PRESTRESSED

CONCRETE

SUBMITTED BY-
UJJWAL SRIVASTAVA
HARSH AGARWAL
TAMANNA KEWLANI
AKANKSHA KUSHWAHA
  Prestressed concrete is a construction material and structural
engineering technique that enhances the performance of concrete
elements, such as beams, slabs, and columns, by introducing
internal stresses to counteract external loads and improve their
strength and durability.
 It is widely used in the construction of bridges, buildings, parking
WHAT IS garages, and other infrastructure projects.

PRESTREESED
CONCRETE?
  Basic Principle: The fundamental principle of prestressed
concrete is to introduce compressive stresses into the concrete
before it experiences any external loads.
 This is achieved by tensioning high-strength steel wires or strands,
known as prestressing tendons, and anchoring them to the
concrete

How
Prestressed
concrete
works?
  Pre-Tensioning: In this method, prestressing tendons are
tensioned before the concrete is cast. They are usually placed in
specially designed forms, and once they are tensioned, the
concrete is poured around them. After the concrete has cured, the
tendons are released, and they pull the concrete together, creating
compression.
 Post-Tensioning: Here, the concrete is first poured without any
prestressing. After it has hardened to a certain degree, ducts or
sleeves are embedded within the concrete. Prestressing tendons
are then threaded through these ducts, tensioned, and anchored
Methods of at the ends. This process allows for more flexibility in construction.

