CE 572

Spring 2006

DEFLECTIONS

Effect of Prestress Force:

For a typical beam, application of prestress force will produce upward camber. The effect of concrete

shrinkage, creep and steel relaxation is gradually to reduce the camber produced by the initial force as that

force is diminished. The effect of creep is a double effect, although it produces a loss of prestress force

tending to reduce camber, creep strains in the

concrete usually increase camber. (See Figure 1).

= 5( Pel 2 )/48EI

= Pel 2 /12EI

Effect of Loads:

Dead and live loads usually produce downward deflections that superimpose on the upward deflection

due to prestress. In the case of sustained loads, these too are time-dependent because of concrete creep.

Prediction of Deflections:

Although the prediction of deflection of prestressed concrete members is complicated by such factors

as the gradual reduction of prestress force due to time-dependent losses, relatively simple procedures can be

followed to calculate deflections within acceptable limits of accuracy. It should be emphasized that all

deflection calculations for prestressed concrete members are merely estimates that are affected by

uncertainties relating to:

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- Time dependent material properties

- Temperature and humidity

- Loads: Time of application and duration

Serviceability Design Requirements (Table R18.3.3)

This table provides guidance with respect to serviceability check for prestressed members.

Calculation of Deflections(uncracked state, Class U Sec. 18.3.5 and 9.5.4, 318-02):

If the prestress force is accurately known, if the materials are stressed only within their elastic ranges

then:

i) Camber resulting from prestressing can be calculated either by M/EI: curvatures or directly from the

prestress moment diagram.

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Using conjugate beam ( M ) to find

deflection of conjugate beam about

midspan

Pel l Pel l 3 Pel 2 - Pel

C.L. = ( )- ( )=
4EI 2 4EI 6 4EI

P e l2
C.L. =
12 EI

ii) Camber can also be determined in terms of

the effect of equivalent loads

Pl
3
2P sin 3 P sin l 3
C.L. = = l =
48EI 48EI 24EI

e 2e
sin = = tan = =
l/2 l

2Pe l 3 Pe l 2
C.L. = =
24EI l 12EI

iii) Deflections resulting from dead and live loads are calculated as for any other flexural member and

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superimposed on prestress camber to obtain net values at the load stages of interest. Material

properties E = Ec = modulus of elasticity of the concrete, I = Ig if uncracked (accuracy will be

improved if uncracked transformed section is used).

Examples of Deflection Calculation

Although deflection at intermediate stages may be important in certain cases, in general only the next

three cases are considered:

i) The initial stage: when a beam is acted upon by the initial prestress force Pi and its own weight,

ii) One or more combinations of load in service conditions, when the prestress force is reduced by

losses to Pe, and

iii) Long term effects due to concrete creep under sustained loads.

Initial effects are easily determined. Time dependent effects can be estimated using long term deflection

multipliers as illustrated in the PCI Handbook. We will study this approach.

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Long Term Deflection Using Multipliers: Apply a simple multiplier to the immediate elastic deflection.

Table 1 Multipliers for Estimating Long-Term Cambers and Deflectionsa

Without With
composite composite
topping topping

At erection: 30-60 days after casting

1. Downward deflection - apply to elastic deflection

due to member weight at release of prestress. 1.85 1.85

2. Upward camber - apply to elastic camber due to

prestress at time of release of prestress. 1.80 1.80

Final: Stage at which loss and creep effects have

occurred
3. Downward deflection - apply to elastic deflection
due to member weight at release of prestress 2.70 2.40

4. Upward camber - apply to elastic camber due to

prestress at time of release of prestress. 2.45 2.20

5. Downward deflection - apply to elastic deflection

due to superimposed dead load only. 3.00 3.00

6. Downward deflection - apply to elastic deflection

caused by composite topping. -- 2.30

a
Adapted from Ref. 11. Multipliers result in the total initial plus time-dependent deflection, whereas the multipliers found
in the ACI Code for long-term effects in non-prestressed beams give the additional deflection to be added to the initial
deflection.

These multipliers result in the total (immediate plus time-dependent deflection components) the upward

and downward components of the initial elastic camber should be separated to account for loss of

prestress, which affects only the upward component. A multiplier of 1.0 is implied for non-sustained load.

1
Ref. 1. Martin, L.D., "A Rational Method for Estimating Camber and Deflection of Precast Prestressed
Members," J. PCI, Vol. 22, No. 1, Jan-Feb 1977, pp. 100-108.

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Evaluate deflection taking cracking into account (Class C and T, ACI 318-05)

When the extreme fiber tension stresses in a pretressed member do not exceed (under service loads)

7.5 f c
the deflections can be calculated using the procedure previously outlined with I = Ig or Iucr

(uncracked transformed section). However, if some flexural tension cracking is allowed under service load,

Table R18.3.3.3 of the ACI 318-02 Code indicates that cracked transformed section analysis be used for

estimating deflections. It permits the use of bilinear moment-deflection relationships to calculate instantaneous

and long term deflections when the extreme fiber flexural tension stress exceeds 7.5 f c
or an effective

moment of inertia as defined by:

This means that the deflection before the member has cracked is calculated using the gross moment of

inertia Ig, and the additional deflection after cracking is calculated using the moment of inertia of the cracked

section (see Figure 2). Figure 3 illustrates the use of the effective moment of inertia approach.

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Figure 2. Bilinear Moment-Deflection Relationship

In lieu of a more exact analysis

A ps
I cr = n A ps d (1 - 1.67 n p ) ;
2
= p ; n = Es
bd Ec

Figure 3. Effective Moment of Inertia

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The code allows an alternative of using an effective moment of inertia Ie in the calculation of immediate

M cr
3
M cr 3
I e = I g + 1 - I cr
Ma M a
deflections (see Figure 3 ):

with

M cr = 1 - f t l - f r
f
Ma l
where:

ft l = final calculated total stress (tension) in the member

fl = calculated stress due to live load

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