Application of partial prestressing for crack control in reinforced concrete structures

In the last few decades, prestressed concrete has been rapidly used in structural engineering due to the enormous development in the construction techniques and the increasing need for heavily reinforced structures like long span bridges. It has currently become more desirable as it has better mechanical properties and durability performance. Major defect of fully prestressed concrete is its low ductility; it may produce less alarming signs than ordinary reinforced concrete via smaller deflection and limited cracking. Therefore, partial prestressing is considered an intermediate design between the two extremes. So, combining high strength concrete with partial prestressing will result in a considerable development in the use of prestressed concrete structures with regard to economy and durability.This paper presents the history of partial prestressing; partial prestressing design approach; crack control using partial prestressing and its potential application.