LOSSES IN

PRESTRESS
• The force which is used to stretch the wire to
the required length must be available all the
time as prestressing force if the steel is to be
prevented from contracting. However, if this
force cannot entirely be transmitted to the
concrete because of some losses of prestress
occur during the process of stretching and
anchoring the tendons
• This force keeps on
decreasing with time due to
time-dependent response of
constituent materials; steel
and concrete and reduced to
final value known as effective
prestressing force. The
various reductions of the
prestressing fore are termed
as the LOSSES IN PRESTRESS
 TYPES OF LOSSES

1. Immediate Losses (Short-term Losses)- occur during prestressing of the

tendons and the transfer of prestress to the concrete member.

2. Time-dependent Losses ( Long Term Losses) – occur during the service

life of the prestressed member.
 SHORT-TERM LOSSES

A. Elastic Shortening
B. Anchorage draw-in
C. Friction
 LONG-TERM LOSSES

A. Concrete Shrinkage
B. Concrete Creep
C. Steel Relaxation
 Loss due to Elastic
Deformation of Concrete
As soon as the tendons are cut, the stretched tendons tend to go
back to their original state, but are prevented from doing so by
interfacial bond developed between the concrete and the
tendons. The concrete will therefore be subjected to a
compressive force, which results in an instantaneous shortening of
the member. Since the tendons are bonded to the concrete, they
will loose an equal amount of deformation, meaning a reduction of
induced stress.
 Loss due to Relaxation of
Stress in Steel
From the time the tendons are anchored until transfer of
prestressing force to the concrete, the tendons are held between
the abutments at a constant length. The stretched tendon during
this time interval will lose some of its induced stress due to the
phenomenon.
 Loss due to Shrinkage and
Creep of Concrete
Subsequent to the transfer of prestress, concrete keeps on
shrinking due to the loss of free water and continues shortening
under sustained stress, thus resulting in a loss of tension in the
embedded tendon.
Loss due to Shrinkage and
Creep of Concrete
Loss due to Shrinkage and
Creep of Concrete
 Loss due to Anchorage Slip

During the process of anchoring, the stressed tendon

tends to slip before the full grip is established, thus losing
some of its imposed strain or in other words, induced
stress.
 Loss due to Friction

The tendons are contained inside ducts, and the hydraulic jack is held
directly against the member. During stressing operation, the tendons
tend to get straightened and slide against the duct. Thus resulting in
the development of a frictional resistance. As a result, the stress in
the tendon at a distance away from the jacking end will be smaller
than that indicated by the pressure gauge mounted on the jack.
 Types of Loss of Prestress

Pretensioning Post-tensioning
1 Elastic Deformation of Concrete Elastic Deformation of Concrete
2 Relaxation of stress in Steel Relaxation of stress in Steel
3 Shrinkage of Concrete Shrinkage of Concrete
4 Creep of Concrete Creep of Concrete
5 Anchorage Slip
6 Friction
Formula in Calculating Loss
in Prestress
Pretensioning Post-tensioning
1
1 Elastic
Elastic Deformation
Deformation Loss
Loss == nfc
nfc Elastic
Elastic Deformation
Deformation of
of Concrete
Concrete == nfc
nfc

= nfc : where n =
fc = prestress in concrete at the
level of steel
= nfc : where n =
fc = prestress in concrete at the
level of steel
 Formula in Calculating Loss
in Prestress

Pretensioning Post-tensioning
2.
2. Relaxation
Relaxation of
of stress
stress in
in steel
steel loss
loss Relaxation
Relaxation of
of stress
stress in
in steel
steel loss
loss

= 5 to 10 % of initial stress in steel = 5 to 10 % of initial stress in steel

fc = prestress in concrete at the fc = prestress in concrete at the

level of steel level of steel
 Formula in Calculating Loss
in Prestress

Pretensioning Post-tensioning
3. Shrinkage of Concrete Loss Shrinkage of Concrete Loss

