Realistic Equivalent Load Methods in Prestressed Concrete Structures

The purpose of this state-of-the-art paper is to explore several important methods thor obtaining the equivalent loads in prestressed concrete structures. and to clarify the theoretical basis and implied assumptions of each method. The method devised in this stuffily include the use of curvature of tendon, characteristics of primary moment, self-equilibrium condition and linear segments approximation of tendon. It is shown that equivalent loading system it not uniquely determined depending on the approach adopted to calculate the equivalent loads. Self-equilibrium conditions of the equivalent loading system are carefully discussed. Numerical examples are presented to show the differences among the methods arid results of the approximations in each method explicitly.