Strengthening with post-installed prestress

Válter J. G. Lúcio
CERIS, Civil Engineering Department, Faculty of Sciences and Technology,
Universidade NOVA de Lisboa, Caparica, Portugal

Abstract

For each particular case, the structural strengthening solution shall be chosen by the
designer taking into consideration the structure anomalies and defects, and the technical,
economical and functional constraints.
Strengthening with prestress aims to impose additional internal forces to the structure in
order to reduce the external loading effects to the original structure. Unlike other strengthening
systems, this one does not increase considerably the strength of the structural elements but
reduces the total load effects, increasing, consequently, the load capacity. Strengthening with
prestress has been used widely in bridges, although in buildings, due to aesthetic and practical
reasons, its use is more problematic.
This communication presents some strengthening solutions with post-installed prestress
in buildings. A strengthening solution with prestress using additional structural elements is
presented. While, for prestressing with high-strength steel strands or bars, a new anchorage
system is presented that is simple to implement, economic and has reduced aesthetic impact.
An example on how strengthening with prestress can improve the behaviour of structures for
seismic actions is also presented.

Keywords: structural strengthening, strengthening with prestress, prestress anchorage

1 INTRODUCTION
Among many strengthening options for reinforced concrete structures, the designer shall
choose the one that is most efficient, taking into account: existing structural anomalies and
defects; technical, economic and functional constraints; and construction operating conditions.
Strengthening a structure may exclusively aim at increasing the strength, or ductility, of
the structural elements, for which reinforcement may be added (such as steel plates, carbon or
glass fibres, etc.) or concrete (concrete reinforced with bars and/or fibres) [1]. While to increase
the stiffness of the concrete element, in order to reduce deformations and control vibrations, it
is advisable to increase its cross section by adding concrete.
Other strengthening solutions, that may solve problems related to lack of stiffness and
resistance, include changing the existing structure with the addition of new elements (new
beams, columns, walls resistant to horizontal actions, etc.) and/or the addition of prestress to
the structure [2, 3, 5 and 8]. The prestress may be imposed with traditional high-strength steel
strands or bars, with carbon or other high resistance fibres, or even with other structural
elements. Strengthening with external prestress has been used widely in bridges, although, in
buildings, adding external strands and concrete blocks to enclose the prestress anchorages is
problematic due to practical and aesthetic reasons.
This communication presents some strengthening solutions with post-installed prestress
in buildings. A strengthening solution with prestress using steel beams is presented and two

1
examples are shown. While for prestressing with high-strength steel strands or bars, a new
anchorage system is presented that is efficient, simple to implement, economic and has reduced
aesthetic impact. A research on strengthening with prestress to improve the seismic behaviour
of frame structures is also presented.

2 STRUCTURAL DEFECTS AND CAUSES

The most frequent defects or anomalies in reinforced concrete structures result from
errors that occur during the design, construction or use phases. These defects or anomalies may
develop serviceability malfunctions or even collapse of the structure. The serviceability
malfunctions may be related to: excessive deformations causing, for example, cracking of
partition walls (Figure 1); excessive cracking in the concrete; or uncomfortable vibrations. The
ultimate limit state is usually related to insufficient resistance of the concrete elements to load
effects, or insufficient ductility to imposed displacements, such as support settlements or
seismic actions. The lack of resistance of an element may cause a localized failure (Figure 2)
or progressive collapse of the structure (Figure 3), with serious material costs and loss of human
lives.

Figure 1 - Cracking on partition walls due Figure 2 - Punching failure of a flat slab
to excessive deformation of the structure. during construction phase.

Figure 3 - Progressive collapse of a building structure during construction phase.

3 PRESTRESSING WITH STEEL BEAMS

Figure 4 shows a steel beam placed in parallel with a reinforced concrete beam. Figure
4.a shows the strengthening without prestress, where the steel beam works in parallel with the
concrete beam and the two connections between both beams in the span matches the

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displacements at those two points for the loads applied after the execution of these connections.
This strengthening system increases the stiffness of the system but only reduces the effects
(internal forces, cracking and displacements of the rc beam) of the loads applied after the
materialization of the two connections.
Figure 4.b shows the strengthening with prestress, applied to impose a deformation
between the two beams. This imposed deformation reduces the existing deformation of the rc
beam and introduces upwards forces in the rc beam, reducing its internal forces caused by the
loads applied before the prestressing. This strengthening system with prestress increases the
stiffness of the system, reduces the effects (internal forces, cracking and displacements of the
rc beam) of the loads applied before and after the materialization of the two connections in the
span of the beam. This strengthening solution is more efficient than the previous one, namely
in relation to the limit states of deformation and cracking. For the limit states of resistance,
assuming that both systems are sufficiently ductile, both systems will have the same load
capacity.

(a) (b)
Figure 4 – Strengthening with a steel beam: (a) without prestress; (b) with prestress.

