A generalized lower-bound analysis of anchorage zones

This Paper is the last of three on the behaviour of anchorage zones for prestressed concrete. Details of a lower-bound approach to the ultimate load analysis of concrete prisms strip-loaded through rigid steel plates are presented. The previous papers of the series presented experimental results and analytical plasticity solutions to this problem. This Paper extends the plasticity solution by using a finite element approach, thus enabling three-dimensional failure mechanisms encountered during the experiments to be studied successfully. The analysis is conducted in two stages: the first to determine the cracked state of the anchor block; the second to determine the final failure load. It is shown that such an approach is useful in the design of anchorage zones for prestressed concrete.