. long post-tensioned bonded concrete beam as shown in Fig. 4, has a
prestress of 300 kips (1334 KN). It is eccentrically prestressed with 2.5 sq in. (1613 mm2 ) of
high-tensile steel Compute the stresses in steel and concrete at midspan due to self-weight of the
beam assuming n = 6.

Fig. 4

Solution:
12 24
We get, self-weight, w = 12 × 12 × 150 = 300 plf (4.377 KN/m); F = 300 kips (1334 KN),

I = 12 × 243 /12 = 13,800 in.4 (5744 × 106 mm4 ), e = 12−7 = 5 in.,

wL2 300×402
A = 12 × 24 = 288 in.2 ; M = = = 60,000 ft − 1b (81,360 N − M)
8 8
F 300 × 1000 N
fps = = = 1,20,000 psi (827.4 ).
Aps 2.5 mm2
F Fey My −350,000 350,000×5×12 60,000×12×12
Now, f = A ± I
± I
= 288
± 13,800
± 13,800

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 N
 for top fiber, fc = −1215 + 1520 − 625 = −320 psi (−2.21 mm2)

And for bottom fiber, fc = −1215 − 1520 + 625 = −2110 psi (−14.55 N/mm2 ).
 nfc = 6 × 2110 = 12,660 psi (87.3 N/mm2 ).
Stress in steel after transfer =120,000−12,660=107,340 psi (740 N/mm2 ) [Ans.]

Assignment 1:
A prestressed concrete beam has a simple span of 7.5m, a section of 600 mm  900mm, and is
loaded by uniformly distributed load of 50 kN/m including self-weight. The tendon is located at
lower third point and produces an effective prestressed of 1650 kN. Compute the maximum fiber
stress of the concrete.

Assignment 2:
A prestressed concrete rectangular beam of 500 mm  750 mm has a simple span of 8 m as
shown in Fig. 5. The beam is loaded by a uniformly distributed load of 45 kN/m including self-
weight. If the effective prestressing force is 1620 kN, compute the fiber stresses in the concrete
at mid-section. Assume reasonable value for the missing data, if any.

Fig. 5

Assignment 3:
A simply supported PC beam is subjected to a UDL of 55 kN/m (including self-weight) over a
span of 10 m. The section of beam is 0.5m  1.0m; tendon is located at 125 mm from bottom
fiber. The tendon produced an effective prestressing force of 1600 kN. Compute maximum fiber
stresses at mid-span.