Problem: A prestressed concrete sleeper produced by pre-tensioning method has a rectangular cross-
section of 300 mm × 250 mm (b × h). It is prestressed with 9 numbers of straight 7 mm diameter wires
at 0.8 times the ultimate strength of 1570 N/mm 2. Estimate the percentage loss of stress due to elastic
shortening of Concrete. Consider m = 6.
π 2
Solution: Area of a single wire, A w = (7 ) =38.48 mm2
4
2
Total area of prestressing steel, A p =9 ×38.48=346.32mm
Area of concrete section, A=300 ×250=75000 mm2
3
300× ( 250 )
Moment of inertia of the section, I =
12
8 4
¿ 3.91 ×10 mm
Distance of centroid of steel area (CGS) from the soffit of the beam
4 ×38.48 × ( 250−40 )+ 5× 38.48 ×40
y=
9 ×38.48
¿ 115.5mm
Prestressing force, Pi=0.8 × 1570× 346.32
¿ 435 KN
250
Eccentricity of the prestressing force, e= −115.5=95 mm
2
Since the wires are distributed above and below the CGC, the losses are calculated for the top and
bottom wires separately.
Stress at level of top wires [ y= y t=125−40 ]
+PP .e
i
( f c )t = A − I y t
3 3
435 × 10 435 ×10 ×9.5 (
¿+ 3
− 8
125−40 )
75 ×10 3.91× 10
¿+5.8−0.9=+ 4.9 MPa
Stress at the level of bottom wires [ y= y b=125−40 ]
+P P .e
i
( f c )b= A + I y b
3 3
435 × 10 435 × 10 × 9.5 (
¿+ 3
+ 8
125−40 )
75 ×10 3.91 ×10
¿+5.8+ 0.9=+6.7 MPa
Loss of prestress in top wires (in terms of force) ¿ m f c . A p
¿ 6 × 4.9 × ( 4 ×38.48 )
¿ 4525.25 N
Loss of prestress in bottom wires (in terms of force) ¿ m f c . A p
¿ 6 ×6.7 × ( 5 ×38.48 )
¿ 7734.48 N
Total loss of prestress ¿ 4525.25+ 7734.48=12259.73 N=12.3 KN
12.3
Percentage loss ¿ ×100=2.83 %
435
Problem: A concrete beam of dimension 100 mm × 300 mm is post-tensioned with 5 straight wires of
7mm diameter. The average prestress after short-term losses is 0.7f pk = 1200 N/mm 2 and the age of
loading is given as 28 days. Given that E = 200 × 103 MPa, E = 35000 MPa, find out the losses of
prestress due to creep, shrinkage and relaxation. Neglect the weight of the beam in the computation of
the stresses.
Solution: Area of concrete section, A=100× 300=30000 mm2
3
100× ( 300 )
Moment of inertia of the section, I =
12
6 4
¿ 225 ×10 mm
π 2
Area of a single wire, A w = (7 ) =38.48 mm2
4
2
Total area of prestressing steel, A p =5× 38.48=192.42 mm
Prestressing force after short term losses
Po =A p f p o
¿ 192.4 ×1200
¿ 230880 N
E P 2× 105
Modular ratio, m= = =5.71
EC 35 ×103
Stress in concrete at the level of CGS
+ P o Po . e
f c= + .e
A I
2
230880 230880. ( 50 )
¿+ +
3 ×10 4 225 ×106
¿+7.69+ 2.56=+10.25 MPa
Loss of prestress due to creep of concrete
∆ f P=E P ε cr ,ult
Now, ε cr , ult =θ ε el
¿ E P .θ ε el
¿ E P .θ
( )
fc
Ec
mθ f c
¿ 5.71 ×1.6 ×10.25=93.64 MPa
[ θ=1.6 for loading at 28 days ] , Table 2C−1
Shrinkage strain from CL. [Link]
0.0002
ϵ sh =
log10 ( t+2 )
0.0002
¿
log 10 ( 28+ 2 )
−4
¿ 1.354 ×10
Loss of prestress due to shrinkage of concrete
( ∆ f p ) sh=E p ϵ sh
5 −4
¿ 2 ×10 ×1.354 × 10
¿ 27.08 MPa
Loss of prestress due to relaxation [from Table 2C-2 (Table 4)]
( ∆ f p )rl =70 MPa
Loss of prestressing force¿ ∆ f p A p
Therefore,
Loss of prestressing force due to creep of concrete ¿ 93.64 × 192.42=18018 N
Loss of prestressing force due to shrinkage ¿ 27.08 ×192.42=5211N
Loss of prestressing force due to relaxation (creep in steel) ¿ 70 ×192.42=13469 N
Total loss of prestressing force ¿ 18018+5211+ 13469=36698 N
36698
Loss of prestress (%)¿ ×100=15.9 %
230880
Problem: In a prestressed concrete beam of cross section 200 mm × 300 mm and span 6.0 m, an initial
prestressing force of 400 kN is applied at an eccentricity of 70 mm by tendons of area 400 mm 2.
5 2 5 2
Assuming E s=2 ×10 N /mm , Ec =0.333× 10 N /mm , creep coefficient in concrete θ=1.0, shrinkage
of concrete ¿ 0.0002 and creep loss in steel ¿ 3.0 % . Find the total percentage loss of stress in the
tendons.
