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Prestressed concrete
 | | Sections: Basic principles; Tendons; Prestress losses; Pretensioning and posttensioning; Circular prestress |
| Concrete with stresses induced in it before use so as to counteract stresses that will be produced by loads. Prestress is most effective with concrete, which is weak in tension, when the stresses induced are compressive. One way to produce compressive prestress is to place a concrete member between two abutments, with jacks between its ends and the abutments, and to apply pressure with the jacks. The most common way is to stretch steel bars or wires, called tendons, and to anchor them to the concrete; when they try to regain their initial length, the concrete resists and is prestressed. The tendons may be stretched with jacks or by electrical heating. |
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