
Prestressed Concrete Wire (PC Wire)
PC Wire, short for Pre-stressed Concrete Wire is a high-quality steel wire generally used as an internal reinforcement material for various applications that involve the use of concrete. It is manufactured from steels firmly alloyed with carbon. PC Wires, known for having wide diameters, are normally drawn after the de-scaling and accumulating a phosphate type reactive surface coating. The procedure involves repetitive heating and extending of a cold drawn high-carbon steel wire to obtain a finished product possessing a remarkably reduced load relaxation and a highly enhanced yield stress.
These can also be braided after the completion of wire-drawing activities. The PC Wire functions to balance the tensile stresses developed due to bending loads and also helps promise an aced load-bearing ability of the concrete structure. PC Wires are heavily used in the construction sector for manufacturing pre-stressed steel structures such as large-span bridges, coal mines rock-soil anchoring project, overhead crane beam, multi-storey frameworks, dams, etc. Due to its coherent mechanical properties, outstanding corrosion resistance, and minimum relaxation, PC Wire tends to offer a uniform compressive strength to the concrete.
Features of PC Wire
- High tensile strength
- Low relaxation
- Stable modulus of elasticity
- Stress-relieved, firm connection with concrete
- Low stress
- Stable construction,
- Good combination with steel-reinforced concrete
- Reducing distortion
- Accelerates the abrasion resistance, water resistance
PC Wire can be categorized into numerous types according to different parameters such as the intensity level, treatment process, cross-section or surface coating.
Most popularly, based on the surface treatment method, PC Wire can be categorized as –
- Plain PC Wire
- Indented PC Wire
- 3 Ply PC Wire
Plain PC Wire
Plain PC Wire is also known as Smooth PC Wire indicates the smooth surface treatment of steel wire, without ribs, or indented. It is a traditional form of PC Wire which has low relaxation and high tensile strength. Due to its ductility combined with higher strength, it is popular as the suitable steel material used in large-load, long-span PC structures, such as PC Bridge, PC sleeper, PC pipe, and the large-span sloping rope bridge. Besides, without having an explicit yield point, it can cut to the appropriate length as needed. Before its use, PC Wire possesses prestressing force through pre-tensioning or post-tensioning methods. Hence, when combined with concrete, it gains the property to suspend the development of the component crack. Also, steel wire used in prestressed concrete requires no coatings which make it economical.

Indented PC Wire

This is a kind of PC Steel Wire which has got an indented surface. Indented PC Wire can be found in various shapes like round, ellipse, rhombus, etc. Similarly, it can be classified into two-sides, three-sides, and four-sides. When indented steel wire mixes with concrete it can exert the desired compressive force from the steel wire to the concrete. In other words, it can save steel materials and increases the quality of the concrete structures, thus reduces the cost and helps to deliver better performance.
3 Ply PC Wire
These are the High Tensile Wire and strand with improved proportional limit combined with higher ductility which in the complete sense suited for prestressed concrete industries. Apart from this, PC wire 3 Ply are manufactured as per the customer demands which also ease the labour cost. These PC Wires are mostly used in railway sleepers.

Specification
- 3 x 3 mm PC wire or High Tensile Steel Stranded Wires as per IS 6006-1983 (Un-coated) used in Prestressed Concrete Industry. This is used in large bridges, Flyovers, Ports, and Road Dividers
- 4 mm H.T. Wire (Indented) as per IS 6003-1983 Hard Drawn and Stress Relieved for use in Prestressed Concrete Industry. This is used in the manufacture of Poles & Spun Poles for electrification and telecommunication
- 2.50-5.00 mm as drawn wire as per IS 1785-Part-II of 1983-Plain Hard Drawn Steel Wire for Prestressed Concrete Industry (Stress Relieved)
Test Procedure
- Size
- Breaking Load
- Tensile Strength
- Modulus of Elasticity
- Elongation
- Bends
- Yield Strength
- Proof Stress
Quality Inspection
- Raw material are inspected heatwise.
- After drawing and stranding they are again tested.
- Finally after stress relieving and quenching they are tested and aprroval of our quality team they are dispatched.
Benefits of PC wire
- Improves the bond strength between prestressed steel wire and concrete
- Reduces the frictional losses between pre-stress wire and concrete
- Increases the anchorage efficiency
- Maintains higher effective pre-stressing force in the structure
- Reduces the number of operations at the customers' end