• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• 제23권6호
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• pp.691-711
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• 2006

This paper uses the finite element method to simultaneously consider the coupled cable-deck vibrations and the parametric vibrations of stay cables in dynamic analysis of a cable-stayed bridge. The stay cables are represented by some cable finite elements, which can consider the parametric vibration of the cables. In addition to modeling stay cables using multiple link cable elements, a procedure for removing the self-weight term of cable element is proposed. A eigenvalue analysis process using dynamic condensation method for sorting out the natural modes of the girder-tower vibrations and the Rayleigh damping considering element damping for damping matrix are also proposed for dynamic analyses of cable-stayed bridges. The possibilities of using cable elements and of using global and local vibrations to evaluate the parametric vibrations of stay cables in a cable-stayed bridge are confirmed, respectively.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• 제27권4호
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• pp.477-499
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• 2007

The main purpose of this paper is to investigate the ultimate behavior of steel cable-stayed bridges with design variables and compare the validity and applicability of computational methods for evaluating ultimate load capacity of cable-stayed bridges. The methods considered in this paper are elastic buckling analysis, inelastic buckling analysis and nonlinear elasto-plastic analysis. Elastic buckling analysis uses a numerical eigenvalue calculation without considering geometric nonlinearities of cable-stayed bridges and the inelastic material behavior of main components. Inelastic buckling analysis uses an iterative eigenvalue calculation to consider inelastic material behavior, but cannot consider geometric nonlinearities of cable-stayed bridges. The tangent modulus concept with the column strength curve prescribed in AASHTO LRFD is used to consider inelastic buckling behavior. Detailed procedures of inelastic buckling analysis are presented and corresponding computer codes were developed. In contrast, nonlinear elasto-plastic analysis uses an incremental-iterative method and can consider both geometric nonlinearities and inelastic material behavior of a cable-stayed bridge. Proprietary software ABAQUS are used and user-subroutines are newly written to update equivalent modulus of cables to consider geometric nonlinearity due to cable sags at each increment step. Ultimate load capacities with the three analyses are evaluated for numerical models of cable-stayed bridges that have center spans of 600 m, 900 m and 1200 m with different girder depths and live load cases. The results show that inelastic buckling analysis is an effective approximation method, as a simple and fast alternative, to obtain ultimate load capacity of long span cable-stayed bridges, whereas elastic buckling analysis greatly overestimates the overall stability of cable-stayed bridges.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• 제83권1호
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• pp.123-134
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• 2022

The stability of cable-stayed bridges is an important factor considered during design. In recent years, the novel spatial diamond-shaped bridge pylon has shown its advantages in various aspects, including the static response and the stability performance with the development of cable-stayed bridge towards long-span and heavy-load. Based on the energy approach, this paper presents a practical calculation method of the completed state stability of a cable-stayed bridge with two spatial diamond-shaped pylons. In the analysis, the possible transverse buckling of the girder, the top pylon column, and the mid pylon columns are considered simultaneously. The total potential energy of the spatial diamond-shaped pylon cable-stayed bridge is calculated. And based on the principle of stationary potential energy, the transverse buckling coefficients and corresponding buckling modes are obtained. Furthermore, an example is calculated using the design parameters of the Changtai Yangtze River Bridge, a 1176 m cable-stayed bridge under construction in China, to verify the effectiveness and accuracy of the proposed method in practical engineering. The critical loads and the buckling modes derived by the proposed method are in good agreement with the results of the finite element method. Finally, cable-stayed bridges varying pylon and girder stiffness ratios and pylon geometric dimensions are calculated to discuss the applicability and advantages of the proposed method. And a further discussion on the degrees of the polynomial functions when assuming buckling modes are presented.

• Wind and Structures
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• 제21권4호
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• pp.407-424
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• 2015

To explore the favorable structural system of cable-stayed bridges with ultra-kilometer main span, based on a fully self-anchored cable-stayed bridge with 1400 m main span, a partially earth-anchored cable-stayed bridge scheme with the same main span is designed. Numerical investigation on the dynamic characteristics, aerostatic and aerodynamic stability of both two bridge schemes is conducted, and the results are compared to those of a suspension bridge with similar main span, and considering from the aspect of wind stability, the feasibility of using partially earth-anchored cable-stayed bridge in super long-span bridges with ultra-kilometer main span is discussed. Moreover, the effects of structural design parameters including the length of earth-anchored girder, the number of auxiliary piers in side span, the height and width of girder, the tower height etc on the dynamic characteristics, aerostatic and aerodynamic stability of a partially earth-anchored cable-stayed bridge are analyzed, and their reasonable values are proposed. The results show that as compared to fully self-anchored cable-stayed bridge and suspension bridge with similar main span, the partially earth-anchored cable-stayed bridge has greater structural stiffness and better aerostatic and aerodynamic stability, and consequently becomes a favorable structural system for super long-span bridges with ultra-kilometer main span. The partially earth-anchored cable-stayed bridge can achieve greater stiffness and better wind stability under the cases of increasing the earth-anchored girder length, increasing the height and width of girder, setting several auxiliary piers in side span and increasing the tower height.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• 제64권5호
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• pp.567-577
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• 2017

