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1.Cable Sizing: (i) Calculate the factored moment at the critical positive and negative moment positions.

(ii) At each critical section, calculate the lever-arm distance between the centroid of the assumed compression block of the concrete section and the centroid of the prestress cable group (alowing for necessary cover and cable spacing). (iii) Determine required final prestress force by dividing factored moment by lever-arm. (iv) Calculate prestress area by dividing this final prestress force by the strand factored resistance (Phi x GUTS) (v) Confirm number of cables required, and re-check the cable positioning constraints in section (and re-calc the lever arm as required). 2. Back-calculate jacking force: Jacking force is approximately 25% higher than final prestress force calculated above, assuming 20% losses (10% initial losses, 5% creep, 2% shrinkage, 3% prestressing steel relaxation). The initial losses come from typical values of 5% for friction & wobble, 2.5% for a 6mm wedge slip, and 2.5% for elastic deformation of the girder section. 3. Check concrete SLS extreme fibre stresses against code limits using service moments, secondary effects from the presressing and C&S and the following effective primary prestress forces (i.e. after resp. losses): (i) At initial prestress transfer using 90% of jacking force (ii) At final stage using 80% of jacking force You probably have the "preliminary sizing" for your cables after the very quick step 1, but need to do checks in Step 2 & 3 to confirm that your whole section arrangement is working.

Before sizing tendons I would ask myself the following question: What do I want to achieve with the prestressing-effect? This question has many possible answers such as (a) increased stiffness, (b) fewer concrete cracks, (c) smaller crack widths, (d) increased slenderness, (e) avoiding mild steel congestion, (f) saving material and cost, (g) an increased durability and robustness (g) an accelerated construction process etc. But there is another point I would like to mention. Eugne Freyssinet, a pioneer of prestressed concrete, believed that prestressing should ensure that the concrete never experiences any tensile stresses. Today we know that in many cases even high degrees of prestress (you will find a definition in my last paragraph) did not achieve this objective and did not deliver the most

economical solutions. On the other hand, we all know that the use of highstrength prestressing steel requires strict crack control rules and that a low degree of mild steel may be fatal if cracks do occur. I believe that partly-prestressed structures with a minimum amount of mild steel are the best to achieve effective and durable concrete structures. The degree of prestress depends on many factors (e.g. structural purpose, geometry, dead and live load, time depending effects). How does this work in the real world? Ask yourself the following questions: 1. What is the minimum mild steel prescribed by the design standard? 2. Does the minimum mild steel required by code provide proper crack control in my case? 3. What degree of prestress is required to satisfy the ULS design scenarios if I use only the selected mild steel required for crack control? 4. Do I achieve my SLS objectives (e.g. crack control, concrete and steel stresses, deformations) with the selected degrees of prestress and mild steel? 5. What does this mean for detailing (e.g. anchorage zones, splices, construction joints)? 6. How can I optimize my design in respect to cost and construction schedule?

I mentioned several times the terms (i) degree of prestress and (ii) degree of mild steel and I owe you definitions. There are no generally accepted definitions so I give you mine: (i) You achieve a 100% degree of prestress if you satisfy SLS and ULS design scenarios with high-strength prestressing steel only. (ii) You achieve a 100% degree of mild steel if you satisfy SLS and ULS design scenarios with mild steel only.

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