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Founded in 1904 and headquartered in Farmington Hills, Michigan, USA, the American Concrete Institute is a leading authority and resource worldwide for the development, dissemination, and adoption of its consensus-based standards, technical resources, educational programs, and proven expertise for individuals and organizations involved in concrete design, construction, and materials, who share a commitment to pursuing the best use of concrete.
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Home > Tools > Frequently Asked Questions
Q. What is the difference between conventional reinforced concrete and prestressed concrete? A. In prestressed concrete, internal stresses are introduced by compressing the concrete so that the tensile stresses resulting from service loads can be counteracted to a desired degree. The prestress is introduced by tensioning the tendons. The presence of the prestress enables the concrete to carry higher loads without cracking. With prestressed concrete, the engineer can also design longer spans using the same depth beam. References: SP-1(02); ACI 318-19; E2-00; SP-344 Topics in Concrete: 318 Building Code; Concrete Fundamentals; Prestressed Concrete; Reinforcement in Concrete
Q. What is the difference between conventional reinforced concrete and prestressed concrete?
A. In prestressed concrete, internal stresses are introduced by compressing the concrete so that the tensile stresses resulting from service loads can be counteracted to a desired degree. The prestress is introduced by tensioning the tendons. The presence of the prestress enables the concrete to carry higher loads without cracking. With prestressed concrete, the engineer can also design longer spans using the same depth beam.
References: SP-1(02); ACI 318-19; E2-00; SP-344
Topics in Concrete: 318 Building Code; Concrete Fundamentals; Prestressed Concrete; Reinforcement in Concrete
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