Post-tensioned anchorage zone: A review

The most critical portion of the post-tensioned concrete members is the anchorage zone. Since the tensioned concrete is weaker than the untensioned concrete, there is a very high risk of bursting in this region. Hence, understanding the behavior of the anchorage zone and the amount of force generated to prevent bursting in this section becomes extremely crucial. Keeping this as the main objective, this article effectively summarizes the research undertaken on the bursting force and the post-tensioned anchorage zone stresses in post-tensioned concrete beams. A significant amount of work has already been done on the anchorage zone of post-tensioned concrete members till date. To take this research a step forward, this article examines all the experimental and computational evaluations made on the anchorage zone to determine transverse tensile stress and bursting force. The key results and effects of experimental, analytical, and modeling work on anchorage zone (k) over the past years/decades are discussed in detail. Moreover; this article includes a comprehensive review of all the existing bursting force equations present in the various design codes as well as in a large number of research papers. The gaps that exist in the current design code equations for calculating bursting force are also discussed. Finally, all the developed equations are summarized with their experimental, mathematical, and computer simulation models in the form of a table. Towards the end of the article, future prospects are also discussed.