Prestressed‐Steel Continuous‐Span Girders

The objective of this paper is to introduce the detailed static analysis of continuous steel girders prestressed by high‐strength steel cables. The prestressed‐steel girders having either simple or continuous spans are indeterminate structures. The application of loadings to the girder after the prestressing process is performed (live loads, superimposed dead loads, etc.) induces an increased prestressing force to the girder. The degree of indeterminancy of the girder is increased. The compression effect of prestressing reduces the negative bending moments at the internal supports of continuous‐span girders. The detailed analysis is demonstrated. The flexibility method is the basis for the analysis of the incremental prestressing force and the bending moments at the middle supports which constitute the unknowns of the indeterminate structure. The flexibility coefficients are computed by the virtual work method. The given equations may be computerized for the analysis of girders having uniform cross section along the girder.