Prestressed Beam Lab - Mold and Rebar

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Prestress Beam Lab A student-designed mold and rebar setup is featured in this experiment at SDSU, created by an instructor to teach students how rebar and prestressing impact the flexural capacity of a plaster of paris beam. The multiple locations for rebar placement within the prestress molds allow students to explore various design options, resulting in increased experimental variation between groups. Three key factors that students can manipulate are the rebar's location, number, and prestress force size. Students will decide which variables to investigate, choosing from single or combined changes to the beams. The outcomes of these experiments will be influenced by student decisions. Beams pictured here were tested until failure, with the unreinforced beam reaching a maximum load of 200 lbs and the prestressed rebar beam achieving 350 lbs. This demonstrates the significant impact of rebar placement on beam strength. Additional information on this lab and other experiments can be found in the upcoming lab manual from South Dakota State University.