1

1

University of Technology, Sydney
Faculty of Engineering & IT
Prestressed Concrete Design
Spring 2009
Lecturer: Dr. Shami Nejadi, shami.nejadi@uts.edu.au
The main notes are taken from Concrete Structures by RF Warner, BV Rangan, AS Hall, KA Faulkes; and
Design of Prestressed Concrete by R.I. Gilbert and N.C. Mickleborough. Some slides and figures were
developed by Ken Faulkes and Zora Vrcelj. 2
-Stress Distribution
-Loss of Prestress
- Determination of Prestress and Eccentricity
- Stress Limits
- Cable Profiles
- Deflection Calculations:
- Uncracked Beams
- short term deflections
- long term deflections
LECTURE 2- OUTLINE
3
Stresses Distribution and
Special Cases
To find concrete stresses at section B
A B
Consider segment AB, draw free body diagram
4
Statics of FBD
Concrete stress resultants: C = P, V
c
= P
v
=P.
Note: Small angle approximations: P
h
P
P
P
h
P
v
V
c
C
2
5
Statics of FBD
P
P
h
P
v
C
V
M
p
e
Concrete stress resultants: C = P, V= P. & M
p
= P.e
6
Stresses due to prestress only
+ =
Stresses due to
axial compressive
force P
= P/A
Stresses due to
couple M
p
= P.e
= P.e.y/I
Total stresses due to
eccentric prestress
= P/A + P.e.y/I
C
C
T
C
7
Stresses due to prestress plus applied
loads (including self-weight)
Total tresses
due to prestress
Stresses due to
applied bending
moment
Combined
stresses
+ =
C
T
C
C
8
Stress distributions with increasing bending
moment, prior to cracking
3
9
Special cases
Zero curvature moment
(Figure 6.4-d)
Decompression moment
(Figure 6.4-f)
Cracking moment
(Figure 6.4-g)
10
Zero curvature moment
+
=
Prestress Zero curvature Zero curvature
moment moment
Stress at all
levels = P/A
C
T
C
C
P
A
T
11
Decompression moment
Prestress Decompression Decompression
moment moment
Zero bottom
fibre stress
+
=
C
C
C
T
T
12
Cracking moment
Prestress Cracking Cracking
moment moment
Bottom fibre
tensile stress =f
ct
+ =
C
C
C
T
T
T
4
13
Example 1 (W.R.H.F. Book, Page 120)
14
resultant
/
compressive
---------
15 16
5
17
Example 2 (W.R.H.F. Book, Page 126)
18
19
----
unbalanced
20
---
unbalanced
6
21
Loss of prestress
The losses of prestress that occur in a prestressed
member are illustrated in the following Figure:
Immediate
Losses
Time-dependent
Losses
Pj Pi Pe
Jacking
Force
Prestressing Force
Immediately After Transfer
Final or Effective
Prestressing Force
22
When the prestress is transferred to the concrete ,
immediate losses of prestress occur. The difference
between the prestressing force imposed at the jack, P
j
,
and the force in the steel immediately after transfer at a
particular section P
i
, is the immediate Loss:
Immediate Loss = P
j
- P
i
Immediate losses can occur by elastic contraction of the
concrete, by friction along the cables and by slip and
deformation in the end anchors.
Loss of prestress
immediate losses
23
Loss of prestress
time dependent losses
The gradual loss of prestress that takes place with time is
called the time-dependent or deferred loss
This loss of prestress is mainly caused
by inelastic creep and shrinkage strains which develop
with time in the concrete at the level of the bounded steel.
Time-dependent Loss = P
i
- P
e
24
Loss of prestress
time dependent losses
The initial stress level in prestressing steel after transfer is
usually high, often in the range 60-75% of the tensile
strength of the material. At such stress levels, high-
