PRESTRESSED CONCRETE

STRUCTURES N.Saravanan
Roll No:
PRESTENSIONING & POST-
15012D2008.
TENSIONING
 PRESTRESSED CONCRETE
Prestressed concrete, invented by Fressinet in 1928 is a method for overcoming
concrete's natural weakness in tension . It can be used to produce beams , floors or
bridges with a longer span than is practical with ordinary reinforced concrete.

 PRINCIPLE – Using high tensile strength steel alloys producing permanent pre-
compression in areas subjected to Tension.
 A portion of tensile stress is counteracted thereby reducing the cross-sectional area of the
steel reinforcement .
 METHODS :-

a) Pretensioning
b) Post-tensioning
 PRETENSIONING :- Placing of concrete around reinforcing tendons that have been
stressed to the desired degree.
 POST-TENSIONING :- Reinforcing tendons are stretched by jacks whilst keeping them
inserted in voids left pre-hand during curing of concrete.
 These spaces are then pumped full of grout to bond steel tightly to the concrete.
 Pre-tensioned Concrete
 Pre-tensioned concrete is cast around already tensioned
tendons.

 This method produces a good bond between the tendon

and concrete, which both protects the tendon from
corrosion and allows for direct transfer of tension.

 The cured concrete adheres and bonds to the bars and

when the tension is released it is transferred to the
concrete as compression by static friction.

 However, it requires stout anchoring points between which

the tendon is to be stretched and the tendons are usually in
a straight line.

 Thus, most pretensioned concrete elements are

prefabricated in a factory and must be transported to the
construction site, which limits their size.

 Pre-tensioned elements may be balcony elements, lintels ,

floor slabs, beams or foundation piles. STEEL BARS BEING
STRETCHED BY JACKS
 POST - TENSIONING
 WHAT IS POST-TENSIONING?
 Post-tensioning- is a method of reinforcing
(strengthening) concrete or other materials with
high-strength steel strands called tendons.
 Post-tensioning allows construction that would
otherwise be impossible due to either site
constraints or architectural requirements.
 Requires specialized knowledge and expertise to
fabricate, assemble and install.
 After adequate curing of concrete, reinforcing
tendons (placed in side the voids of the structure)
are tensioned/stretched by jacks on the sides &
grouts filled with appropriate mix.
 Applications – a) Structural members beams,
bridge-deck panels, Roof –Slabs, Concrete Silos
Etc.
 BENEFITS
 Concrete is very strong in compression
but weak in tension.
 This deflection will cause the bottom of
the beam to elongate slightly & cause
cracking.
 Steel reinforcing bars (“rebar”) are
typically embedded in the concrete as
tensile reinforcement to limit the crack
widths.
 Rebar is what is called “passive”
reinforcement however; it does not carry
any force until the concrete has already
deflected enough to crack.
 Post-tensioning tendons, on the other
hand, are considered “active” reinforcing.
 Because it is prestressed, the steel is
effective as reinforcement even though
the concrete may not be cracked .
 Post-tensioned structures can be
Post –Tensioned Structure
designed to have minimal deflection and
cracking, even under full load.
 ADVANTAGES/APPLICATIONS
 Post-tensioning allows longer clear spans, thinner slabs,
fewer beams and more slender, dramatic elements.
 Thinner slabs mean less concrete is required. It means a
lower overall building height for the same floor-to-floor
height.
 Post-tensioning can thus allow a significant reduction in
building weight versus a conventional concrete building
with the same number of floors reducing the foundation
load and can be a major advantage in seismic areas.
 A lower building height can also translate to
considerable savings in mechanical systems and façade
costs.
 Another advantage of post-tensioning is that beams and
slabs can be continuous, i.e. a single beam can run
continuously from one end of the building to the other.
 Reduces occurrence of cracks .
 Freezing & thawing durability is higher than non
prestressed concrete.

This innovative form is result

of post tensioning.
 Post-tensioning is the system of choice for parking structures since it allows a high degree of
flexibility in the column layout, span lengths and ramp configurations.

 In areas where there are expansive clays or soils with low bearing capacity, post-tensioned
slabs-on-ground and mat foundations reduce problems with cracking and differential
settlement.

 Post-tensioning allows bridges to be built to very demanding geometry requirements,

including complex curves, and significant grade changes.