= =
where: = shrinkage strain
= 300 x ]
= Young’s modulus of steel
Formula in Calculating Loss
in Prestress
Pretensioning Post-tensioning
Shrinkage of Concrete Loss
 Formula in Calculating Loss
in Prestress

Pretensioning Post-tensioning
4. Creep of Concrete Loss Creep of Concrete Loss

= =
= ɸ (fc/Ec)

Therefore: = ɸ (fc x n)
 Formula in Calculating Loss
in Prestress
Pretensioning Post-tensioning
4. Creep of Concrete Loss Creep of Concrete Loss
 Formula in Calculating Loss
in Prestress
Pretensioning Post-tensioning
4. Creep of Concrete Loss Creep of Concrete Loss
 Formula in Calculating Loss
in Prestress
Pretensioning Post-tensioning
5.
5. Loss
Loss due
due to
to friction
friction

Po = prestressing force at the jacking end

coefficient of friction b/w cable and duct
= cumulative angle in radius
k = friction coefficient for wave effect
e = 2.7183, x = length of beam
Formula in Calculating Loss
in Prestress
Formula in Calculating Loss
in Prestress
Formula in Calculating Loss
in Prestress
 Formula in Calculating Loss
in Prestress
Pretensioning Post-tensioning
6.
6. Anchorage
Anchorage Slip
Slip Loss
Loss

fpa =
Δ = Anchorage slip
Formula in Calculating Loss
in Prestress
 Total Losses Allowed for
Design
• The amount of loss of prestress depends on factors like properties of
concrete and steel, curing conditions, magnitude and time of
application of prestress, method of prestressing. The following table
maybe taken as representative of the average losses.
Type of Loss Pretensioning % Postensioning %
Elastic shortening and bending of 4 1
concrete
Creep of Concrete 6 5
Shrinkage of Concrete 7 6
Steel Relaxation 8 8
Total Loss 25 20
•  A rectangular beam 300 mm wide 200 mm deep is prestressed by
means of 15 wires 5 mm diameter wires located 65 mm from the
bottom of beam and three 5 mm wires, located 25 mm from the top
of the beam. If the wires are initially tensioned to a stress of 840
N/Calculate the % loss of stress in steel immediately after transfer
allowing for the loss of stress due to elastic deformation of concrete
only. Es = 210 kN/, Ec = 35 KN/
•  A PSC beam 300 mm wide 350 mm deep to prestressed by
12 wires each 7 mm initially stressed to 1500 MPa with
their centroid located 120 mm above the soffit of the beam.
Estimate the final % loss of stress due to elastic
deformation, creep, shrinkage and relaxation. Take Es = 210
kN/ ɸ = 1.60, = 3 x
•   prestressed concrete pile, 300 mm square contains 50 pretensioned
A
wires, each of 3 mm diameter, uniformly distributed over the section.
The wires are initially pretensioned on the prestressing bed with a
total force of 350 KN. Calculate the final stresses in concrete and the
percentage loss of stress in steel after all losses given the following
data:

Shortening due to Creep = 30 x mm/mm per

N/ of stress
Total shrinkage = 200 x per unit length
Relaxation of steel stress = 5% on initial stress
 PLATE NO. 4
•A  prestressed beam 200 mm wide 300 mm deep is prestressed with wires (Area = 320
located at a constant eccentricity of 50 mm and carrying initial stress of 1000 N/ .
The span of the beam is 10 m. Calculate the percentage of loss of stress in wires if:
a) The beam is pretensioned
b) The beam is post-tensioned

Shortening due to Creep = 30 x mm/mm per

N/ of stress
Shrinkage of Concrete = 300 x for pretensioning
and 200 x for post-tensioning
Relaxation of steel stress = 5% on initial stress
Creep Coefficient = 1.6
Frictional coefficient for wave effect = 0.0015 per meter