strength steel creeps.
In addition to creep and shrinkage losses, a gradual loss
of prestress occurs owing to stress relaxation in the
tendons.
The combined effect of the three time-dependent
(deferred) losses usually reduces the initial prestressing
force by between 15-25 %.
7
25
DESIGN PRELIMINARIES
Decision to use PSC often based on
cost cost estimates of preliminary designs
Costs should include initial initial costs and
maintenance maintenance costs, etc.
PSC often used for longer spans longer spans
and/or where deflections and deflections and
cracking cracking need to be controlled controlled.
26
Fully Prestressed & Partially Prestressed
FULLY PRESTRESSED FULLY PRESTRESSED
Fully Prestressed design used if no cracking
is allowed at full working load (e.g. liquid
retaining vessels), or if high fatigue resistance
required. The design is controlled by allowable
tensile stresses at stressing (transfer) and at
full working load
Normally the prestressing steel is sufficient to
satisfy bending strength
Conventional reinforcement is not required
27
PARTIALLY PRESTRESSED PARTIALLY PRESTRESSED
Partially prestressed Partially prestressed commonly used today in
most prestressed beams
cracking allowed at full working load
non stressed reinforcement together with the
prestressing steel used to satisfy bending
strength requirements of AS3600
the amount of prestressing steel used is
decided on the basis of controlling deflections
or to limit crack widths and achieve good
service load behaviour
Fully Prestressed & Partially Prestressed
28
A number of possible starting points exist for the
determination of the prestressing force P and eccentricity e
required at a particular cross-section
Determination of prestress and
eccentricity in flexural members
The quantities P and e are often determined to satisfy
preselected stress limits
Separate checks are required for Other serviceability limits
include:
- Deflection
- Camber
- Axial Shortening
8
29
Alternatively, prestressing force and cable profile may be
selected using a load-balancing approach to minimize
deflection under some portion of the applied design load.
With such an approach, cracking may occur when the
applied load is substantially different from the selected
balance load. This needs to be checked and accounted
for serviceability calculations.
Numerous design approaches have been proposed for
the satisfaction of concrete stress limits, including
analytical and graphical techniques (e.g. Magnel 1954,
Lin 1963, Warner & Faulkes 1979).
A simple and convenient approach is described here:
30
If a member is to remain uncracked throughout, suitable
stress limits should be selected for the tensile strength
at transfer (F
ti
) and the tensile stress under full load (F
t
)
Satisfaction of Stress Limits
In addition, limits should also be placed on the concrete
compressive stress at transfer (F
ci
) and under full loads
(F
c
)
If cracking under the full loads is permitted, the stress
limit F
t
is relaxed and the remaining three limits are
enforced.
31
Satisfaction of Stress
Limits
F
ti
tensile stress at transfer
F
t
tensile stress under full load
F
ci
compressive stress at transfer
F
c
compressive stress under full load
T
E
N
S
I
O
N
C
O
M
P
R
E
S
S
I
O
N
32
Transfer Condition
C A
y
e
y
t
y
b
+
-
SECTION
Resultant Due to P
i
(prestress force)

