Impact of Tendon Profile on Enhancing Load-Deflection Behavior and Stresses of Prestressed Concrete Beams

Shear failure in prestressed concrete beams is critical, influenced by tendon profile, with design codes providing guidance but lacking exploration of tendon geometry's impact. The tendon profile has a direct effect on the stresses in prestressed concrete beams. This paper investigates these interactions through analytical and numerical approaches, aiming to improve the understanding and prediction of shear performance in prestressed beams. This study examines the impact of tendon profiles on the structural performance of prestressed concrete beams under four – points bending loads. Analytical calculations performed according to the Egyptian Code of Practice (ECP 203–2020) were compared with finite element simulations using ABAQUS. These simulations were validated through comparison with experimental research data and analytical calculations based on the Egyptian Code of Practice (ECP 203–2020). The research examines variations in ultimate load capacity, deflection behavior, normal stresses, and shear resistances across different tendon profiles and cross – section dimensions. Results demonstrate that tendon profile and tendon inclination angles significantly influence ultimate load, normal stress, web shear strength and deflection, with optimized profiles yielding superior structural performance. These findings support optimized design approaches for prestressed concrete beams in structural applications. Beams with steeper tendon inclinations exhibited enhanced web shear strength, reducing the likelihood of shear cracking. Flexure – shear interactions were observed to vary significantly across different tendon profiles, underscoring the need for profile-specific design considerations. The results showed that combining analytical and numerical methods effectively predicts shear performance.