Pre-stressed concrete is concrete that is __________.

• A. Cured under high-heat atmospheric conditions
• B. Cured under high pressure atmospheric conditions
• C. Used in areas for heavy loads to allow bending and flexing
• D. Flexible and fluid

Answer: (C)

Pre-stressed concrete is concrete in which internal compressive stresses are introduced by tensioning steel tendons before or after the concrete is placed. This pre-stress means that, when the structure is loaded and tends to bend, the concrete remains under compression rather than tension, which greatly increases its ability to carry heavy loads and span longer distances without cracking or excessive deflection. That’s why it’s used in areas with heavy loads to resist bending and maintain strength. It isn’t about curing under heat or pressure, and concrete isn’t meant to be flexible and fluid—the whole point is to make it stronger and stiffer through pre-stressing.