Figure 5 shows an example of the system shown in Figure 4.b for the strengthening of a
flat slab [2]. In this example the steel beam is supported by steel corbels fixed with anchors to
the columns. The displacements, for application of the prestress to the slab, were imposed
through threaded rods and nuts that are screwed with the help of a torque wrench. The
displacements are measured on the steel beam with displacement transducers and, based on this
measurements and on the stiffness of the steel beam, it is possible to estimate the upward forces
applied to the slab.
A similar system was used to strengthen a building of a fire station (Figure 6). It has two
floors with a reinforced concrete flat slab structure. The ground floor is the parking of the rescue
vehicles and the top floor is used for administrative services. Due to design errors the building
was in danger of collapse. The building had an approximately square mesh of columns, with 10
m of span and a flat slab 0.25 m thick, which corresponds to a slenderness of h / L = 1/40, which
is excessive for this type of structure. The slab was designed as if it was a beam supported slab.
Many partition brick masonry walls of the upper floor were cracked due to the deformability of
the slab.
The constraints to choose the strengthening solution were, mainly, the following: to keep
free space for parking the rescue vehicles; minimize the intervention, particularly in the upper
floor finishes, and the overall cost; give the structure the necessary safety in relation to
punching, bending and deformation of the slab, and safety for seismic actions, taking into
account the importance of the building in the event of an earthquake.
The solution adopted included the strengthening of the foundations, the construction of
an earthquake resistant system, consisting of four resistant walls in reinforced concrete, and the
execution of a steel frame structure to support the upper floor slabs and the roof, as shown in
Figure 6.a. These steel frames are separated from each other by 3.30 m and support the slab to
thirds of the span, reducing the slab spans to approximately 3.30 m x 3.30 m. The slabs were
prestressed by the beams of the steel frames, imposing displacements by screwing the nuts onto
threaded rods, as in the previous example.

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 (a) (b)
Figure 5 – (a) Strengthening of a flat slab with prestress applied with a steel beam;
(b) threaded rods and nuts to impose the prestress.

(a) (b)
Figure 6 – Strengthening steel frames before (a) and after fire protection (b).

4 PRESTRESS WITH ANCHORAGES BY BONDING

For strengthening with prestress, using high-strength steel strands, an anchorage system
was developed with the purpose of reducing the aesthetic impact, while being efficient, simple
to implement and economic. The anchorage of the strands to the concrete is made by bonding,
using a bonding agent injected in drilled holes in the concrete, where the strands are previously
inserted [3]. This anchorage system was studied in laboratory [4] to determine the required
anchorage length for the prestressing forces. The system was later applied to the strengthening
of flat slabs [5] to increase their resistance to bending and punching, while, at the same time,
improving the behavior in service by reducing deformation and cracking. This strengthening
technique showed to be also very efficient in increasing the strength of the slabs after failure
[6, 7], reducing the risk of progressive collapse, quite common in this structural type (Figure
3).
The strengthening system consists on (Figure 7): 1) introducing high-strength steel
strands into previously drilled holes in the slab; 2) stressing the strands with the a mechanical
equipment able to keep the stressing forces for some hours; 3) injecting the holes with the

4
bonding agent and cure it; 4) releasing the stressing forces and transfer them to the slab, and
finally; 5) cut the ends of the strands close to the concrete surface.

Floor Deviator
Strand

Column
Slab

Figure 7 – Prestressing with anchorages by bonding in the strengthening of a flat slab.

An experimental campaign was carried out [5] in which seven reinforced concrete slabs
with 2300 mm x 2300 mm were tested: three with a thickness of 100 mm (DF1, DF2 and DF3)
and four with a thickness of 120 mm (DF4, DF5, DF6 and DF7). The slabs did not have specific
punching reinforcement, slabs DF2, DF3, DF5 and DF6 were strengthened with prestress in
one direction, and slab DF7 was strengthened with prestress in two orthogonal directions. Slabs
DF1 and DF4 were used as reference models, without strengthening. Figure 8 shows views of
two slabs after failure. In Figure 8.c it is possible to see the punching failure surface and the
post-failure resistance mechanism, which depends almost exclusively on the strength of the
strands and their anchorages to the concrete.
Figure 9 shows the load capacity of the slabs, normalized to the strength of the reference
slabs with equal thickness (slabs DF1 and DF4). As can be seen, with this system it was possible
to increase the load capacity by 40% and 50% of the strength of the reference slabs with 100 mm
and 120 mm thickness, respectively.

(a) (b)

(c)

Figure 8 – Views of slabs (a) DF6 and (b) DF7 after failure; (c) section of a slab
showing the punching failure surface and the post-failure resistance mechanism.

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 1.75
1.44 1.51 1.50 1.54
1.50 1.36

Load capacity
1.25
1.00 1.00
1.00
0.75
0.50
0.25
0.00
DF1 DF2 DF3 DF4 DF5 DF6 DF7
----- h = 100 mm ----- ----------- h = 120 mm ----------
Figure 9 – Load capacity of the slabs, normalized to the strength of slabs DF1 and DF4.

