Unit 2 Losses in Prestressed Concrete

The effective prestress in concrete under goes a gradual reduction with time from the For Micro Notes by the
Student
stage of transfer due to various causes. This is referred to as loss of prestress.

The different types of losses are as below:

Losses

Immediate Time dependent

Elastic Anchorage Creep Shrinkage Relaxation

Friction
shortening slip

Pretensioning:
1. Elastic deformation concrete.
2. Relaxation of stress in steel.
3. Shrinkage of concrete.
4. Creep of concrete.

Post tensioning:
1. No loss due to elastic deformation if all the wires are simultaneously tensioned.
If the bars are successively tensioned, there will be loss of prestress due to
elastic deformation of concrete
2. Relaxation of stress in steel.
3. Shrinkage of concrete.
4. Creep of concrete.
5. Friction.
6. Anchorage slip.
In addition there may be losses due to sudden change in temperature especially in
steam curing of pretensioned units.

1. Elastic deformation of concrete: When the prestress is applied to the concrete, an

elastic shortening of concrete takes place. This results in an equal and simultaneous
shortening of the prestressing steel.
Mathematically, loss due to elastic deformation
∆σ = m.fc
Where,

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 2 Prestressed Concrete Structures

m = modular ratio = (Es/Ec) For Micro Notes by the

fc = Prestress in concrete at the level of steel. Student

= P + Pe ]eg
A I

Example:1

A rectangular pretensioned prestressed concrete

beam has straight concentric force with a
prestressing force of 1000 kN. The beam is 300 mm
х 500 mm in section. M20 grade concrete is used.
The loss of prestress due to elastic shortening is
(a) 22.37MPa (b) 32.47MPa
(c) 48.33MPa (d) 52.33MPa

2. Loss due to shrinkage of concrete:

Shrinkage is defined as change in volume of concrete members. It is dependent
on humidity in atmosphere with passage of time but is unrelated to application of
load.

Factors affecting shrinkage:-

1. Type of cement and aggregate.
2. Method of curing.

Use of high strength concrete with low water/cement ratios results in a reduction
in shrinkage and consequent loss of prestress. The primary cause of drying
shrinkage is the progressive loss of water from concrete.
In the case of pre-tensioned members, generally moist curing is resorted to in
order to prevent shrinkage until the time of transfer. Consequently the total
residual shrinkage strain will be larger in pretensioned members after transfer of
prestress in comparison with post tensioned member, where a portion of shrinkage
will have already taken place by the time of transfer of stress.

Loss of stress due to shrinkage = εcs х Es
Where,
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 3 Losses in Prestress

εcs = Total residual shrinkage strain having values of 3× 10 -4 for pre tensioned For Micro Notes by the
member Student

2 # 10 -4
log10 ]t + 2g
for post tensioning

t = age of concrete at transfer in days.
Es = modulus of elasticity of steel.

3. Loss due to creep of concrete:

Creep is the property of concrete by which it continuous to deform with time under
sustained loads at unit stresses with in the accepted elastic range. This in elastic
deformation increases at a decreasing rate during the time of loading and its total
magnitude maybe several times as large as the short term elastic deformation.
• The strain due to creep vary with the magnitude of stress.
• It is a time dependent phenomenon.
Creep of concrete results in loss in steel stress.
Loss of stress due to creep can be calculated by the following two methods

(a) Ultimate creep strain method:

(b) Creep coefficient method:

(As per IS 1343)

4. Relaxation of stress in steel:
Relaxation is assumed to mean the loss of stress in steel under nearly constant
strain at constant temperature. It is similar to creep of concrete. Loss due to
relaxation varies widely for different steels and the steel manufacturers based on
test data may supply its magnitude. This loss is generally of the order of 2 to 8%
of the initial stress.
This is generally - 1000 hours of referred to at loading at 27oC

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 4 Prestressed Concrete Structures

For Micro Notes by the

Relaxation stress,
Initial stress Student
MPa
0.5 fy 0
0.6 fy 35
0.7 fy 70
0.8 fy 90

