PRESTRESSED BEAMS
Samples Tested To Destruction
To further research into the use of prestressed concrete —a method of construction introduced comparatively recently to the South Island two prestressed beams, of the types to be used in the new Hurunui and Kowai road bridges, were tested to destruction.
The test was. watched byProfessor H. J. Hopkins, professor of civil engineering at the University of Canterbury, and senior engineers of the Ministry of Works and representatives of organisations and counties concerned. The beams were broken by a 100ton hydraulic jack at the Blenheim road plant of Certi. fled Concrete. Ltd., the manufacturing firm. A pressure of 33 tons was required to break the larger beam. 57ft long and 3ft wide, which was designed to take a working load of about 11 tons. The beam bent almost sin before fracturing. One hundred and sixty of these beams, which have an Ishaped cross-section, will be used in the construction of the 1120-ft long Hurunui bridge. A rectangular beam, 30ft long with thicknesses of 14in and lOiin. was tested for the Kowal bridge, being built just this side of Porter's Pass. The bridge will be 9Sft in length and will incorporI ate 52 of these beams.
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Bibliographic details
Press, Volume CI, Issue 29871, 11 July 1962, Page 17
Word Count
201PRESTRESSED BEAMS Press, Volume CI, Issue 29871, 11 July 1962, Page 17
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