+
I
ey P
A
P
i i
Due to M
o
(w
o
,
self weight)
I
y M
o
8
2
L w
M
o
o
=
+
-

t

b
= +
M
o
+
-
STRESSES
M
o
= moment due
to the loads acting
at transfer (s.w.)
9
33
Concrete stress at transfer
ti
t o t i i
t
F
I
y M
I
ey P
A
P
+ + =
Axial
stress
Bending
(due to P
i
)
Bending
(due to M
o
)
tensile
stress limit
at transfer
8
2
L w
M
o
o
=
due to P
i
due to w
o
t
o
t
i
ti
Z
M
Z
Ae
A
P
F +

+ 1
TENSILE STRESS LIMIT AT TRANSFER
(1)
t
t
y
I
Z =
34
Concrete stress at transfer
ci
b o b i i
b
F
I
y M
I
ey P
A
P
+ + =
Axial
stress
Bending
(due to P
i
)
Bending
(due to M
o
)
compressive
stress limit at
transfer
b
o
b
i
ci
Z
M
Z
Ae
A
P
F

+ + 1
b
b
y
I
Z =
COMPRESSIVE STRESS LIMIT AT TRANSFER
(2)
due to P
i
due to w
o 8
2
L w
M
o
o
=
35
Full Loading Condition
C A
y
e
y
t
y
b
STRESSES
M
T
= moment due
to total service load
+
-
+
-
+
SECTION
Resultant Due to RP
i
(prestress force)

+
I
ey RP
A
RP
i i
Due to M
T
(w
T
,
applied load)
8
,
2
l w
M
I
y M
T
T
T
= 85 . 0 75 . 0 R
-
+
=

b
N A
36
t
b T b i i
b
F
I
y M
I
ey RP
A
RP
+ + =
Axial
stress
Bending
(due to P
i
)
Bending
(due to M
T
)
b
T
b
i
t
Z
M
Z
Ae
A
RP
F

+ + 1
TENSILE STRESS LIMITAT FULL LOAD
(3)
b
b
y
I
Z =
Concrete Stress at Full
Loading Condition
due to P
i
due to w
T
tensile stress
limit at full
loading
10
37
c
t T t i i
t
F
I
y M
I
ey RP
A
RP
+ + =
Axial
stress
Bending
(due to P
i
)
Bending
(due to M
T
)
t
T
t
i
c
Z
M
Z
Ae
A
RP
F +

+ 1
t
t
y
I
Z =
COMPRESSIVE STRESS LIMIT AT FULL LOAD
(4)
due to P
i
due to w
T
Concrete Stress at Full
Loading Condition
compressive
stress limit at
full loading
38
Satisfaction of Stress
Limits
Equations (1) to (4) can be rearranged to
express 1/P
i
as a linear function of e.
Equation (1) gives:

t
i
t
o
ti
Z
Ae
P
Z
M
F A 1
or
( )
t o ti
t
i
Z M F A
Z Ae
P /
/ 1 1

t
t
y
I
Z =
b
b
y
I
Z =
39
Satisfaction of Stress
Limits
If
t
t
Z
A
=
b
b
Z
A
=
( )
t t c
t
i
M AF
e R
P

