Beams prestressed with unbonded tendons at ultimate

Abstract

This paper presents a numerical investigation on beams and slabs prestressed with either unbonded internal or external tendons. Twenty-three experimental tests (beams and slabs prestressed with unbonded internal tendons) were numerically simulated to verify the reliability of the numerical algorithm adopted. The good agreement established enables us to study the behaviour of these beams in depth and to compare it with the behaviour of similar beams prestressed with external tendons. The numerical analyses were then repeated after including the safety factors related to the materials. The outputs were then compared with the results adopted by making use of the simplified method suggested by Eurocode E.C.2 Part 1-5, to check the size of the error involved in the adoption of the latter. Key words: numerical analysis, unbonded internal tendons, external tendons, European Prestandard, prestressed concrete, beams, post-tensioned.