What is prestressed concrete?

World-leading concrete expert Professor Chris Burgoyne introduces viewers to pre-stressed concrete.

This is the third in the Bare Essentials of Concrete series: the key things people who are studying construction or who are working in construction need to understand about concrete.

Professor Burgoyne is head of the Structures Lab at the University of Cambridge. In this video he describes the principles behind pre-stressed concrete, its properties and applications and how engineers use the principle in structures.

Learning outcomes:

• The effect of applying compressive force to connected elements.
• How a compressive force eliminates tension in a beam.
• The advantages compared with reinforced concrete.

In this video he describes the principles behind pre-stressed concrete, its properties and applications and how engineers use the principle in structures.

Learning outcomes :

• How to apply compressive force to a beam.
• How to use cables in a pre-stressed concrete beam.
• Pre-tensioned and post-tensioned pre-stressed concrete and the applications of each.
• The amount of tension needed. Is reinforcement required.

In this video he describes the principles behind pre-stressed concrete, its properties and applications and how engineers use the principle in structures.

Learning outcomes:

• A description of creep and its effects.
• How to counteract the effects of creep.

In this video he describes the principles behind pre-stressed concrete, its properties and applications and how engineers use the principle in structures.

Learning outcomes:

• The effect of changing the position of the pre-stressing cable in the beam.
• Sagging and hogging bending.
• How to position the cable in response to the type of bending involved.
• Failure mode of a pre-stressed concrete beam.

In this video he describes the principles behind pre-stressed concrete, its properties and applications and how engineers use the principle in structures.

Learning outcomes:

• How to apply compressive force to a beam.
• How to use cables in a pre-stressed concrete beam.
• Pre-tensioned and post-tensioned pre-stressed concrete and the applications of each.
• The amount of tension needed. Is reinforcement required.