1 1
(4)
( )
t b t
b
i
M AF
e R
P

+
+

1 1
(3)
o b ci
b
i
M AF
e
P

+
+

1 1
(2)
o t ti
t
i
M AF
e
P

1 1
(1)
F
ti
, F
ci
- TRANSFER F
t
, F
c
FULL LOADING
40
Magnels design diagram
-1/
b
1/
t
Eccentricity, e
1/P
i
Equation 1
Equation 3
Equation 2
Equation 4
acceptable region
c
F
ci
F
ti
F
t
F
minimum i
P
max
e
In order to minimize prestressing costs, the smallest
possible value of P
i
would generally be selected.
11
41
Magnels design diagram
Gilbert & Mickleborough
42
Stress Limits
TRANSFER
FULL
SERVICE
LOADS
These limits are not explicitly suggested in AS3600
but are generally used for most prestressed designs.
ci
ci
f F
'
6 . 0 =
compression
c
c
f F
'
45 . 0 =
compression
ci
ti
f F
'
25 . 0 = tension
c
t
f F
'
5 . 0 = tension
43
For a member which has been designed to be uncracked
throughout, the tendons must be located so that the stress limits
are observed on every section
If M
o
and M
T
are the moments caused by the external loads at
transfer and under full service loads, respectively, and P
i
and P
e
are the corresponding prestressing forces at the same section,
the extreme fibre stresses must satisfy Equations (1) to (4)
Cable Profiles
When the prestressing force and eccentricity are
determined for the critical sections, the location of the cable
at every section along the member must be specified
44
Cable Profiles
After P
i
and P
e
have been determined at the critical sections,
the friction losses along the member are estimated and the
corresponding prestressing forces at intermediate sections are
calculated
At each intermediate section, the maximum eccentricity that
will satisfy both stress limits at transfer is obtained from either
Equation (1) or (2)
The minimum eccentricity required to satisfy the tensile and
compressive stress limits under full loads is obtained from either
Equation (3) or (4)
A permissible zone is thus established in which the line of action
of the resulting prestressing force must be located.
12
45
Cable Profiles
Permissible zone
Equation (3) and (4)
Equation (1) and (2)
46
Example 3
(Gilbert & Mickleborough Ex. 3.1)
A one-way slab is simply supported over a span of 12 m and is
to be designed to carry a service load of 7 kPa (kN/m
2
) in
addition to its own self-weight. The slab is post-tensioned by
regularly spaced tendons with parabolic profiles.
The slab thickness D = 300 mm.
The material properties are:
MPa 25
'
=
ci
f
MPa 25300 =
ci
E
MPa 32
'
=
c
f
MPa 28600 =
c
E
MPa 1840 =
p
f
47
Example 3
(Gilbert & Mickleborough Ex. 3.1)
The prestressing force and eccentricity are to be determined to
satisfy the following concrete stress limits:
MPa 25 . 1 25 25 . 0 = =
ti
F
MPa 5 . 12 25 5 . 0 + = =
ci
F
MPa 41 . 1 32 25 . 0 = =
t
F
MPa 0 . 16 32 5 . 0 + = =
c
F
48
Example 3
(Gilbert & Mickleborough Ex. 3.1)
At mid-span, the instantaneous and time-dependent losses are
taken to be 8% and 16%, respectively.
Slab self-weight
(which is the only load other than the prestress at transfer):
kN/m 2 . 7 3 . 0 24 = =
sw
w (1 m wide strip)
and the moments at mid-span
both at transfer and under the full service load are:
kNm/m 6 . 129
8
12 2 . 7
2
=

=
o
M
( )
kNm/m 6 . 255
8
12 2 . 7 0 . 7
2
=
+
=
T
M
13
49
Example 3
(Gilbert & Mickleborough Ex. 3.1)
Cross-section properties:
/m mm 10 300
2 3
= A /m mm 10 2250
4 6
= I
/m mm 10 15
3 6
= = =
b t
Z Z Z
02 . 0 / = = = Z A
b t

mm 50
1 1
= =
b t

50
Example 3
(Gilbert & Mickleborough Ex. 3.1)
Equation (1):
( ) ( )
3 6 3
10 2967
1 02 . 0
10 6 . 129 02 . 0 ) 25 . 1 ( 10 300
1 02 . 0 1

=
+

e e
P
i
Equation (2):
( ) ( )
3 6 3
10 6342
1 02 . 0
10 6 . 129 02 . 0 5 . 12 10 300
1 02 . 0 1

+
=
+
+

e e
P
i
51
Example 3
(Gilbert & Mickleborough Ex. 3.1)
Equation (3):
( )
( ) ( )
3 6 3
10 5582
1 02 . 0
10 6 . 255 02 . 0 ) 41 . 1 ( 10 300
1 02 . 0 84 . 0 1

+
=
+
+

e e
P
i
Equation (4):
( )
( ) ( )
3 6 3
10 4 . 371
1 02 . 0
10 6 . 255 02 . 0 0 . 16 10 300
1 02 . 0 84 . 0 1

=
+

e e
P
i
52
Example 3
(Gilbert & Mickleborough Ex. 3.1)
-50 50 Eccentricity, e
Equation 1
Equation 3
Equation 2
Equation 4
acceptable region
c
F
ci
F
ti
F
t
F
( )
1 6
10
1

N
Pi
max
e
6
10 588 . 0

DESIGN DIAGRAM
14
53
Example 3
(Gilbert & Mickleborough Ex. 3.1)
54
Example 3
(Gilbert & Mickleborough Ex. 3.1)
If 12.7 mm diameter strand is used with 30 mm concrete
cover, then
mm 114 36 150
max
= e
And from the Design Diagram, or Equation (3), the
corresponding minimum permissible value of P
i
is found to be
6
10 588 . 0
1

