Zandie M.

Garcia Pre Stress Concrete Design

BSCE-5 Engr. Gidget Figuracion

Assignment

What is the difference between reinforced concrete and prestressed concrete?

Reinforced concrete and prestressed concrete are both reinforced with longitudinal and
transverse steel bars, also known as rebar. The main function of the reinforcement is to
strengthen concrete when it undergoes tensile stress.

Differences between the two composite materials and their uses.

Reinforced Concrete
1. What is reinforced concrete?
Reinforced concrete, or RC, is a composite material used in construction. The low
tensile strength and ductility of the concrete are fortified by the addition of reinforcing
steel bars having higher tensile strength and ductility. During construction, steel bars
are placed inside formwork before concrete is poured. Rebar can also be wired together
into a steel cage arrangement beforehand. Concrete is then poured into the formwork
and vibrated to remove air voids in the fresh concrete and ensure consolidation of the
aggregates within the concrete mixture. It is imperative that the concrete completely
surrounds each bar to ensure a strong bond.
Figure 1: Rectangular concrete beam, with steel rebar is an example of a reinforced
concrete member

2. The uses of reinforced concrete

Reinforced Concrete is widely used due to its work-ability, strength, and the availability
of its raw materials. It is mainly used as main members of a particular structure such as
columns, piers, piles, beams, slabs and footings for buildings, houses, dams, bridges
and other similar structures. Reinforced concrete is easily configured to unconventional
shapes because it fills the container that it is supporting it. This leads to extravagant
architectural structures that would otherwise be difficult to build with other materials
such as steel and wood. Reinforced concrete is also typically used in public works
construction of highway paving and sidewalks. Reinforcing the concrete with steel bars
gives the composite section tensile strength that allows for a robust and useful
composite building material.

Prestressed Concrete
1. What is prestressed concrete
Simply put, it is concrete formed under stress. Reinforcement bars are placed in a form
and stressed by the stretching of the bars at each end, inducing tension in the bar.
Concrete is poured into the form and all around the bars while they are still being
stretched. When they are released, the steel tries to resume its original, shorter, length,
and adds a compressive force to the concrete laterally, giving it the strength to span
longer distances than normal reinforced concrete.

2. The uses of prestressed concrete

Prestressing is used to make composite beams and piers in large-scale construction
such as highway overpasses and commercial buildings. It enables a concrete beam to
support weight between piers on either side; without such reinforcing, concrete’s lack of
tensile strength would cause it to collapse without support in the middle.

Here are three major implementations of prestressed concrete:

 Pre-Tensioned Concrete: Concrete is cast around steel bars or cables under

tension. The concrete naturally bonds to these “tendons” while it cures.
Compression by static friction transfers the tension to the concrete once it is
released. Subsequently, any tension on the concrete transfers readily to the
tendons. Pre-tensioned concrete elements are common in floor slabs, beams, and
lintels.
 Bonded Post-Tensioned Concrete: Compression is applied in situ during curing. A
duct of aluminum, plastic, or steel is used in casting and follows the area where
tension would occur in the concrete. Tendons are pushed through the duct, then
tensioned via hydraulic jack after hardening. Once the tendons’ stretching meets
design specifications, they are wedged in place and the duct is grouted.
 Unbonded Post-Tensioned Concrete: Here, the individual tendons retain freedom
of movement relative to the concrete. Tendons are prepared with a coating of
lithium-based grease, then given a plastic-based “shell”, formed through an
extrusion. The steel cables are the tensioned against anchors placed in the slab’s
perimeter. This design provides the ability to de-stress the embedded tendons prior
to repair.
Figure 2: Simple diagram of a prestressed concrete