EXPERIMENTAL-STUDY OF THE COMPRESSIVE-FORCE PATH CONCEPT IN PRESTRESSED CONCRETE BEAMS

A physical model, based on the concept of the compressive-force path, is proposed for the realistic design of prestressed concrete members. The compressive-force trajectory, as defined by this model, is verified through experimental investigations. A test conducted on a prestressed concrete T-beam has revealed that designing such members to the current code provisions may lead to a brittle type of failure. On the other hand, a similar girder designed to the proposed model not only attained its full flexural failure load, but did so with an amount of transverse reinforcement significantly lower than that specified by current methods.