Prestressing can reduce the volume of concrete required in construction, lowering the use and transportation of materials, as well as boosting durability and service life. Concrete is intrinsically resistant to compressive stresses, but its resistance to tension is much lower. ... This is called prestressing.

What is the purpose of prestressing in the concrete?

Prestressing removes a number of design limitations conventional concrete places on span and load and permits the building of roofs, floors, bridges, and walls with longer unsupported spans. This allows architects and engineers to design and build lighter and shallower concrete structures without sacrificing strength.

How is prestressing done?

Prestressing is the introduction of a compressive force to the concrete to counteract the stresses that will result from an applied load. This is done by placing of high tensile steel tendons in a desired profile in which the concrete is to be cast. ...