LAUSR

Abstract Prestressed concrete girders are prone to the formation of horizontal end cracks during prestress transfer. These cracks propagate and progress extensively in deeper hollow-type pretensioned girders with larger prestressing forces. This study examines the strand-debonding method to eliminate horizontal cracks at the ends of hollow–type pretensioned girders by directly reducing the vertical tensile stresses resulting from the prestress release acting on the strands. Finite element analysis is adopted to model the girder and identify the cracking zone in the cross-section. Furthermore, the load-bearing capacity of the girder is investigated through a four-point bending test using construction stage analysis in a numerical simulation. The numerical results are validated through fabrication of an actual girder with geometrical and mechanical specifications identical to those in the numerical model. The experimental findings match the numerical results; the horizontal end cracks diminish with the application of the proposed method. Furthermore, the study confirms the normal behavior of the girder against vertical loading; the girder can resist the load, similar to a girder with an ordinary cross-section.