Prestressed Concrete

Concrete in which there have been introduced internal stress of such magnitude and distribution that
stresses resulting from given external loading are counteracted to a desired degree in reinforced
cement concrete members are called Prestressed Concrete. The prestressing is commonly
introduced by tensioning the steel reinforcement.
Related: Advantages and disadvantages of prestressed concrete
There are some confusion about what is prestressed concrete and the difference between
presressed concrete and reinforced concrete. In prestressed concrete, high tensile steel is used
which will have to be elongated a great deal before its strength is fully utilized. If the high tensile steel
simply buried in the concrete as in ordinary reinforced concrete, the surrounding concrete will have to
crack very seriously before the full strength of the steel is developed. Hence it necessary to prestretch the steel with respect to concrete. By pre-stretching and anchoring the steel against the
concrete, desirable stresses and strains are produced in both materials. Compressive stresses and
strains in concrete and tensile set eases and strains in steel. This combined action permits the safe
and economical utilization of the two materials which cannot be achieved by simply burying steel in
concrete as is done for ordinary reinforced concrete. Therefore, prestressed concrete is nothing but
an extension of the applications of the reinforced concrete to include steels of high tensile strength.

a prestressed concrete girder

Reinforced Concrete vs. Prestressed Concrete

Types of Prestressing Used in Concrete

Prestressed concrete structure can be classified in number of ways depending upon their features of
design and construction. These are follows.

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 prestressing in

circular

or

round

structures

like

tanks,

pipes

etc.

Where

theprestressing

reinforcement are wound around in crcle. Prestressing all other members like beams
slaps, etc. termed as liner prestressing.

Pre tensioning and Post tensioning: The term pre tensioning is used to describe
any method of prestressing in which the reinforcement are stretched or tensioned
before the concrete is placed. The steel rods are temporarily anchored against some
posts when tensioned and the prestress transferred to the concrete after it has set. In
contrast to pre tensioning, post tensioning is a method of prestressing in which the
reinforcement is tensioned after the concrete has hardened.

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.