CHAPTER 4

FLEXURAL DESIGN
(Part 1)
 BASIS OF DESIGN
(1) Allowable Stress Design Method.
• According to current practice in the United States,
prestressed concrete members are proportioned using
the Allowable Stress Design Method.
• Cross-section dimensions, prestress force, and
prestress eccentricity are selected to keep concrete
stresses within specified limits as the member ranges
from the unloaded stage to the full service load stage.
• When the member is unloaded, with initial prestress
force Pi and self-weight acting, concrete stress limits are
imposed that relate to the Concrete strength f’ci at the
time the prestress force is transferred to the concrete.
• At full service load, with effective prestress
force Pe acting, plus the actual dead loads
and specified service live loads, other
concrete stress limits are imposed that relate
to the full specified concrete strength f’c.

• The prestress tendon area is chosen, usually

based on the required initial prestress force
Pi, and certain allowable stresses for the
steel, related to the yield strength and
ultimate strength of the steel.
• Concrete stress limits imposed by the provisions
of the ACI Code are summarized in Table 3.1,
and allowable steel stresses are shown in Table
3.2.

• Beams proportioned based on stress limits as

just described must also satisfy other
requirements.

• Deflections at full service load, under sustained

load, and possibly other load combinations must
be calculated, and the results compared against
limit values.
• For partially prestressed beams, in which cracking at
full service loads is normal, control of crack width is
important to ensure that cracks will not be visually
objectionable and will not permit corrosion of the
highly stressed tendons.
• An adequate margin of safety against collapse must
be assured. This requires that the flexural strength be
calculated and compared against the strength
required to resist factored loads.
• Load factors specified in the ACI Code are given in
Table 1.2, and are used in conjunction with the
strength reduction factors shown in Table 1.3.
• If the strength of the trial section is found to be
inadequate, the design must be modified.
 (2) Strength Design Method
• By this method, the concrete section dimensions,
steel area, and steel centroid location are
selected to provide the required strength at
factored loads.
• This approach is similar to that generally used for
reinforced concrete.
• It is more difficult to employ for prestressed
beams, mainly because the stress in the tendon
at flexural failure fps is unknown at the start of the
design procedure.
• For typically under-reinforced concrete beams,
the steel stress is equal to the yield stress fy.
• All of the load stages considered in allowable stress
design must usually be investigated when using
strength design, although in a different order.
• A member designed by strength methods must be
checked to ensure that immediate deflections at
normal service load, as well as sustained load
deflection, are not excessive.
• Cracking must be investigated, and, in most cases,
it is also necessary to check that steel and concrete
stress limits imposed by the Code for the initial
unloaded stage and the full service load stage are
satisfied.
 (3) Load Balancing Design Method
• Trial dimensions are selected for the concrete
section, and prestress force and eccentricity are
chosen to provide an upward equivalent load that
is equal and opposite to a certain downward load
(often the full dead load).

• The factored load stage is then investigated, and

if the flexural strength is less than that required,
the strength is increased, usually by adding non-
pre stressed bar reinforcement to supplement the
tensile force in the prestressing tendons.
• The resulting design is often a combination of
reinforced concrete and prestressed
concrete.

• Flexural tensile cracks are generally present

at normal service load, and a check of crack
widths is important.

• Deflections must be calculated, accounting

for the partially cracked state of the beam,
using methods similar to those for ordinary
reinforced concrete.
 FLEXURAL DESIGN BASED ON
ALLOWABLE STRESSES
• According to the allowable stress design method, the
concrete cross-section dimensions, prestress force, and
prestress eccentricity are selected to ensure that specified
limiting concrete stresses are not exceeded as the beam
passes from the unloaded stage to the full service load
stage.
• Both concrete and steel may be considered elastic in this
range, and the member is usually assumed to be
uncracked.
• In a complete design, after member proportions have been
found, deflections, cracking, and strength must be
investigated and the tentative design modified, if necessary.
 FLEXURAL DESIGN BASED ON
ALLOWABLE STRESSES
• Many designers adopt a trial-and-error
approach. A cross section is assummed, and
the prestress force and profile determined.
The trial member is then checked to ensure
that stresses are within allowable limits.

