LONGITUDINAL SPLITTING IN THE ANCHORAGE ZONES OF POSTTENSIONED MEMBERS

The dispersal of the highly concentrated anchorage forces into the con crete element in post-tensioned members is resisted by large tensile s tresses that can cause the concrete element to split in line with the direction of the anchorage force. Extensive research into longitudinal splitting in composite steel and concrete beams has been used to deve lop a simple hand analysis procedure for predicting the splitting resi stances of the anchorage zones of post-tensioned members that allows f or the three-dimensional dispersal of the anchorage forces and for inc lined anchorage forces. Ir is suggested that this technique can be use d to supplement existing techniques such as three-dimensional finite e lement models and strut and tie models in order to produce more effici ent and safer designs, particularly for complex arrangements of groups of anchorage blocks.