Apcs Sar

1.
Introduction to Prestressed concrete
INTRODUCTION
 The prestressing of concrete is a recent development, although the idea of prestressing is not a new
one. Even in ancient days, this was practised, for example, in the case of a cart-wheel, upon which
the iron tyre is shrunk-on, producing a radial precompression in it.
 Several engineers and scientists in different countries have worked since the later part of the last
century to develop suitable methods for pre-compressing the concrete. The first practical
applications were, however, made in 1928 by an eminent French engineer, M. Eugene Freyssinet,
who is regarded as the "Father of prestressing".
 In the initial stages of the development of the prestressed concrete, the materials such as mild steel
and concrete, as used in ordinary reinforced concrete work, were used to achieve the required degree
of prestressing. But soon it was realised that these materials with the then available properties, were
not suitable for prestressed concrete work. It was also found that the failures occurred due to loss of
prestress on account of "creep" and "shrinkage" of concrete and the "plastic flow" of the steel itself
under load.
 M. Freyssinet found from his research work that high tensile steel was necessary instead of mild
steel, so that after the losses of prestresses, which occurred there still remains sufficient stresses to
produce the desired permanent precompression in the concrete. He also developed a concrete of high
strength which is another basic requirement for attaining prestressed concrete.
 Today, along with these materials and several systems of achieving precompression in the concrete,
the prestressed concrete is one of the major structural materials available and has proved more
economic than the ordinary reinforced concrete.
6.2 NEED OF PRESTRESSING

 Tests on concrete have shown that it is weak in resisting tensile forces and that its tensile strength is
about one-tenth of its compressive strength. Even this available tensile strength cannot be used for
resisting any loads, as it is used up partly or wholly in resisting internal tensile stresses. These
stresses are caused by heat evolved by the cement in setting or by atmospheric influences, difference
in rate of drying and therefore shrinkage, etc.
 The plain concrete structures may develop cracks in course of time, even if external loads are not
applied. Therefore, mild steel bars are provided so that these can take up the tensile stresses and also
keep the width of the cracks in the concrete within harmless limits. The reinforced concrete
structures are, therefore, designed on the theory, which assumes that the tensile zone of the concrete
is cracked and the tensile forces are resisted by the reinforcing bars only. (Refer Fig. 1.1).
Fig. 6.1 : A simply supported R.C.C. beam, in which tensile zone is assumed to be cracked
 By suitably distributing the mild steel bars, the width of these cracks can be kept small and also a
good bond of concrete is achieved. It can be assumed that a crack width of 0.2 mm in case of
structures in the open air and 0.3 mm in case of structures which are not exposed to the causes of
serious corrosion, can be regarded as harmless. These cracks can be a cause of serious damage to the
structures, especially in cases where cover to the bars is insufficient.
 It was, therefore, already realised in the early days of reinforced concrete construction that these
cracks were objectionable and that these should be prevented. This then given rise to an idea of
placing the concrete under precompression, so that the cracks could be prevented from occurring.
The prestressed concrete in its present form is the fulfillment to that idea.
Analysis of Prestressed Concrete members

Losses in Prestressed Concrete
Flexural Strength of Prestressed Concrete Sections
2. Beam, Slab and Portal Frame:
Design of Prestressed portal frames
Design of Flat slabs.
3. Shells and Folded Plate Structures:
Shells: method of pre-stressing,

Folded Plate:
4. Pre-stress concrete Pipes, tanks, poles, piles, sleepers and pavements
Water Tanks
Poles
Piles
5. Pre-stress concrete bridges:
Deck Slab
6. Composite construction of Prestressed and in situ concrete
Analysis of stresses
EX: 2
Deferential Shrinkage

Apcs Sar

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Apcs Sar

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Apcs Sar

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

1.

Introduction to Prestressed concrete

6.2 NEED OF PRESTRESSING

Analysis of Prestressed Concrete members

Shells: method of pre-stressing,

You might also like