Suggested Qualification Test Procedure to Secure Splitting Resistance in Pretensioned Concrete Members

Prestressed concrete ties could develop end-splitting cracks along tendons due to lateral bursting stresses. The lateral bursting stresses can form due to Hoyer effect (change in diameter of the prestressing tendons due to Poisson’s ratio), the jacking force in the tendons, geometrical features and indent characteristics of the prestressing tendons. End-splitting cracks can occur immediately after de-tensioning procedure in some cases, but they also can be developed during the first weeks after de-tensioning procedure due to sustained lateral stresses exerted by the prestressing tendons. The ability of concrete to resist these bursting stresses without cracking is primarily the function of the thickness of concrete cover, the type of concrete mixture used and the maximum compressive strength of the concrete. Qualification test will be great tool for prestressed concrete tie manufacturers to identify tie designs that may be susceptible to end-splitting cracks. This test was formally adopted as section 4.2.4 in Chapter 30 of the 2021 AREMA Manual for Railway Engineering.