Engineering English
Prestressing Steel
Civil Engineering · Last updated: July 30, 2026 · How this entry was written
Definition: Prestressing steel refers to high-strength steel wires, strands, or bars used to apply and maintain compressive stress in concrete. It must have high tensile strength and low relaxation to ensure long-term prestress retention.
Example in context
“The selected prestressing steel must comply with ASTM A416 for seven-wire strands to ensure adequate ductility and relaxation properties.”
“Seçilen ön germe çeliği, yeterli süneklik ve gevşeme özelliklerini sağlamak için yedi telli demetler için ASTM A416'ya uygun olmalıdır.”
Where engineers use it
Prestressing steel is specified in material lists for tendons and strands. Engineers select it based on required tensile strength, relaxation class, and environmental exposure to ensure durability.
Synonyms: high-strength steel for prestressing, spann steel
Antonyms: mild reinforcing steel
Practice: can you use “Prestressing Steel” at work?
A project specification requires low-relaxation prestressing steel. The contractor proposes using ordinary high-strength steel as an alternative. As the designer, explain the potential consequences of this substitution.
Show a model answer
“The supplier must provide mill certificates for all prestressing steel used on site.”
“Prestressing Steel” in 21 languages
| English | Prestressing Steel |
|---|---|
| Turkish | ön germe çeliği |
| French | acier de précontrainte |
| German | Spannstahl |
| Spanish | acero de pretensado |
| Chinese | 预应力钢材 |
| Arabic | صلب الإجهاد المسبق |
| Portuguese | aço de protensão |
| Russian | предварительно напряженная сталь |
| Japanese | プレストレッシング鋼材 |
| Italian | acciaio da precompressione |
| Vietnamese | thép dự ứng lực |
| Hindi | प्रीस्ट्रेसिंग स्टील |
| Thai | เหล็กอัดแรง |
| Indonesian | baja prategang |
| Korean | 프리스트레싱 강재 |
| Bengali | প্রিস্ট্রেসিং স্টিল |
| Dutch | voorspanstaal |
| Swedish | förspänningsstål |
| Finnish | esijännitysteräs |
| Ukrainian | попередньо напружена сталь |
Frequently asked questions
What does Prestressing Steel mean in engineering?
Prestressing steel refers to high-strength steel wires, strands, or bars used to apply and maintain compressive stress in concrete. It must have high tensile strength and low relaxation to ensure long-term prestress retention. In Civil Engineering, the term carries a usage-frequency rating of 10/10 in the Engineering English library.
How do you pronounce Prestressing Steel?
Prestressing Steel is pronounced /priːˈstrɛsɪŋ stiːl/ (IPA). The Engineering English app plays audio for the term and checks your pronunciation with speech recognition.
How is Prestressing Steel used in a sentence?
Example from an engineering context: “The selected prestressing steel must comply with ASTM A416 for seven-wire strands to ensure adequate ductility and relaxation properties.”
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