Prestressing
 • Externally or internally prestressing: Externally prestressing is a
term applied to prestressed structures where stressing is applied externally.
Similarly, internally prestressing is used to describe the method of
prestressing internally. Most of the prestressed concrete structures are
internally prestressed.
• Circular and linear prestressing: Circular prestressing refers to
Methods of prestressing in circular or round structures like tanks, pipes etc. Where the
Prestressing prestressing reinforcement are wound around in circle. Prestressing all
other members like beams slaps, etc. termed as liner prestressing.
• Partial or fully Prestressing: when a member is designed so that under
the working load there is on tensile stress in it then the concrete is said to be
fully prestressed. If some tensile stresses will be produced in the member
under working load then it is termed partially prestressed.
 • A precast, prestressed concrete joist having web openings through which
mechanical and electrical equipment may pass. In an exemplary embodiment, the
joist comprises generally horizontal opposite top and bottom concrete members
with a concrete web interposed between them. This web may have openings
through which mechanical and electrical equipment may pass. Prestress steel
strands may extend lengthwise through both the top and bottom members to
provide prestress in the concrete joist. The concrete joist may further comprise
strand restraining devices for deflecting the prestress steel strands. The precast,
prestressed concrete joist having a web opening may be constructed using a
reusable casting apparatus. This casting apparatus comprises a prestressing bed
Prestressed onto which a frame may be mounted. The frame provides a means of applying
tension to the prestress steel strands and of supporting prestress strand
Joists restraining devices. A mold comprising an outer form and web opening forms
may be attached to the prestressing bed. This mold may be used to cast the joist.
The web opening forms preferably comprise a plurality of blocks which may be
specially shaped to be removably attached together and secured to the
prestressing bed to increase or decrease the span and depth of the desired web
openings. The precast, prestressed concrete joist may be fabricated by first
assembling the frame on a prestressing bed. The mold may next be assembled
inside the frame. Strand restraining devices may be bolted to the frame by
threaded rods. Prestress strands may then be threaded through these strand
restraining devices and anchored to the frame. A prestressing force may then be
applied to the prestress strands. Concrete is then poured into the mold and
allowed to cure. The frame and mold are removed from around the finished joist.
 • Precast prestressed girders are a type of concrete girder that facilitates the
rapid construction of a bridge using girders fabricated off-site and then
transported and erected into place at the job site. Because these girders
require little to no falsework, they are a preferred solution for jobs where
construction speed or minimal traffic disruption is required. Prestressed
girders are particularly economical when longer beam lengths are required;
some types are suitable for spans of up to 200 feet.Prestressing the concrete
reduces the size of the required cross-section and the depth of the beam. The
smaller cross-section size reduces the self-weight of the beam by requiring less
concrete. Prestressing members allows for a lower span-to-depth ratio, which
allows for longer spans. The presence of mild steel and high-stress tensioning
Prestressed tendons, when properly designed, minimizes cracking and increases the
member’s durability.
Girder
  Increased Strength: Prestressed concrete can withstand
higher loads and stresses, making it suitable for long-span
structures.
 Reduced Cracking: The compressive stresses introduced in
prestressed concrete help in reducing cracking, which can be
Advantages: particularly beneficial in harsh environmental conditions.
 Durability: It offers better resistance to deflection, corrosion,
and other forms of deterioration.
 Economical: It often allows for the use of less concrete and
steel, reducing material costs.
  Lower construction cost.
 Thinner slabs, which are especially important in high-
rise buildings where floor thickness savings can
translate into additional floors for the same or lower
cost.
 Fewer joints since the distance that can be spanned by
Advantages: post-tensioned slabs exceeds that of reinforced
construction with the same thickness.
 Longer span lengths increase the usable unencumbered
floorspace in buildings and parking structures.
 Fewer joints lead to lower maintenance costs over the
design life of the structure, since joints are the major
locus of weakness in concrete buildings.
  The major problem with prestressed concrete is that it
needs specialised construction machineries like jacks
anchorage etc.
 Advanced technical knowledge and strict supervision
isvery important.
Disadvantages:  For concrete prestressing, high tensile reinforcement
bars are needed which costs greater than generally used
mild steel reinforcement bars.
 Highly skilled labor is needed for prestressed concrete
constructions.
  Bridges: Prestressed concrete is commonly used in the
construction of bridges, including highway overpasses
and pedestrian bridges.
 Buildings: It can be used for various building
components like beams, columns, and floor slabs.
 Parking Garages: The durability and strength of
Applications: prestressed concrete make it ideal for multilevel parking
structures.
 Nuclear Reactor Containment: It's used in the
construction of nuclear reactor containment vessels due
to its high strength and durability
  Construction of Storage Tanks: Prestressed concrete is
commonly used in the construction of storage tanks.
The advantage of using prestressed concrete tanks is
that they can be designed to resist the internal pressure
of the tank contents. This results in a lighter and thinner
wall, which reduces the overall weight of the tank. In
addition, prestressed concrete tanks can be designed to
resist external forces, such as wind and earthquake
loading, that can cause a tank to fail.
Applications:  Rail Tracks: Prestressed concrete sleepers or
crossbeams or bars are used in rail tracks. Prestressed
concrete has many advantages over other materials for
constructing rail tracks. It is extremely strong and
durable and is less likely to be damaged by weathering
or other environmental factors. Prestressed concrete is
also less likely to be damaged by the weight of trains
passing over it, and can be designed to minimize the
effects of vibration.
  Sewers: Prestressed concrete is an ideal material for
sewers because it is extremely strong and durable. It can
withstand the high pressures and loads that are typically
exerted on sewer systems. Additionally, prestressed
concrete is resistant to corrosion and will not degrade
over time.
 Concrete Piles: Prestressed concrete is often used in
Applications: concrete piles because it can increase the load-bearing
capacity of the piles. Prestressing the concrete allows
for a more efficient transfer of loads from the concrete
to the piles, which results in a higher load-bearing
capacity. Additionally, prestressed concrete can help to
prevent cracking and other types of damage that can
occur in concrete piles. Precast Pre-stressed Centrifugal
concrete piles (PHC Piles) are made using prestressed
high-performance concrete.
  1. Mechanical devices: The mechanical devices generally
used include weights with or without lever transmission,
geared transmission in conjunction with pulley blocks,
screw jacks with or without gear devices and wire-winding
machines. These devices are employed mainly for
prestressing structural concrete components produced on
a mass scale in factory.
 2. Hydraulic devices: These are simplest means for
Tensioning producing large prestressing force, extensively used as
Devices : tensioning devices.
 3. Electrical devices: The wires are electrically heated
and anchored before placing concrete in the mould. This
method is often referred to as thermo-prestressing and
used for tensioning of steel wires and deformed bars.
 4. Chemical devices: Expanding cements are used and
the degree of expansion is controlled by varying the
curing condition. Since the expansive action of cement