noun
- the act or process of applying tension to a structural element or component before it is put into service or before a load is applied
Usage: technical; engineering
verb
- to apply tension to a structural element or component in advance of normal operation or loading
Usage: technical; engineering
Examples
- Pretensioning the cables in the bridge design improved its load-bearing capacity.
- The engineers are pretensioning the concrete beams before installation.
- Pretensioning reduces stress concentrations in the final structure.
- The suspension system uses pretensioning to maintain optimal performance.
- By pretensioning the steel strands, the construction team ensured greater durability.