PRESTRESSED CONCRETE IN CALIFORNIA

COSTS COMPARISONS ARE MADE BETWEEN PRESTRESSED AND CONVENTIONAL REINFORCED CONCRETE BRIDGES. IT IS POINTED OUT THAT CONVENTIONAL DESIGN REQUIRES GREATER DEPTHS OF GIRDERS THAN THE PRESTRESSED DESIGN, NECESSITATING HIGHER APPPROACH FILLS, WHICH SHOULD BE CHARGED AGAINST CONVENTIONAL DESIGN. PRESTRESSED CONCRETE HAS CERTAIN ADVANTAGES WHICH GIVE BENEFITS NOT REFLECTED IN UNIT COSTS. IT PERMITS THE CONSTRUCTION OF LONG BEAMS WHICH MAY BE LIFTED INTO PLACE WITHOUT THE NECESSITY FOR FALSE WORK OR FOR INTERRUPTION OF TRAFFIC BENEATH A STRUCTURE. IT PERMITS MORE SLENDER AND SHALLOW MEMBERS, ALLOWING GREATER HEAD ROOM AND DECREASING THE REQUIRED DEPTH OF A STRUCTURE. IT PERMITS A MEMBER TO BE BUILT IN PLACE AND THEN POSTTENSIONED TO TAKE ITS SHARE OF THE LOAD. PRECAST CONCRETE HAS LITTLE ADVANTAGE ON VERY SHORT SPANS BECAUSE IT RAISES THE DIFFICULTY OF TYING TOGETHER PRECAST CONCRETE MEMBERS. IT IS CONCLUDED THAT FOR THE BENEFITS DERIVED AND THE MONEY EXPENDED, PRESTRESSED CONCRETE ADDS AN ECONOMICAL AND EXCITING MEDIUM.

• Record URL:
  http://onlinepubs.trb.org/Onlinepubs/hrbbulletin/144/144-004.pdf
• Supplemental Notes:
  • No 144, pp 26-34, 10 FIG Distribution, posting, or copying of this PDF is strictly prohibited without written permission of the Transportation Research Board of the National Academy of Sciences. Unless otherwise indicated, all materials in this PDF are copyrighted by the National Academy of Sciences. Copyright © National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved.
• Authors:
  • Elliott, Arthur L
• Publication Date: 1956

Media Info

• Media Type: Digital/other
• Pagination: 9p
• Monograph Title: Some cost data on prestressed concrete bridges
• Serial:
  • Highway Research Board Bulletin
  • Issue Number: 144
  • Publisher: Highway Research Board

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Benefit cost analysis; Concrete bridges; Costs; Precast concrete; Prestressed concrete; Reinforced concrete; Reinforced concrete bridges
• Uncontrolled Terms: Comparative analysis
• Subject Areas: Bridges and other structures; Economics; Finance; Highways; Society;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00208940
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS, TRB
• Created Date: Jul 28 1994 12:00AM