Pressure line

The pressure line in a beam is the locus of the resultant compression (C) along
the length. It is also called the thrust line or C-line.
It is used to check whether C at transfer and under service loads is falling
within the kern zone of the section.
The eccentricity of the pressure line (ec) from CGC should be less than kb or kt
to ensure C in the kern zone.

Kt
Kern zone
Kb

Pressure Line at Transfer

The pressure line is calculated from the moment due to the self weight. The
following sketch shows that the pressure line for a simply supported beam
gets shifted from the CGS with increasing moment towards the centre of the
span.

Kt
Kern zone
Kb

Kern formula at top and bottom

Level arm
Eccentricity for compression

Pressure Line under Service Loads

The pressure line is calculated from the moment due to the service loads. The
following sketch shows that the pressure line for a simply supported beam
gets further shifted from the CGS at the centre of the span with increased
moment under service condition.

Example
For the post-tensioned beam with a flanged section as shown, the profile of
the CGS is parabolic, with no eccentricity at the ends. The live load moment
due to service loads at mid-span (MLL) is 648 kNm. The prestress after transfer
(P0) is 1600 kN. Assume 15% loss at service. Grade of concrete is M30.
Find the location of pressure line at mid-span at transfer and at service.
Find the stresses at transfer and service

Solution
1.Find the location of kern at top, kt and bottom kb. Then find ec at
transfer and service
Kt
Kern zone
Kb

Answer: Kt = 182 mm, Kb= 255 mm, ec at transfer= -287.5mm, ec at service = 214.7mm

2. Calculate stresses at transfer and service

Answer: At transfer (-0.85 N/mm2, 17.2 N/mm2). At service (10.44 N/mm2, -1.01 N/mm2)

Example:
A prestressed concrete beam with a rectangular section 120 mm
wide by 300 mm deep supports a uniformly distributed load of 4
kN/m, which includes the self weight of the beam. The effective
span of the beam is 6 m. The beam is concentrically prestressed by
a cable carrying a force of 180 kN. Locate the position of the
pressure line in the beam.
Answer: Kb=Kt=50mm, ec=100mm, Stress (15N/mm2, -5 N/mm2)

Load Balancing Method

General Principles of Prestressed Concrete

Load in the concrete is balanced by stressing the steel.
The application of this method requires taking the concrete as a free
body and replacing the tendons with forces acting on the concrete
along the span.
simplest approach to prestressed design and analysis for statically
indeterminate structures.
There are three basic concepts in prestressed concrete design
1. Stress concept : Treating prestressed concrete as an elastic material
2. Strength /force /Pressure line concept: Considering prestressed
concrete as reinforced concrete dealing with ultimate strength.
3. Balanced load concept: Balancing a portion of the load on the
structure.
*Load Balancing method follows the third one.

 Consider a pre-stressed beam with a curved tendon. Assume

no friction. Next, replace tendon with forces acting on
concrete.
The moment at the centre due to
the uniform upward thrust (wup) is
given by the following equation.

Stress calculation
At top
Ftop = P/A Pe/z + M/z
= P/A + ( Pe/z + M/z)
= P/A + M residual /z

At bottom
Ftop = P/A + Pe/z - M/z
= P/A (- Pe/z + M/z)
= P/A - M residual /z

Stress calculation
At top
Ftop = P/A Pe/z + M/z
= P/A + ( Pe/z + M/z)
= P/A + M residual /z

At bottom
Fbottom = P/A + Pe/z - M/z
= P/A (- Pe/z + M/z)
= P/A - M residual /z

M residual = wL^2/8 = wresidual L^2 / 8

W residual = W total W up

Pe/z + M/z= Pe/z + wtotalL^2 / 8

= wupL^2 / 8z + wtotalL^2 / 8z
= (wtotal wup)L^2/8z

= M residual /z

Example
A concrete beam prestressed with a parabolic tendon is shown in
the figure. The prestressing force applied is 1620 kN. The uniformly
distributed load includes the self weight. Compute the extreme
fibre stress at the mid-span by applying the load balancing method.

Solution
Find the following values:-

M residual = wL^2/8 = wresidual L^2 / 8

W residual = W total W up
Answer: Mresidual = 64.6 kNm, stress top=5.7 N/mm2, stress bottom=2.94 N/mm2

Example
Using the previous example, compute the
extreme fibre stress at the mid-span by applying
the other two methods; stress concept and
Pressure line/force concept.