5. Friction loss in post tensioned members:

This loss occurs only in the post tensioned members. There are small frictional
losses in the jacking equipment. The friction between tendons and surrounding
materials is not small and may be considered partly a length effect (wobble effect)
and partly a curvature effect. In straight lengths it occurs due to wobble effect,
and in curved lengths, it occurs due to curvature and wobble effect.
Px = Po .e -^na + Kxh
Po = Prestressing force at the jacking end.
µ = Coefficient of friction between cable and duct (0.25 to 0.55)
α = The cumulative angle in radians through which the tangent to the cable profile
has turned between any two point under consideration.
K = Friction coefficient for wave effect (15 х 10 –4 to 50 х 10 –4).
e = 2.7183. also
Px = Po 71 − _µα + Kx iA
Loss of prestressing force, ∆P = Po (µ α + Kx)

Example: 2

A rectangular post tensioned concrete beam

of span 10m, 150mm wide and 300 mm deep,
is prestressed by a cable of initial prestress 1200
MPa. The cable is parabolic with an eccentricity
of 50 mm at mid span towards tension zone.
Coefficient of friction between ducting material
and cable is 0.3 and wobbling constant is
0.0015/m. Percentage loss of prestress due to
friction when cable is tensioned from one end is__

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 5 Losses in Prestress

6. Loss due to anchorage slip: For Micro Notes by the

(The loss during anchorage) Student

In most tensioning systems, when the cable is tensioned and the jack is released to
transfer prestress to concert, the friction wedges employed to grip the wires, slip
over a small distance before the wires are finally housed between the wedges. The
magnitude of slip depends upon the type of wedge.
∆σ = (Es./L). δ
Where,
δ = slip of anchorage, mm
Es = Mod. Elasticity of steel, N/mm2
L = length of cable, mm
% loss is higher for short members than for comparatively longer ones.

Example: 3

A concrete beam of 30 m span is post tensioned

by a cable carrying an initial stress of 1000 MPa.
The slip at jacking end is 5mm. Es = 210 kN/mm2.
Percentage loss of prestress due to anchorage
slip is __

Percentage loss of stress

Type of loss(%)
Pre tensioning Post Tensioning
1. Elastic
shortening of 3 1
concrete
2. Creep of
6 5
concrete
3. Shrinkage of
7 6
concrete
4. Creep
in steel 2 3
(Relaxation)
Total 18 15

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 6 Prestressed Concrete Structures

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Objective Classroom Practice Questions Student

Common Data for Questions 1, 2 & 3

A concrete beam of 10 m span, 100 mm wide and 300 mm deep , is prestressed by
a cable of cross sectional area of 200 sq. mm and initial stress in the cable is 1200
MPa. The cable is parabolic with an eccentricity of 50 mm above the centroid at
the supports and 50 mm below at the center of span. Estimate the percentage of
loss of stress in each cable due to friction. Assume µ=0.35 and k=0.0015 per m.

01. Determine the percentage loss of stress due to friction when the cable is tensioned
from one end
(a) 3.18 (b) 4.30 (c) 5.28 (d) 6.46

02. Determine the percentage loss of stress due to friction when the cable is tensioned
from both the ends
(a) 1.5 (b) 2.15 (c) 3.48 (d)Zero

03. Determine the percentage loss of stress due to friction when the cable is straight
and tensioned from one end.
(a) 0.5 (b) 1.5 (c) 4.5 (d) 6

04. A 10 m long prestressing bed is used to cast 4 (pretensioned) prestressed concrete

beams of 2.3 m each. A schematic representation of the bed is given in the following
figure. The continuous prestressing reinforcement is pulled at the end ‘Y’of the
bed through a distance of 20 mm to introduce the required prestress, before the
concrete is cast. After the concrete has hardened, the prestressing reinforcement is
cut at points A, B, C, D & E.
Assuming that the prestress is introduced without eccentricity, what is the loss in
prestress on account of elastic deformation of concrete. Assume Es=200,000 MPa.
Ec = 20,000 MPa, area of prestressing reinforcement 500 mm2. The size of the
beam is 200 mm х 400 mm

A
B C D E

(Fixed) X Y (Movable)

