Prestressing is generally used when a concrete element has to withstand very high loads — for instance, beams, bridges or cantilevered structures. In conventional pretensioning technology, the reinforcements or tendons — usually made of steel — are anchored on both sides of the element before the concrete is cast, put under tension and released again after the concrete has set.
But because steel is susceptible to corrosion, the concrete layer around the prestressing rods must have a certain thickness, which requires more concrete to be used. Building scientists have long searched for an alternative process that would make building with concrete easier, less costly and more efficient.