=
i
P
kN/m 1700 =
i
P
and
55
Example 3
(Gilbert & Mickleborough Ex. 3.1)
At the jacking point, the required prestressing force is
kN/m 1850
92 . 0
1700
= =
j
P
(8% instantaneous losses)
56
Example 3
(Gilbert & Mickleborough Ex. 3.1)
From table 2.1, a 12.7 diameter 7-wire,
low-relaxation strand has a cross-sectional area of 100 mm
2
and a minimum breaking load of 184 kN.
A flat duct containing four 12.7 mm strands
can therefore be stressed with a maximum jacking force of
kN 626 184 4 85 . 0 =
For design purposes, the yield strength of stress-relieved wires
may be taken as 0.85 times the minimum tensile strength
(i.e. 0.85f
p
)
15
57
Example 3
(Gilbert & Mickleborough Ex. 3.1)
The minimum number of flat ducts (including cables)
required in each meter width of slab is therefore:
96 . 2 626 / 1850 =
and the maximum spacing between ducts is
mm 338 96 . 2 / 1000 =
Therefore use 14 strand tendon every 330 mm.
58
DEFLECTION CONTROL
CRACK CONTROL
Satisfactory service load behaviour
will usually be achieved in a concrete
structure by control of deflections and
crack widths.
Service load behaviour
59
Deflection control
Requirement may be to select a full dead load for which
deflection is to be essentially zero.
The concept of load balancing provides a simple
technique for determining the prestress requirements for
this criterion.
A uniformly distributed load, wmay be balanced by
providing a parabolic cable which has at mid-span a sag
(eccentricity) e and an effective prestressing force, P
e
(after
losses) given by:
e
wL
P
e
8
2
=
i e
RP P =
60
Deflection control
During its in-service life,
a structure is typically subjected to
a sustained load of relatively constant magnitude,
with superimposed short-term loads
of quite variable magnitude.
The terms dead load and live load
traditionally have been applied to the constant sustained
and the variable short-term components of the
service load.
16
61
Dead load and live load produce downward
deflection in the mid-span region of normal flexural member.
However, the initial prestress
produces an upward camber in the member.
Deflection calculations
The initial deflection (either upward or downward)
gradually increases with time.
The long-term deflection
of a concrete member is also increased by
non-uniform shrinkage and creep,
which can become of practical significance in design.
62
The total proportion of reinforcing steel and prestressing steel in a
prestressed concrete member is usually so small that it has negligible
effect on the bending stiffness of the uncracked concrete section.
Elastic deflection calculations for uncracked members can thus be
based on E
c
I
g
the bending stiffness of the gross uncracked
concrete section.
n
o
d

= ( ) ( )dxdx x x

=
Deflection in uncracked beams
For a wide range of practical cases,
the standard formulas and coefficients can be used.
( )
) (
) (
x EI
x M
x =
( ) dxdx
x EI
x M
x

=
) (
) (
(5)
(6)
63
Provided there is no cracking, deflection increments due to
additional dead load and live load can be calculated using E
c
I
g
,
either with standard formulae, or in a linear elastic analysis.
i.e. simply supported beam with UDL acting on it,
the downward deflection due to live load is:
g c
Q
Q
I E
L w
4
384
5
=
or due to dead load:
g c
G
G
I E
L w
4
384
5
=
Short term deflection due to dead and live load
Deflection in uncracked beams
64
Deflection in uncracked beams
and the upward deflection due to prestress is:
EI
L w
p
P
4
384
5
=
2
8
L
Pe
w
p
= where
or the net deflection due to prestress and self-weight:
EI
L w
net
PG
4
384
5
=
P G net
w w w =
where
Short term deflection due to dead and live load
17
65
Long-term deflections due to concrete creep and
shrinkage are affected by many variables, including:
- load intensity;
- mix proportions;
- member size;
- age at first loading;
- curing conditions;
- total quantity of compressive and tensile steel;
- level of prestress;
- relative humidity; and
- temperature.
Deflection in uncracked beams
long term deflection due to creep and shrinkage
66
Deflections due to prestress, self-weight and additional dead
load increase gradually with time as a result of concrete creep.
If the presence of steel in a beam cross-section is ignored and
the state of stress due to prestress and sustained load is
assumed to remain constant with time, the load-induced strain at
time t in any fibre is:
( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) t t t
o c
+ = + = 1 0 0
(0) initial elastic strain