• A more systematic approach is possible,

however, based on attaining limit stresses,
as nearly as possible, at the controlling load
stages.This approach will be followed here.
• Notation is established pertaining to the concrete
stresses at limiting stages as follows:

fci = allowable compressive stress immediately after transfer

fti = allowable tensile stress immediately after transfer
fcs = allowable compressive stress at service load, after all losses
fts = allowable tensile stress at service load, after all losses

• The values of these limit stresses are normally set by

specification (see Table 3.1)
 FLEXURAL DESIGN BASED ON
ALLOWABLE STRESSES
Case A: BEAMS IN WHICH PRESTRESS ECCENTRICITY VARIES
ALONG THE SPAN
To summarize the design process in determining the best
cross section, and the required prestress force and
eccentricity based on stress limitations:

• The required section moduli with respect to the top and bottom surfaces
of the member are found from Eqs. (4.1) and (4.2):
• The centroidal axis is located by Eq.
(4.3):
c1 S2
h S1  S 2

• Concrete dimensions are chosen to

satisfy these requirements as nearly as
possible.

• The concrete centroidal stress for this

ideal section is given by Eq. (4.4):
c1
f cci  f ti  ( f ti  f ci )
h
• The desired initial prestress force is found by
Eq. (4.5):
Pi  Ac f cci

and its eccentricity by Eq. (4.6):

S1 Mo
e  ( f ti  f cci ) Pi  Pi
EXAMPLE: Design of Beam with Variable Eccentricity Tendons

A post-tensioned prestressed concrete beam is to carry a

live load of 1,000 plf and superimposed dead load of 500
plf, in addition to its own weight, on a 40-ft simple span.
Normal density concrete will be used with design strength
f’c = 6,000 psi. It is estimated that, at the time of transfer,
the concrete will have attained 70 percent of its ultimate
strength, or 4,200 psi. Time-dependent losses may be
assumed at 15 percent of the initial prestress, giving an
effectiveness ratio of 0.85.
Determine the required concrete dimensions, magnitude of
prestress force, and eccentricity of the steel centroid based
on ACI stress limitations as given in Tables 3.1 and 3.2.
 4.2 FLEXURAL DESIGN BASED ON
ALLOWABLE STRESSES
Case B: BEAMS WITH CONSTANT ECCENTRICITY
• The design method presented in case A was based on
stress conditions at the maximum moment section of a
beam, with the maximum value of moment M0 resulting
from self-weight immediately superimposed.

• If Pi and e were to be held constant along the span, as

is often convenient in pretensioned prestressed
construction, then the stress limits fti and fci would be
exceeded elsewhere along the span, where M0 is less
than its maximum value i.e., maximum at extreme ends.
• While designing beams with constant eccentricity, the
requirements on the section moduli are that:

• The concrete centroidal stress may be found by Eq. (4.4) and

the initial prestress force by Eq. (4.5) as before.

• The expression for required eccentricity differs, as:

e = (fti – fcci) S1 / Pi
• Certain alternative means are available for
coping with the problem of excessive concrete
stresses resulting from prestress at the ends of
members with constant eccentricity.
• The prestress force may be reduced near the
ends of the span by encasing some of the
tendons in plastic sheathing, effectively moving
the point of application of prestress force inward
toward midspan for a part of the strands. Or
• Supplementary non-prestressed bar
reinforcement may be used in the end regions to
accommodate the local high stresses.
• The ACI Code includes a special provision that the
concrete tensile stress immediately after transfer,
before time-dependent losses, at the ends of
simply supported members, may be as high as
6(f'ci)1/2, twice the limit of 3(f'ci)1/2 that applies
elsewhere (see Table 3.1).
• Conditions at the supports will generally control
for beams with constant eccentricity, and fti may
be taken equal to 6(f'ci)1/2 in preceding equations.
• Superposition of M0 at midspan will generally
result in tension at the top surface in that region
less than the allowed 3(f'ci)1/2.
 4.2 FLEXURAL DESIGN BASED ON
ALLOWABLE STRESSES

EXAMPLE: Design of Beam with Constant

Eccentricity Tendons

The beam of the preceding examples is to be

redesigned using straight tendons with constant
eccentricity. All other design criteria are the
same as before. At the supports, a temporary
concrete tensile stress of 6(f'ci)1/2 = 390 psi is
permitted.