(a) 100 MPa (b) 125MPa (c) 25MPa (d) 75MPa

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 7 Losses in Prestress

Common Data for Questions 05 & 06 ForMicro

For MicroNotes
Notesby
bythe
the
A post tensioned concrete beam, 100 mm wide and 300 mm deep is prestressed by Student
Student
three cables each with a cross-sectional area of 50 mm . and with an initial stress
2

of 1200 MPa. All the three cables are straight and located 100 mm from the soffit
of the beam. If the modular ratio is 6, the loss of stress due to elastic shortening
in the beam

05. When simultaneous tension and anchoring of all the three cables is done will be
(a) 24.5 MPa (b) 12.5 MPa (c) 35MPa (d) zero

06. When successive tensioning of the three cables are done (one at a time)
(a) 48.06 MPa (b) 24.5 MPa
(c) 78.2MPa (d) zero

07. The percentage loss of prestress due to anchorage slip of 3 mm in a concrete beam
of length 30 m which is post tensioned by a tendon with an initial stress of 1200
MPa and modulus of elasticity equal to 2.1х105 MPa is
(a) 0.0175 (b) 0.175 (c) 1.75 (d) 17.5

08. A rectangular concrete beam of width 120 mm and depth 200mm is prestressed
by pretensioning to a force of 150 kN at an eccentricity of 20mm. The cross
sectional area of the prestressing steel is 187.5 mm2. Take modulus of elasticity of
steel and concrete as 2.1х105 MPa and 3.0х104 MPa respectively. The percentage
loss of stress in the prestressing steel due to elastic deformation of concrete
is
(a) 8.75 (b) 6.125 (c) 4.81 (d) 2.19

09. An ordinary mid steel bar has been prestressed to a working stress of 200MPa
Youngs modulus of steel is 200 GPa. Permanent negative strain due to shrinkage
and creep is 0.0008. How much is the effective stress left in steel?
(a) 184 MPa (b) 160 MPa (c) 40 MPa (d) 16 MPa

KEY for CRPQ

01. (b) 02. (b) 03. (b) 04. (c) 05. (d)
06. (a) 07. (c) 08. (b) 09. (c)

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 8 Prestressed Concrete Structures

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Conventional Classroom Practice Questions Student

01. A prestressed concrete pile of 300 mm square, contains 50 pretensioned wires,

each of 3 mm diameter, uniformly distributed over the section. The wires are
initially tensioned on the prestressing bed with a total force of 400 kN. Calculate
the final stress in concrete and the percentage loss of stress in steel after all losses,
given the following data:
Es = 210 kN/mm2
Ec = 32 kN/mm2
Shortening due to creep = 35 × 10–6 mm/mm/per N/mm2 of stress
Total shrinkage = 250 × 10–6 per unit length
Relaxation of steel stress = 6% of initial stress.
02. A prestressed concrete beam 250 mm wide and 360 mm deep has a span of 12m.
The beam is prestressed by steel wires of area 350 mm2 Provided at a uniform
eccentricity of 60mm with an initial prestress of 1250 N/mm2. Determine the
percentage loss of stress in the wires.
(a) if the beam is a pretensioned beam
(b) if the beam is a post tensioned beam.
Take, Es = 210 kN/mm2, Ec = 35 kN/mm2
Ultimate creep strain = 45 × 10–6 mm/mm per N/mm2 for pretensioned beam
= 22 × 10–6 mm/mm per N/mm2 for post tensioned beam
Shrinkage of concrete = 300 × 10–6 for pretensioned beam
= 215 × 10–6 for pretensioned beam
Relaxation of steel stress = 5% of the initial stress
Anchorage slip = 1.25 mm
Friction coefficient for wave effect
K = 0.00015 /m

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 9 Losses in Prestress

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Previous JntuH Questions Student