c
(t) =(0)
o
(t), subsequent creep strain
Deflection in uncracked beams
long term deflection due to creep
67
Therefore total bending deformation (curvature) in the section due to
elastic strain and creep is:
( ) ( ) ( ) t t
o
+ = 1
0
( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) t x y t x y
o
+ = 1 ,
0
Deflection in uncracked beams
long term deflection due to creep
Thus, the deflection curve at time t can be obtained from the initial
deflection curve y
o
(x):
Where
o
is the initial,
instantaneous curvature
and the final deflection curve is:
( ) ( )R x y x y
0
*
=
68
R
c 0
=
The initial deflection
0
is calculated for the sustained load and presstress;
it should not include the deflection due to live load
PG
=
0
Deflection in uncracked beams
long term deflection due to creep
where R is a deflection multiplying factor
*
1
o
R + =
and the final deflection due to creep is:
The above expressions ignore the presence
of reinforcing steel and prestressing cables in the beam section
and therefore tend to over-estimate long-term creep deflection.
*
o

: creep function final value after a long period of time

18
69
The shrinkage-induced curvature k
sh
(x) along a member
produces additional deflection, which can be calculated by double
integration (Equation 5).
Where L
ef
is the effective span and
sh
is (ACI Committee 435):
- for cantilevers: 0.500
- for simple beams: 0.125
- for beams continuous at one end:0. 086
- for beams continuous at both ends: 0.063
Deflection in uncracked beams
long term deflection due to shrinkage
Alternatively,
sh
for uniform beams may be calculated by the
approximate expression: ( )
2
ef sh sh sh
L t k =
In most (but not all) design situations, the shrinkage deflection is ignored
70
Example 4
(W, R, H & F Ex. 8.5)
Calculate the short-termand long-term
deflections for the SS beam.
400
650
800
CROSS-SECTION
2
000 , 320 mm A
g
=
4 9
10 07 . 17 mm I
g
=
MPa 30000 =
c
E
A
p
= 1000 mm
2
71
Example 4
(W, R, H & F Ex. 8.5)
The self-weight is 8 kN/m, and uniform live load is 30 kN/m.
The equivalent load due to prestress is:
m kN
L
Pe
w
p
/ 24
10
25 . 0 1200 8 8
2 2
=

= =
The prestressing force at mid-span is 1200 kN.
The eccentricityvaries from zero at each end to a maximum
of 250 mm at mid-span.
72
Example 4
(W, R, H & F Ex. 8.5)
The short term deflectionat mid-span due to prestress and
self-weight is therefore:
( )
mm
EI
L w
net
PG
1 . 4
10 07 . 17 30000 384
10000 24 8 5
384
5
9
4 4
=


= =
The negative sign indicates an upward camber.
To determine the creep deflection
we use a multiplying factor R of 2.0, which gives:
mm
C
2 . 8 1 . 4 2 = =
PG c
R =
19
73
Example 4
(W, R, H & F Ex. 8.5)
The total long-term deflection is:
mm 3 . 12 2 . 8 1 . 4 =
The short-term deflection due to live load w
Q
= 30 kN/m is:
mm 7 . 7
16
30
1 . 4 = =
Q

The total deflection is:

) ( 6 . 4 7 . 7 3 . 12 camber mm = +
74
To repeat what others
have said, requires
education, to challenge it,
requires brains.
Mary Pettibone Poole