 Post-tensioning also allows extremely long span bridges to be constructed without the use of
temporary intermediate supports. This minimizes the impact on the environment and avoids
disruption to water or road traffic below.
 In stadiums, post-tensioning allows long clear spans and very creative architecture.
 Post-tensioning can also be used to produce virtually crack-free concrete for water-tanks.
 The high tensile strength & precision of placement gives maximum efficiency in size &
weight of structural members.
 Applications of various prestressed techniques enable quick assembly of standard units such
as bridge members, building frames, bridge decks providing cost-time savings.
 CONSTRUCTION
 In slab-on-ground construction, tendons are typically
prefabricated at a plant and delivered to the construction
site, ready to install.
 The tendons are laid out in the forms in accordance with
installation drawings that .
 After the concrete is placed and has reached its required
strength, the tendons are stressed and anchored.
 The tendons, like rubber bands, want to return to their
original length but are prevented from doing so by the
anchorages.
 The fact the tendons are kept in a permanently stressed
(elongated) state causes a compressive force to act on the
concrete.
 The compression that results from the post-tensioning
counteracts the tensile forces created by subsequent applied Limitations of Prestressing
loading (cars, people, the weight of the beam itself when The limitations of prestressed concrete are few
the shoring is removed). and really depend only upon the imagination of
 This significantly increases the load-carrying capacity of the designer and the terms of his brief. The only
real limitation where prestressing is a possible
the concrete. solution may be the cost of providing moulds
 Since post-tensioned concrete is cast in place at the job site, for runs of limited quantity of small numbers of
there is almost no limit to the shapes that can be formed. non-standard units.
Method of post-tensioningWedges tensioned by
Tendons
jacks

TENDONS
 Losses of Prestress Concrete Beam.
 The reduction is prestress is called loss of prestress.
The losses are due to:
1. Loss due to Elastic Shortening.
The losses of prestress is about 5 to 10% for pre-tensioned and about 3% for post-tensioned
beams.
2. Loss due to anchorage slip.
Occurs at jacking and anchorage ends. In general the loss is 1 to 10mm.
3. Loss due Friction.
The actual force in tendon is reduced by friction (Specified by the manufacturer of jacks). In
additional a further loss occurs due to friction between tendon and surrounding materials.
4. Loss due to creep.
The sustained compressive stress on the concrete causes long-term shortening due to creep.
5. Loss due to relaxation.
6. Loss due to shrinkage.
Experience on Post-tensioning.
General arrangement of a Major Bridge.
Details of PS Beams.
Stressing Details.
A pre-cast post tensioned beam is usually a I Section having a bottom flange to accommodate cables
and a top flange to take care of tension / compression at top fiber.

Usually when the cables are laid, they are having maximum eccentricity at centre and goes on reducing
towards support with almost zero eccentricity at end block.

The cable when stressed, they induce a hogging moment so the beam is hogged upward.
Notes on Pre-stressing for Post -Tensioned Beams:

 Each pre-stressing tendon is comprise of 7 nos. 12.7mm dia 7-ply Class-2 uncoated stress-relieved low
relaxation strands conforming to IS: 14268, with a minimum ultimate tensile strength (U.T.S) of 184 KN.
Necessary test certificate for conformity to the above requirements were obtained from the manufacturers.
 Sheathing is comprise of flexible 'ribbed conduit' type with minimum 51mm I.D.(54mm O.D. ) for which
friction coefficient = 0.25 and wobble coefficient k = 0.0045/m have been assumed in the design. The
sheathing was made from short lengths of not less than 4 metres.
 All strands of a tendon are stressed simultaneously. The slip at anchorage at each end of tendon for the above
system has been taken as 6mm.
 Each tendon is stressed from both ends simultaneously.
 The sequence specified in the relevant drawings are followed for stressing of tendons.
 Tendon extensions specified are for the length between mid-span and face of anchorage and are based on a
Modulus of Elasticity of 1.95X10^8 kN/sq.m and sheathing properties given above.
These extensions are suitably modified to account for the variation in properties as well as the additional
length between face of anchorage and gripping point of the jack.
 Jacking forces and extensions specified are generally achieved simultaneously. In case of shortfall, the
stressing is continued to achieve the required jacking force/extension, without exceeding the specified values
by more than 5%. Tendons satisfying the above are locked. Tendons failing to satisfy are pulled out,
reinserted after cleaning blockages, if any, and stressed again.
Casting of Girders.
Stressing of Tendons..
Stressing Record.
EQUIPMENTS :-
 T6Z-08 Air Powered Grout Pump
 Pumps cement grout only, no sand. 32 Gallon Mixing Tank.
Mixes up to 2 sacks of material at once and allows for grout to
be pumped during mixing or mixed without pumping.

