Sitjar, Andrea V.

Research Work
CE133-2 - A06 Aug. 19, 2019

High Strength Concrete

Prestressed concrete structures built to prolong the life span of the concrete and make the
concrete lighter and shallower without losing its strength. Its properties of the concrete, (1) high
compressive strength, (2) long durability, (3) low shrinkage, (4) minimum creep, (5) high value of
modulus of elasticity. The concrete in a prestressed concrete structure is subjected in high bearing
stresses due to anchoring at its ends of the beam. The steel in prestressed concrete structures
serves high tensile strength to counteract the compressive strength of the concrete which tends
to usually form cracks due to the lack of initial tensile strength from steel.

High Tension Steel

High-tension steel used in prestressed concrete consists of wires, bars, or strands. Its
ultimate strength of high tensile steel is 2100 N/mm2. The losses of shrinkage and creep with
the stress of 200 N/mm2. High tensile steel can be attained in prestressed concrete by
increasing the carbon content in steel. The percentage of carbon is 0.6%-0.85%, 0.7%-1% of
manganese, 0.05% of Sulphur and phosphorus. The maximum tensile stress at initial tensioning
time should not exceed 80% of ultimate tensile strength of the wire.

Prestressing Hardware & Prestressing Equipment

Wires
- Prestressing wire is a single unit made of steel.
Strands
- Two, three, or seven wires are wound to form a prestressing strand.

Tendon
- A group of strands or wires are wound to form a prestressing tendon.

Cable
- A group of tendons to form a prestressing cable.
Bars
- A tendon can be made up of a single steel bar. The diameter of a bar is much larger
than that of a wire.

Anchorage
- are often made on the wedge and friction principle. In pre-tensioned members, the
tendons are to be held in tension during the casting and hardening of concrete.

Tendon Couplers
- A continuous tendon is laid over a few spans of girders in bridge construction. Couplers
are used to provide optimum prestressing efficiency.
Ducts
- are conduits or passages used in heating, ventilation, and air conditioning to deliver and
remove air. The needed airflows include, for example, supply air, return air, and exhaust
air. Ducts commonly also deliver ventilation air as part of the supply air.

Stressing jacks (or other tensioning devices)

- are used to apply tension to the tendons. Hydraulic jacks are commonly used. These
jacks work on oil pressure generated by a pump. The principle behind the design of
jacks is Pascal’s law.

Harping Devices
- The tendons are usually bent, except in cases of slabs-on-grade, poles, piles etc. The
tendons are bent (harped) in between the supports with a shallow sag as shown below.