ACI-ASCE Joint Committee 423 – Prestressed Concrete

ACI 2010 Spring Convention

March 22, 2010
Chicago

MINUTES

1. Welcome Guests and New Members

The meeting was called to order at 9:01am by Chairman Trey Hamilton. The following
members were in attendance for all or part of the meeting:

Voting Member (21)

Barnes, Robbie Auburn University
Barth, Florian
Bondy, Ken Consulting Structural Engineer
Dolan, Charlie University of Wyoming
Donnelly, Jim Wiss Janney Elstner Assocs
Gleich, Harry Metromont Corporation
Gross, Shawn Villanova University
Hale, Micah University of Arkansas
Hamilton, Trey University of Florida
Krauser, Larry General Technologies Inc.
Neff, Ted Post-Tensioning Institute
Rizkalla, Sami North Carolina State University
Roberts-Wollmann, Carin Virginia Tech
Rogers, Jim Evaluation and Certification Serv. LLC
Russell, Bruce Oklahoma State University
Schaeffer, Tom Structural Design Group
Schokker, Andrea University of Minnesota - Duluth
Trygestad, Amy AVR, Inc.
Volz, Jeff Missouri University of Science and Tech.
Xia, Zuming VStructural LLC
Zia, Paul North Carolina State University

Associate and Consulting Members (12)

Ahmed, Rashid Walker Parking Consultants
Baxi, Asit Suncoast Post Tension Ltd
Bommer, Allan Bentley Systems Inc.
Dunkman, David UT Austin
Fallis, Garth Vector Construction Group
Kang, Thomas University of Oklahoma
Myers, John Missouri S&T
Rodriguez, Alan Tiger Ind.
Rosenboom, Owen NC State

1
 Sennour, Larbi CEG Inc.
Vejvoda, Miroslav Post-Tensioning Institute
Zhao, Jim AES Inc

The following visitors were also in attendance for all or part of the meeting

Brewe, Jared
Falconer, Dan
Gulyas, Bob
Hanskat, Charles
Hayek, Carol
Kourajian, Paul
Krohn, Jason
Lee, Michael
Mast, Bob
Matamoros, Adolfo
Osborne, Lance
Seguirant, Steve
Von Ramin, Matte
Woods, Aaron
Zatar, Wael

Attendees introduced themselves and Chairman Hamilton welcomed all members and
guests.

2. Approval of Agenda
The agenda was distributed. Gleich moved to accept the agenda, Krauser seconded and
the agenda was approved with a unanimous voice vote.

3. Review of Minutes from Fall Meeting in New Orleans

Russell noted an error in the minutes dealing with the threshold value for strand
acceptance. The correct value is 10,500 lbs. With this correction, Dolan moved to
approve the minutes and Gleich seconded the motion. The corrected minutes were
approved by unanimous voice vote.

4. Membership
Hamilton noted that Miroslav Vejvoda will be moving from associate member to voting
member status. Also, Dr. Jared Brewe will be joining as an associate member.

5. Presentation on the Westin Resort Hotel in Avon Colorado – Charlie Dolan

Dolan presented details of the design and construction of the Westin Resort Hotel. The
design had been changed from cast-in-place with flat slabs to all precast. Tests of
connections of the precast columns and the Czaly hangers were described. The
contractor was able to erect 7500 square feet of floor in one day.

2
 Following the presentation, Hamilton announced that there would be no ballots to discuss
at our Fall meeting, and he requested suggestions for presentations. The following
suggestions were made:

 Gleich suggested a presentation by Rizkalla and Zia on the spandrel beam project.
 Zia suggested a presentation on building in Taiwan, the topic of a recent Discovery
Channel documentary
 A bridge in China which had been tested to failure.

Hamilton requested that suggestions be e-mailed to him.

6. Task Group Reports

a. Strand Bond - Russell presented information on the Standard Test Method to

Quantify the Bonding Capacity of Steel Prestressing Strand. He noted that the
strand specification ASTM A416 has no requirement for bond, hence the need for
this new test, to be known as the STSB (previously referred to as the NASP test).
He described the test procedure and indicated that the most difficult part of the
test is the grout preparation. The grout has strict limitations on strength and flow,
and it typically requires many trial batches to get the proportions just right.
Currently ASTM Committee A01.05 is in the process of adopting the test as an
ASTM Standard. The first ballot is complete, and there are five negatives to be
resolved.

The test will not have a criterion for acceptance of strand; this will be specified by
the buyer of the strand. A value of 10,500 lb has been suggested a minimum
value for 0.5 in. diameter strands. Gleich noted that there is not enough available
data to check the statistics on this value. The frequency at which the tests should
be performed has also not been determined. It is Russell’s opinion that this
committee needs to provide recommendations for acceptance level and frequency.
He suggests that language could be added to the A416 specification to indicate
these requirements.

Russell suggested that the committee form a task group to examine available data
and develop recommendations. Wollmann moved that such a task group be
formed and Gleich seconded the motion. It passed with a unanimous voice vote.

b. Shear in Ends of Prestressed Beams – Adolfo Matamoros made a presentation

on a proposal that is being developed for new provisions for end zone shear in
pretensioned beams for ACI 318. Problems can occur when a shear crack
develops near the end of a member. If this crack propagates through the transfer
length of the strand, a shear-bond failure can occur. He presented the proposed
equation for Vn and compared it to test results of 15 beams. The equation
predicted strength well for the beams. However, for hollow core slabs, the
equation is very conservative. Hence, an alternate equation predicting the shear to

3
 cause first crack, Vcr, is also proposed. The equation which predicts the higher
strength (Vcr or Vn) will control.