Approximate size 50" long

30.5" high
52" wide

Weight 560 lbs.

Production Rate 8 gallons per minute

at 150 psi
EQUIPMENTS :-
 Colloidal Grout Plant
 The heavy duty, high volume Colloidal Grout Plant is favoured for
precision post-tension grouting. The unit features a high speed shear
mixer that thoroughly wets each particle and discharges the mixed
material into a 13 cubic foot capacity agitating holding tank. A direct
coupled progressing cavity pump delivers slurries at a rate of up to 20
rpm and pressures of up to 261 psi. The unit easily mixes and pumps
slurries of Portland cement, fly ash, bentonite, and lime flour. All
controls are conveniently located on the operator platform for easy
one-man control.

Pump 31.6 progressing

Pump Type
cavity
variable up to 20
Output/Pressure
gpm, 261 psi
Colloidal Mixer 13.0 CF with
Mix Tank
bottom clean out
2 x 3 x 6 diffuser-
Mixing Pump
type centrifugal
13.0 paddle
Holding Tank
agitating
Drive Power Air 300 CFM, 100 psi
Physical 96" L x 60" W x 63"
Dimensions
Specifications H
Weight 1800-2800 lbs.
Grouting….
Problem Encountered during the execution of works…
 One Out of 20 No's of Girders has been deflected laterally. The deflection measured was
140mm and the it becomes a girder curved in plan. No crakes were observed.
 The design calculations indicate that the net upward deflection is 1.758 Cm due to pre-stressing
force and dead load of the girder which will further reduce to almost zero when deck slab and
SIDL load will act on the girder.
 The following reasons were analyzed to fix the reason for the lateral sway.
Due to sudden stressing of a particular cable to a load of P, a torsional moment Px ex will be
induced. For example if cable 4, at a lateral eccentricity of ex is pulled at one stretch to the
design force which may cause a horizontal sway. Hence it was necessary to know,
 Cable arrangements
 Sequence of pre-stressing
 Check calibration of Jack to ascertain that over stressing has not been done
 Stress verses elongation Table as per actual at both ends. It is imperative that stressing is done
at both ends and elongation achieved tally with design table of elongation with +or- 5 percent
variation.
 But, the Contractor wanted to utilize the girder as the above mentioned things have been
verified and stressing has been done as per design. As supervision consultants we resisted to use
the Girder and asked the contractor to substantiate with the design calculations.
 Finally, the Girder was rejected and instructed the contractor to replace with new one as
contractor was not come up with any such proposal to utilize the same girder.

Reasons for the rejection of the Girder.

1. The allowable deflection of girder is L/250, which in our case should be 1.10Cm
(Clause 23.2 of IS 456-2000). But in no case Lateral deflection of girder is permitted
in the code.
2. Lateral sway is not permitted for bridge girder either in IRC 18 or IRC 21.
3. But a deflection of 140/70 mm is unacceptable within the ambits of the codes since bridge
codes do not permit lateral deflections as the girder becomes a girder curved in plan.
4. Girder curved in plan will induce torsional moment for which girders are not designed.
Erection of Girders…
Minor Bridge.
Details of PS Planks, Tendons and Release order..
Details of Deck Slab…
Kathipara Flyover – Chennai.
Is the largest Cloverleaf flyover in whole Asia.
Kathipara Flyover – Chennai.
Type of Construction:
Voided slab superstructure in PSC and RCC adopted. Span of continuous voided slab
is 120 Mts ( Span arrangement of 3* 40 Mts ).
The strands were procured from China got rusted as the bundles of strands were not
stored properly and the location of construction is near to seashore. We sought for an
experts opinion from a IIT, Madras. They opined not use the strands and suggested to
replace with new procurement.
But, contractor submitted a proposal to wash the strands with lime to remove the rust
before inserting in to the sheathing ducts. After a trial the contractors proposal was
accepted.
 References
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prestressed_concrete
http://www.concretenetwork.com/post-tension/what-is.html
http://nptel.iitm.ac.in/courses/IIT-
MADRAS/PreStressed_Concrete_Structures/pdf/1_Introduction/1.2_Advant
ages_Types%20of%20Prestressing.pdf
http://www.scribd.com/doc/22420304/1-3-Pre-Tensioning-Systems
http://nptel.iitm.ac.in/courses/IIT-
MADRAS/PreStressed_Concrete_Structures/pdf/1_Introduction/1.1_Introd
uction.pdf
Prestressed Concrete - By N.Krishna Raju
The end

Thank you…