5 SEISMIC STRENGTHENING WITH PRESTRESS

In a beam-column frame structure, the seismic energy is mostly dissipated through the
development of plastic hinges located at the ends of the reinforced concrete elements. Assuming
a strong-column/weak-beam seismic design criteria, the response of a structure may be
improved increasing the energy dissipation capacity of the beams ends. This increase of energy
dissipation capacity may be acquired by strengthening the beams ends with prestress. On the
other hand, the reutilization of a building after an earthquake depends on the damages, in
structural and non-structural elements, namely the residual deformations of the structure.
An experimental research was developed [8] in order to analyze the efficiency of
strengthening the beams ends with prestress, namely in the increasing of the energy dissipation
of the beams ends and the reduction of residual rotations of the beams in relation to the columns.
This experimental study included the analysis of three beams subjected to cyclic tests, starting
from the gravity load effects [9]. The specimens are cantilever T-beams that simulate roughly
1/3 of the clear span of a beam connected to columns at both ends. The column is modelled by
a rigid block. The reinforced concrete specimen were T-beams, designed to exhibit normal
ductility, with a cross-section 250 mm wide by 500 mm high (Figure 10).
Specimen S1 is a reference beam, tested with no strengthening. In order to improve the
observed hysteric behaviour of the reference beam, a selective technique approach was
implemented and two strengthening solutions were developed and tested. In the first solution
(specimen S2) two unbonded post-tensioned strands were used (Figure 10). In a second stage
(Specimen S3), a small thickness jacketing, in the lower and lateral faces of the beam, with
unidirectional fibre reinforced grout [10] was added to the post-tension system.
Figure 11 shows the force-displacement hysteretic diagrams of the three specimens and
Table 1 a synthesis of the results. The cyclic test of specimen S2 shows an improvement of the
beam hysteretic behaviour, in relation to specimen S1, through an increase of energy dissipation
capacity, combined with strength increase and reduction of the residual deformation. The test
behaviour indicates a more recentred hysteretic response and an increase in the restoring
capacity of the beam in relation to specimen S1. The failure mode of specimen S2 is shown in
Figure 12.
For specimen S3, the strengthening solution with the unidirectional fibre reinforced grout
jacketing, in addition to the external post-tensioning was able to delay concrete crushing and
buckling of longitudinal reinforcement. Therefore, the connection presents a more stable
response and less damage than in the other specimens.
The strengthening solution S2 achieved a strength increase of 22% whereas the solution
S3 registered a strength increase of 38%. In terms of energy dissipation, the specimen S2 had

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an improvement of 53% and specimen S3 an increase of 100%. The reduction of residual
deformation in specimen S2 was 44%, whereas in the specimen S3 it was 53%.

Figure 10 – Geometry of the reinforced concrete beam specimens.

350 350 350

F (kN) F (kN) 300 F (kN)
300 300 S3
S1 S2
250 250 250
200 200 200
150 150 150
100 100 100
50 50 50
0 0 0
-50 -50 -50
-100 d (mm) -100 d (mm) -100 d (mm)
-150 -150 -150

Figure 11 - Force-displacement hysteretic diagrams.

Table 1 - Performance evaluation parameters
Description Fmax (kN) Fmáx/FS1 µ=du/dy W (kNm) W/WS1 dr (mm) dr/drS1
S1 - reference 212.5 - 10.4 - 28.6 - 126.2 -
S2 - post-tensioning 260.1 1.22 7.7 2.4 43.8 1.53 71.2 0.56
S3 - post-tensioning + jacket 293.0 1.38 6.4 6.1 57.2 2.00 58.7 0.47
Fmax – maximum load; µ - displacement ductility to negative bending moments direction and to positive moments
bending direction, defined as the ratio between the maximum (du) and yielding (dy) displacement; W - energy
dissipation, obtained from the area under the load-displacement diagrams; dr - residual displacement.

Figure 12 – Failure mode of specimen S2.

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6 CONCLUSIONS
Post-installed prestress may be a very efficient strengthening solution for several
situations, depending on the defect or anomalies present in the structure and the specific
constrains that occur in each case study. Strengthening with prestress may be performed using
steel beams or high-strength steel strands, prestressing the concrete structure. Strengthening
with prestress is efficient in reducing the effects of the applied loads, such as deformations,
cracking and internal forces, and may reduce the risk of progressive collapse.
When steel beams are used to apply the prestress, the strengthening also increases the
stiffness of the structure, solving vibration problems, for example. Strengthening using
prestressed steel beams also reduces the intervention to one of the faces of the structure, what
may solve some of the referred constrains.
For the strengthening with high-strength steel strands a new anchorage system was
developed, using a bonding agent to anchor the strands in holes drilled in the concrete elements.
This anchorage by bonding showed to be efficient, simple to implement, economic and has
reduced aesthetic impact, what is relevant in the strengthening of building structures.
Strengthening with prestressed high-strength steel may also be used for strengthening
beam-column frames, to improve the behaviour to seismic actions, increasing the resistance,
the ductility and the energy dissipation, and reducing the residual deformation after the
earthquake.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Part of this research work was financed by the Project PTDC/ECM/114492/2009. The
author acknowledge the support of the companies CONCREMAT, HILTI Portugal, VSL and
SECIL.

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