There was considerable discussion following the presentation. Russell noted that
some of the variability in test results was attributable to the variable nature of
strand bond. It was also discussed whether hollow core slabs should be treated
like slabs (in which case, if Vu   Vc then reinforcement must be added) or
should be treated like beams (in which case, if Vu  1/2Vc then reinforcement
must be added). It was also discussed if this approach should be applied to mildly
reinforced beams as well.

c. Prestress Losses – Charlie Dolan made a presentation on prestress losses. He

noted that in the reorganized code there will be no information on prestress losses,
therefore this committee should develop a document to provide guidance to
engineers on prestress loss calculations. He suggests that we begin with a simple
document and add complexity with subsequent editions.

In the presentation it was noted that one source of error in loss calculations is in
the determination of the modulus of elasticity. There are many equations
available, and the results for a given concrete can be very different.

Dolan suggests that the committee have as a target a simple document that can be
published within two years. Russell reminded the committee that any calculation
can only provide an estimate of losses because there is so much variability in
material properties. Bondy also noted that prestress loss is a relatively small
percentage of effective prestress force, so substantial errors in loss calculations
result in relatively smaller errors in effective prestress. Dolan says it is important
to remind designers that the calculation provides an estimate, but there will be a
range of actual losses in the prestressed members. Zia noted that errors in loss
calculations can result in noticeable problems in cases such as very long beams,
where designs are being stretched to the limits. Hamilton and Dolan will continue
to work on document outline. Zuming Xia will provide information on friction
and wobble coefficients in unbonded monostrand systems.

7. Updates on Committee Documents – Existing

a. 423.4R-98 – Corrosion and Repair of Unbonded Single Strand Tendons –

Mark Moore, the chairman of the subcommittee, reported that they are addressing
TAC comments. They are still seeking figures. Bondy reported that TAC
reviewed the 222.2R document “Corrosion in Prestressing Steel”, and found some
errors. The two documents should not contradict each other.
b. 423.x – Corrosion and Repair of Grouted Multistrand and Bar Tendon
Systems –The committee is waiting for a response from TAC on the resolutions
of negatives to TAC comments that was done at the last meeting.
c. 423.9M-10 – Test Method for Bleed Stability of Cementitious Post-Tensioning
Tendon Grout – The news that the document has been approved by TAC was met

4
 with a rousing round of applause. Schokker, Neff and Hamilton will be contacts
as the test method is processed to be an ASTM Standard.
d. 423.7-07 – Specification for Unbonded Single-Strand Tendon Materials and
Commentary – The task group is continuing to work on putting the specification
into ASTM format and address TAC comments on the previous version of the
document. Task group will coordinate with TSC on the specification format.

8. Updates from Related Committees

a. 318 – Charlie Dolan – Dolan explained that the committee is currently “in the
middle of chaos”. No chapters have yet been voted on for the 2014 edition.
Voting should begin at this convention. Seguirant noted that the new code will
have “tool box” chapters and “member” chapters, and he said that Chapters 4, 5A
and 22 have been balloted.

Seguirant then brought up his question, posed to the committee, on serviceability.

He asked how to approach spacing limits for crack control in Class C concrete
with unbonded tendons. Should it be treated like it is not prestressed? After some
discussion a task group was formed to examine the issue. The task group will
include Bondy, Roberts-Wollmann, Baxi, Schaeffer, and Carol Hayek.

b. 301 – Neff says the document is completed and is now going to TAC and the
Standards Board. It should be published this year.

9. Conference Sessions – Jeff Volz is organizing a session at this year’s SEI in Orlando
May 12-14. The session is entitled “Design and Behavior of Prestressed Concrete
Subjected to Blast and Impact Loading.”

10. Reports from Related Groups

a. PCI – Gleich reported that PCI is operating with a reduced budget, but will still
be funding research fellowships. The convention will be held in conjunction with
the fib Congress in Washington, DC in early June. Committee Days will be held
in October. The spandrel beam research program and the diaphragm research
program are completed, and reports are being written.

b. PTI – Neff reported that PTI is also still functioning. The technical conference
will be in Fort Worth in early May. They awarded their first scholarships this
year. There are five publications in production to be released this year. PTI is
working with ASBI to develop a bonded tendon specification.

c. ASBI – Schokker noted that there will be a Grout Certification training in April
and the next convention will be in Vancouver.

5
11. Other New Business

a. Minimum prestress requirements in two-way slabs - Bondy reported that there

is some ambiguous language in the code related to average prestress and tendon
spacing. There are requirements for two-way slabs, but no such requirements for
one-way slabs. The current minimum level of prestress is 125 psi, which was
selected to address punching shear concerns in lightly reinforced slabs. Bondy
suggests that spacing limits alone should suffice. He gave the example of 0.5 in.
diameter strands spaced at the upper spacing limit of 8h. This will give an
effective prestress of 130 psi for a 5 in. slab, 90 psi for a 6 in. slab and 66 psi for a
7 in. slab. Bondy prefers spacing limits only, but if a minimum prestress must be
specified, he suggests 90 psi.

After further discussion, it was suggested that the Serviceability Task Group
examine the issue.

b. Sustainability – Schokker reported that sustainability is Goal 2 in the ACI

Strategic Plan. Schokker will make a presentation at the committee meeting at the
Fall Convention, but she encouraged committee members to think about how this
committee might address sustainability. Neff noted that structural efficiency
addresses sustainability through less material use, lower transportation costs, and
less construction effort. Gleich explained that insulated sandwich wall panels are
very energy efficient and noted a case study in which sandwich panels resulted in
a 45% energy savings. Dolan also noted that the durability of prestressed
concrete is also very important. Sustainability can be addressed through best
practices for longevity.

12. Adjournment
The committee meeting was adjourned at 12:46pm.