Abstract

This paper presents findings from an experimental study on the effects of different environmental factors on post-tensioned prestressed concrete beams. The study included four different environments: outdoor shielded, drying-wetting cycles with tap water, drying-wetting cycles with NaCl solution, and drying-wetting cycles with NaCl solution and energized longitudinal rebars. A vibratingstring anchor cable dynamometer was used to measure the stress variation in prestressing strands. The results indicate that ambient temperature affects the trend of stresses in the prestressing strands. The increasing humidity caused by drying-wetting cycles and increasing salinity caused by NaCl solution led to the expansion of the concrete and increased stresses in the prestressing strands. Additionally, the corrosion of longitudinal rebars caused by the impressed-current accelerated corrosion method results in concrete damage and cracking, and continuously decreases the stresses in the prestressing strands. The study is ongoing, and further observations and reports will be made to evaluate the effects of different environmental factors on stresses in prestressing strands of post-tensioned beams.