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Prestressed concrete first became popular in Europe after World War 2, where it was used as the material of choice for reconstruction. Since then, it has continued to be used frequently in construction projects around the world due to the strength and durability it provides in comparison to other reinforced concrete products.

Concrete is ‘prestressed’ by inducing a preliminary compression in the concrete using steel wire or tendons before an external load is applied. By applying an initial compression, the concrete will be more resistant to tension when external loads are applied to the concrete in use.

With this in mind, you’ve probably been able to guess some of the primary benefits of using prestressed concrete in construction projects, but let’s take a closer look at just a few of the (many) advantages of using this reliable building material.

Resistant To Stress & Cracking

Prestressed concrete structures are more resistant to the impact of shock, stresses and cracking, which in turn increases their longevity and ability to withstand corrosion and other forms of general wear. The compressive strength of the concrete (i.e. its ability to withstand large loads) is maximised allowing structures to withstand heavier loads without breaking.

Economical

Prestressed concrete structures require fewer joints which saves on the initial investment as well as reducing maintenance costs seen as joints are usually the main point of weakness in concrete structures. In addition to this, construction projects using prestressed concrete require thinner slabs and therefore a lower volume of concrete.

Ideal For Large Scale Projects

Prestressed concrete is most widely used in commercial construction projects. It is the perfect choice for structures such as parking garages and shopping centres due to the high tensile span length it provides. Longer span length makes it a great choice for flooring due to its ability to provide a greater area of untroubled flooring space, as well as for high rise buildings.

Fire-Resistant

Another huge benefit of this concrete product is that research has shown the material to have good fire resistance. This is an important factor to be considered in the planning of any construction project which is why it is another useful advantage of prestressed concrete.

Kinder To The Environment

Concrete has to be precast in order to be prestressed and precast concrete is naturally more environmentally friendly than concrete products that are mixed on-site. This is because the conditions under which the concrete is prestressed is more controlled resulting in less waste and the following of stricter environmental guidelines.

Prestressed Concrete Products At Al Manaratain

Considering the numerous benefits we’ve listed above, it’s not surprising that we at Al Manaratain are making the most of what this material has to offer. Our prestressed T-Beam concrete block floors provide an efficient and cost-effective flooring system that is easily installed and offers a compressive strength of 7.0 N/mm². You can find out more about this versatile product on our website, but if you’d rather discuss the benefits of using Al Manaratain prestressed concrete products in your construction projects then do not hesitate to get in touch.