Bridge-Principles of Prestressing

Prestressed concrete bridges made long and slender bridge spans possible for aesthetic and economic purposes.

Tendons are stretched and anchored against the concrete, transferring its tension force to concrete as compression.

This compression counteracts the tensile stress in concrete section under shear force and bending moment.

This strengthens the beam since concrete is superior in resisting compression.

Prestressing can be either pre-tensioning or post-tensioning.