• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.38 no.2
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• pp.157-169
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• 2011

In this paper the time-dependent closed-form static solution of the suspended pre-stressed biconcave and biconvex cable trusses with unmovable, movable and elastic or viscoelastic yielding supports subjected to various types of vertical load is presented. Irvine's forms of the deflections and the cable equations are modified because the effects of the rheological behaviour needed to be incorporated in them. The concrete cable equations in the form of the explicit relations are derived and presented. From a solution of a vertical equilibrium equation for a loaded cable truss with rheological properties, the additional vertical deflection as a time-function is determined. The time-dependent closed-form model serves to determine the time-dependent response, i.e., horizontal components of cable forces and deflection of the cable truss due to applied loading at the investigated time considering effects of elastic deformations, creep strains, temperature changes and elastic supports. Results obtained by the present closed-form solution are compared with those obtained by FEM. The derived time-dependent closed-form computational model is used for a time-dependent simulation-based reliability assessment of cable trusses as is described in the second part of this paper.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.38 no.2
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• pp.171-193
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• 2011

One of the possible alternatives of simulation-based time-dependent reliability assessment of pre-stressed biconcave and biconvex cable trusses, the Monte Carlo method, is applied in this paper. The influence of an excessive deflection of cable truss (caused by creep of cables and rheologic changes) on its time-dependent serviceability is investigated. Attention is given to the definition of the basic random variables and their statistical functions (basic, mutually dependent random variables such as the pre-stressing forces of the bottom and top cable, structural geometry, the Young's modulus of elasticity of the cables, and the independent variables, such as permanent load, wind, snow and thermal actions). Then, the determination of the response of the cable truss to the loading effects, and the definition of the limiting values considering serviceability of the structure are performed. The potential of the method, using direct Monte Carlo technique for simulation-based time-dependent reliability assessment as a powerful tool, is emphasized. Results obtained by the First order reliability method (FORM) are compared with those obtained by the Monte Carlo simulation technique.