Prestressing Tendons

Prestressing tendons are high-tensile steel strands, wires, or bars embedded in concrete bridge beams to introduce permanent compressive stresses, counteracting tensile forces from loads. They are tensioned before or after concrete casting, transferring stress through anchorage systems to improve structural performance, reduce deflection, and prevent cracking under service conditions.

Tendons are tensioned using hydraulic jacks, inducing elastic elongation. This tension creates compressive forces in the concrete upon anchoring, balancing tensile stresses from external loads (e.g., traffic, dead weight). The principle relies on pre-compression to keep concrete in compression, enhancing stiffness and fatigue resistance.