Solution:
2
Given: l=6.0 m , P o=400 KN , A s =400 mm , e=70 mm
Area of concrete section, A=200 ×300=60000 mm2
3
200× ( 300 )
Moment of inertia of the section, I =
12
8 4
¿ 4.5 × 10 mm
EP 2 ×10
5
Modular ratio, m= = =6
EC 0.333 ×105
3
400 ×10
Initial stress in the tendons ¿ =1000 MPa
400
Initial stress in concrete at the level of the tendons
+ P o Po . e
f c= + .e
A I
3 2
400 × 103 400 × 10 ( 70 )
¿+ +
6 ×10 4 4.5× 108
¿+11.02 MPa
Loss of stress due to elastic shortening of concrete
mfc
¿ 6 ×11.02=66.12 MPa
Loss of prestress due to creep of concrete
mθ f c
¿ 6 ×1.0 × 11.02=66.12 MPa
Loss of prestress due to shrinkage of concrete
( ∆ f p ) sh=E p ϵ sh
5
¿ 2 ×10 ×0.0002
¿ 40 MPa
Loss of prestressing force due to relaxation (creep in steel)
3 % of initial stress
3
×1000=30 MPa
100
Therefore, total loss of stress ¿ 66.12+66.12+ 40+30=202.24 MPa
202.24
Loss of stress (%)¿ × 100=20.22 %
1000
Problem: Design the end zone reinforcement for the pre-tensioned beam shown in the following figure.
The sectional properties of the beam are as follows.
A = 46,400 mm2
I = 8.47 × 108 mm4
Z = 4.23 × 106 mm3
There are 8 prestressing wires of 5 mm diameter.
Ap = 8 × 19.6 = 157 mm2
The initial prestressing is as follows.
fp0 = 1280 N/mm2.
Limit the stress in end zone reinforcement (fs) to 140 N/mm2
Solution:
1) Determination of stress block above CGC
Initial prestressing force
Po =A p f p o
¿ 157 ×1280
¿ 201 KN
Stress in concrete at top
+P P .e
i
( f c )t = A − Z
3 3
201 ×10 201× 10 × 90
¿+ − 5
46400 4.23 ×10
≈ 0 MPa
Stress in concrete at bottom
+P P .e
i
( f c )b= A + I y b
3 3
201 ×10 201 ×10 × 90
¿+ +
46400 4.23 ×5
¿+ 8.6 MPa
2) Determination of components of compression block
1
C 1= ×1.29 ×200 ×60
2
¿ 7.74 KN
1
y 1=140+ × 60
3
¿ 160 mm
1
C 2= ×1.29 ×140 ×80
2
¿ 7.22 KN
2
y 1= × 140
3
¿ 93.3 mm
1
C 3= × 4.3× 140 ×80
2
¿ 24.08 KN
1
y 1= × 140
3
¿ 46.7 mm
3) Determination of moment
M =∑ C 1 . y 1
¿ C 1 . y 1+ C2 . y 2+C 3 . y 3
¿ ( 7.74 ×160 ) + ( 7.22× 93.3 ) + ( 24.08 × 46.7 )
¿ 3036.6 KNmm
4) Determination of amount of end zone reinforcement
2.5 M
A st =
f sh
3
2.5× 3036.6 ×10
¿
140 × 400
2
¿ 135.6 mm
With 6 mm dia. bars, required number of 2 legged closed stirrups
135.6
¿ ≈3
2× 28.3
For plain wires, transmission length
Lt =100 ϕ
¿ 100 ×6=600 mm
Provide 2 stirrups within distance
600
3
1
( )
=200 mm Lt from the end. The third stirrup is in the
3
2 2
remaining Lt = ×600=400 mm
3 3
Problem: Design the bearing plate and the end zone reinforcement for the following bonded post-
tensioned beam. The strength of concrete at transfer is 50 N/mm 2. A prestressing force of 1055 kN
is applied by a single tendon. There is no eccentricity of the tendon at the ends.
Solution:
1) Let the bearing plate be 200 mm × 300 mm.
Pk
f br=
A pun
3
1055× 10
¿
200 ×300
2
¿ 17.5 N /mm
The allowable bearing stress is given by
f br ,all =0.48 f ci
√ A br
A pun
0.48 ×50
√ 400 ×600
200 ×300
2
¿ 48 N /mm
2
≤ 0.8 f ci=0.8 ×50=40 N /mm OK
2) Calculate bursting force
In the vertical direction
[
F bst =Pk 0.32−0.3
y p0
y0 ]
[
¿ 1055 0.32−0.3
300
600 ]
¿ 179.3 KN
3) End zone reinforcement
Fbst
A st =
fs
( f s ) is limited to 0.87 f y
3
179.3× 10
¿
0.87 ×250
2
¿ 824.6 mm
2 2 2
Provide A st = × 824.6=550 mm within 0.1 y 0=60 mm and0.5 y 0=30 0 mm from the end.
3 3
Select (6) 2 legged 8 mm dia. stirrups.
1 1 2
Provide A st = × 824.6=275 mm within 0.5 y 0=30 0 mm and y 0=6 00 mm from the end.
3 3
Select (5) 2 legged 6 mm dia. stirrups.