A FINITE ELEMENT APPROACH FOR MODELING DYNAMIC EFFECTS OF PRESTRESSING IN CONCRETE BEAMS
Abstract
Prestressed concrete structures are extensively employed in civil engineering due to their high structural efficiency. However, long-term losses in prestressing force can undermine their integrity and performance. This study proposes a numerical model based on the finite element method to evaluate the influence of prestressing force on the natural frequencies of simply supported beams. The model captures the combined effects of axial compression and the physical presence of the tendon—including variations in eccentricity and geometric profile—on the structure’s dynamic behavior. Validation against experimental data from the literature showed strong agreement, particularly for the first and second vibration modes, with average errors of 2.48\% and 2.68\%, respectively. Simulations further indicated that the influence of prestressing is most significant during the early stages of loading, with frequency responses tending to stabilize as the load approaches critical levels. The proposed dynamic approach offers a promising complementary method for the indirect estimation of prestress losses, enhancing the accuracy and reliability of monitoring and maintenance strategies for prestressed structures.
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