THE DESIGN PROCESS
The designer of a prestressed concrete beam must determine the cross-sectional dimensions, the material properties, the tendon profile, the required prestressing force, the required area of reinforcing bars, and the specific details of how this reinforcement will be placed.
The designer must ensure that the stress limits are not violated, that the deflections are within acceptable limits, and that the member has adequate strength. Further discussion on how these various design constraints can be satisfied is given below.