1. Explain the terms loss of pre-stress. [April-2018]

2. Briefly explain about slinp in anchorage. [April-2018]
3. Expalin various losses of prestress in pre-tensioned and post-tensioned members
and how they are taken care in design. [April-2018]
4. A prestressed concrete girder is post-tensioned using a cable concentric at supports
and having an eccentricity of 400mm at centre of span. The effective span of
the girder is 25m. the initial force in the cable is 400kN at the jacking end A.
Determine the loss of force in the cable due to friction and wave effect and the
effective force in the cable at the farther end B. Assume coefficient of friction µ=
0.30 and coefficient for wave effect k= 0.0043/m. [April-2018]
5. A pre-tensioned prestressed concrete sleeper 300mm wide by 250mm deep is
prestressed using 9 wires of 7 mm diameter. Four wires are located at top and 5
wires near the soffit. The effective cover being 40mm. The initial stress in the wire
is 1256 N/mm2. Assuming the modular ratio as 6, estimate the percentage loss of
stress in the top and bottom wires due to elastic deformation of concrete.
[April-2018]
6. What is loss due to creep of steel? [July-2017]
7. Explain how short term losses can be eliminated. [July-2017]
8. a) Explain any two losses that occur in post-tensioned system.
b) A concrete beam is prestressed by a cable carrying an initial prestressing force
of 300kN. The cross-sectional area of the wires in the cable is 300mm2. Calculate
the percentage loss of stress in the cable only due to shrinkage of concrete using
IS: 1343 recommendations assuming the beam to be, (i) pre-tensioned and (ii)
post-tensioned. Assume Es = 210 Gpa, and age of concrete at transfer is 10 days.
[July-2017]

9. a) Discuss the loss due to friction in post tensioned members.

b) A pre-tensioned Pre-stressed beam of 200mm wide and 300mm deep is used
over an span of 8m is prestressed with a wires of area 300mm2 at an eccentricity of
50mm carrying a prestress of 1000 N/mm2. Find the percentage of loss of stress,
take Ec = 35 kN/mm2, shrinkage of concrete = 300*10-6 units, creep of concretre
= 1.6. [July-2017]
10. Explain the total amount of losses allowed in the design of pre-tensioning
member. [May-2017]
11. Expain the different types of losses of prestress in pre-tensioned and post-tensioned
members. [May-2017]

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 10 Prestressed Concrete Structures

12. A simply supported post tensioned concrete beam of span 10m has section 200 x For Micro Notes by the
450mm is subjected to an initial prestressing force of 300kN applies at a constant Student
eccentricity of 75mm by tendons of 250mm2. Find the total loss of prestress in the
tendons using the following data: Es = 2*105 N/mm2, Ec = 35 kN/mm2, anchorage
slip= 3mm, creep coefficient of concrete = 1.5, shrinkage of concrete = 0.0002 and
relaxation of steel=2%. [May-2017]

13. Determine the total loss of prestress in a simply supported pre-tensioned concrete
beam of span 12m and cross-section 250 x 500mm. The beam is pre-stressed with
900kN at transfer. The steel cable has a cross-sectional area of 750mm2 and has a
straight profile with an eccentricity of 150mm. Use M40 grade of concrete and Es
= 2*105 N/mm2. [May-2017]

Losses in Pre-stress
Previous GATE and IES Questions
01. The loss of prestress due to elastic shortening of concrete is least in
(GATE - 92)
(a) One wire pretensioned beam
(b) One wire post-tensioned beam
(c) Multiple wire pretensioned beam with sequential cutting of wires
(d) Multiple wire post-tensioned beam subjected to sequential prestressing.

02. Which of the following is categorized as a long-term loss of prestress in a

prestressed concrete member? (GATE - 12)
(a) Loss due to elastic shortening
(b) Loss due to friction
(c) Loss due to relaxation of strands
(d) Loss due to anchorage slip

03. The percentage loss of prestress due to anchorage slip of 3 mm in a concrete beam
of length 30 m which is post-tensioned by a tendon with an initial stress of 1200
N/mm2 and modulus of elasticity equal to 2.1 × 105 N/mm2 is (GATE - 07)
(a) 0.0175 (b) 0.175 (c) 1.75 (d) 17.5

04. A beam with a rectangular cross section of size 250 mm wide and 350 mm deep is
prestressed by a force of 400 kN using 8 numbers 7 mm φ steel cables located at
an eccentricity of 75 mm. Determine the loss of prestress due to creep of concrete.
Grade of concrete is M40; Coefficient of creep is 2; stress at transfer is 80%,
Modulus of elasticity of steel(Es) is 2.0 × 105 MPa. (GATE - 99)

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