pre-stressing
|pre-stress-ing|
/priːˈstrɛs/
(pre-stress)
stress applied beforehand
Etymology
'pre-stress' originates from Latin prefix 'prae-' meaning 'before' combined with English 'stress' (from Old French 'estresse' via Latin 'strictus', related to 'stringere' meaning 'to tighten').
'pre-stress' emerged as a compound in technical English in the 20th century (often written 'prestress' or 'pre-stress') to name the engineering practice; the gerund 'prestressing' became common in structural engineering literature.
Initially formed to mean simply 'to place stress before use,' the term evolved into a technical designation referring specifically to the engineering process of applying controlled internal forces (e.g., to concrete) to improve structural performance.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
the process or technique of applying stress beforehand to a structural element (commonly used in civil engineering for concrete members to improve performance under load).
Pre-stressing is widely used in bridge construction to reduce cracking.
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Verb 1
present participle of 'pre-stress'; applying stress (usually tensile or compressive) to an element in advance of service, e.g., tensioning reinforcement before concrete is placed or cured.
They are pre-stressing the beams before casting the slab.
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Last updated: 2025/12/23 07:15