Getting the Best from Prestressed Concrete

1. Prestressed concrete has captured the imagination of many designers. It enables lighter construction than ordinary reinforced work. Although prestressed concrete is increasingly used for buildings, its full potentialities have not yet been realized.

2. There must be full cooperation between architect, engineer and contractor if full advantage is to be taken of prestressed concrete. The most interesting and successful buildings in recent years have been those in which all three have worked together from the start.

3. The practical, economic and aesthetic benefits of prestressed concrete for buildings are evident. From the practical viewpoint, it permits large spans with relatively shallow-section members even when heavy loads are required. This means fewer columns, more unrestricted floor space and, of course, a reduction in weight and the distance from floor to floor.

4. Economically, prestressing means a saving in materials. It is particularly economical where large spans or heavy loads, or both, are involved by prestressed concrete. The advantages of large uninterrupted spans from the aesthetic point of view are self evident, as are the canopies and cantilivers that prestressing makes possible.

5. For the framed multistorey block, prestressing is most useful where the open flexible plan is required. Large spans and the minimum of internal columns are necessary, and prestressed beams and floors can provide an efficient and attractive solution.

6. An interesting development in prestressed concrete recently has been its popularity for multistorey car parks, where free space for parking maneuvering is essential. One of the most successful multistorey car parks houses some 800 cars on six floors, many more similar car parks being planned.