The traditional design procedure of a prestressed concrete (PC) cable-stayed bridge is complex and time-consuming. The designers have to repeatedly modify the configuration of the large number of design parameters to obtain a feasible design scheme which maybe not an economical design. In order to efficiently achieve an optimum design for PC cable-stayed bridges, a multi-parameter optimization technique is proposed. In this optimization technique, the number of prestressing tendons in girder is firstly set as one of design variables, as well as cable forces, cable areas and cross-section sizes of the girders and the towers. The stress and displacement constraints are simultaneously utilized to ensure the safety and serviceability of the structure. The target is to obtain the minimum cost design for a PC cable-stayed bridge. Finally, this optimization technique is carried out by a developed PC cable-stayed bridge optimization program involving the interaction of the parameterized automatically modeling program, the finite element structural analysis program and the optimization algorithm. A low-pylon PC cable-stayed bridge is selected as the example to test the proposed optimization technique. The optimum result verifies the capability and efficiency of the optimization technique, and the significance to optimize the number of prestressing tendons in the girder. The optimum design scheme obtained by the application can achieve a 24.03% reduction in cost, compared with the initial design.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• 제59권4호
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• pp.621-652
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• 2016

A new cable-supported bridge model consisting of suspension parts, self-anchored cable-stayed parts and earth-anchored cable-stayed parts is presented. The new bridge model can be used for suspension bridges, cable-stayed bridges, cable-stayed suspension bridges, and partially earth-anchored cable-stayed bridges by varying parameters. Based on the assumption that each structural member is in either an axial compressive or tensile state, and the stress in each member is equal to the allowable stress of the material, the material quantity for each component is calculated. By introducing the unit cost of each type of material, the estimation formula for the cost of the new bridge model is developed. Numerical examples show that the results from the estimation formula agree well with that from the real projects. The span limit of cable supported bridge depends on the span-to-height ratio and the density-to-strength ratio of cables. Finally, a parametric study is illustrated aiming at the relations between three key geometrical parameters and the cost of the bridge model. The optimization of the new bridge model indicates that the self-anchored cable-stayed part is always the dominant part with the consideration of either the lowest total cost or the lowest unit cost. It is advisable to combine all three mentioned structural parts in super long span cable supported bridges to achieve the most excellent economic performance.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• 제59권6호
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• pp.1095-1120
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• 2016

This paper investigates the change of structural characteristics of steel cable-stayed bridges after cable failure. Cables, considered as the intermediate supports of cable-stayed bridges, can break or fail for several reasons, such as fire, direct vehicle clash accident, extreme weather conditions, and fatigue of cable or anchorage. Also, the replacement of cables can cause temporary disconnection. Because of the structural characteristics with various geometric nonlinearities of cable-stayed bridges, cable failure may cause significant change to the structural state and ultimate behavior. Until now, the characteristics of structural behavior after cable failure have rarely been studied. In this study, rational cable failure analysis is suggested to trace the new equilibrium with structural configuration after the cable failure. Also, the sequence of ultimate analysis for the structure that suffers cable failure is suggested, to study the change of ultimate behavior and load carrying capacity under specific live load conditions. Using these analysis methods, the statical behavior after individual cable failure is studied based on the change of structural configuration, and distribution of internal forces. Also, the change of the ultimate behavior and load carrying capacity under specific live load conditions is investigated, using the proposed analysis method. According to the study, significant change of the statical behavior and ultimate capacity occurs although just one cable fails.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• 제43권4호
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• pp.457-464
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• 2022

Optimization in distribution of stay cable forces is one of the most difficult aspects in the design of cable-stayed bridges. This article attempts to examine tension force influence on structural behavior of cable-stayed bridges. For the examination, finite element modeling using nonlinear static and nonlinear modal analyses was completed and compared to structural experimental results. Variables analyzed in this parametric study were: 1) Number of stay cables; 2) Tension of the stay cables, and 3) Stay cable pattern - harp and semi-fan patterns. Though the findings from the analysis are limited to the tested models, the study gives insight on the structural behavior of actual cable stayed bridges.

• Wind and Structures
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• 제6권4호
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• pp.279-290
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• 2003

Flutter stability is one of major concerns on the design of long-span cable-stayed bridges. Considering the geometric nonlinearity of cable-stayed bridges and the effects due to the nonlinear wind-structure interactions, a nonlinear method is proposed to analyze the flutter stability of cable-stayed bridges, and a computer program NFAB is also developed. Taking the Jingsha bridge over the Yangtze River as example, parametric analyses on flutter stability of the bridge are carried out, and some important design parameters that affect the flutter stability of cable-stayed bridges are pointed out.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• 제74권5호
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• pp.635-655
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• 2020

The sag effect of long stay cables is one of the key factors restricting further increase in the span of cable-stayed bridges. Based on the formerly proposed concept of long stay cables lifted by an auxiliary suspension cable in cross-strait cable-stayed bridges, corresponding static approximate calculations and analytical theory based on catenary and parabolic cable configurations are established. Taking a main span 1400 m cable-stayed bridge as the research object, three typical lifting conditions and the whole process of auxiliary cable lifting are analyzed and discussed. The results show that the sag effect is effectively reduced. The support efficiency is only improved when the cables are lifted above the original cable chord. Reduction of the horizontal component force of the cable is limited. The equivalent elastic modulus and the vertical support stiffness of the lifted cables are significantly increased with increased horizontal projection length and not sensitive to the change of the lifting point position. The scheme of lifting the cable to the chord midpoint is more economical because of the less steel required for the auxiliary suspension cable, but its effect on improving the vertical support efficiency is limited. The support efficiency is better when the cable is lifted to the cable end tangential to the original cable chord, but the lifting force and the cross-sectional area of the auxiliary suspension cable are doubled. The approximate calculation results of the lifted cables are very close to the numerical analysis results, which verifies the applicability of the approximation method proposed in this study. The results of parabolic approximation calculations are approximately equal to that of catenary cable geometry. As the parabolic approximation analysis theory of lifted cables is more convenient in mathematical processing, it is feasible to use parabolic approximation analysis theory as the analytical method for the conceptual design of lifted cables of super-long span cable-stayed bridges.