Communications in Information Science and Management Engineering CISME

Wire Suspension Bridge Analyzed Considering

Suspenders Deformation
Wenjie Niu
Hydraulic structure and environment engineering research institute, Zhejiang University
Hangzhou City, China
[email protected]

Abstract-Elastic theory is employed for short span suspension In this work, a program developed from flexibility method
bridges while deflection theory and finite element theory are used considering suspenders deformation was introduced here and
for long span suspension bridges. But the tension deformations of used for one span and two hinge joint wire suspension bridge [3,
the suspenders are usually ignored in the elastic theory when to
4]. Elastic theory was used to determine the internal force of
compute the internal force of small span suspension bridge. In
this paper, a flexibility method considering suspenders suspension bridge.
deformation was proposed to calculate the internal load of a wire
suspension bridge. Its span is less than 200 meters and can be
analyzed with elastic theory. Results indicate that the horizontal
cable tension force of wire suspension bridge by flexibility
method ignoring the suspenders deformations is 0.01671% bigger
than the real redundant bar force by flexibility method
considering the suspenders deformations. A new equation
considering suspenders deformation based on the old common
equation was established to find the more accurate horizontal
tension force at cable midpoint.
Keywords-Flexibility Method; Wire Suspension Bridge;
Tension Deformations of the Suspenders; Elastic Theory Figure 1. Layout of Wire Suspension Bridge

I. INTRODUCTION II. WIRE SUSPENSION BRIDGE CONSIDERING SUSPENDERS

Suspension bridges built between 19th century end and DEFORMATION
20th century start such as Brooklyn Bridge are analyzed with
elastic theory. In the case of very rigid stiffening trusses, the A. Influence Line Considering Suspenders Deformation
deflections of cable and simply supported beam can be Considering suspenders deformation, influence line for
neglected [1].Influence line equation for horizontal tension horizontal cable tension force of wire suspension bridge in Fig.
force at wire suspension bridge cable midpoint in Fig. 1 which 1 can be derived as
is widely used in computing and designing short span wire
l
suspension bridges has been determined as [2] 1
EI 0
M0 ydx
1 l LE l1 l2
l
. HLcsd .
qd L
1
H L M 0 ydx A E A E cos 3 EI y dx
2
LE l1 l2 l
1 2 n 2

EI C C y dx
AC EC Ac Ec cos 0 EI 0
0 c c 0 0 3 i
i1 Ac Ec
Where d is the defined distance unit (the distance between
two adjacent suspenders), Ec is the Elastic module of cable and
8f
suspenders, Ac is the Area of cables and suspenders, EcAc is q
the Extensional rigidity, E is the Elastic module of main beam, l2
I is the Moment of inertia and EI is the Bending stiffness. 0 is
In (2) and (3), q denotes intensity of the vertical load on the
the Angle formed by the tangent at the cable end and the cable by suspenders induced by horizontal unit redundant force
horizontal line and equals the Angle formed by Anchorage at the midpoint of main cable when analyzed with flexibility
cable straight line and the horizontal line.
method. Value Li represents length of every suspender.
In the common computing method to wire suspension
bridge, the tension deformations of the suspenders are usually B. Relationship between Influence Line not Considering
ignored in the elastic theory when to compute the internal force Suspenders Deformation and Considering Suspenders
of suspension bridge [2]. For example, it can be seen that the Deformation
tension deformations of suspenders are ignored in (1). It is
necessary to give the new method considering suspenders Combining (1) and (2), the relationship between influence
deformation and investigate how much accuracy equation (1) line not considering suspenders deformation and considering
can get for determining the horizontal cable tension force. suspenders deformation can be written as the ratio below

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Communications in Information Science and Management Engineering CISME

parameters of wire suspension bridge in section are inserted

n
qd 2
Li into (10), one can get the following results.
HL
1
Ac E c
i 1
l1 l 2
H L H Lcsd
0.01671
l
H Lcsd LE 1

2
y dx H Lcsd
AC E C Ac E c cos 3 0 EI 0
The horizontal tension force at wire suspension bridge
cable midpoint in Fig. 2 by flexibility method ignoring
III. A WIRE SUSPENSION BRIDGE EXAMPLE
suspenders deformation is 0.01671 % bigger than the one
Wire suspension bridges are designed and analyzed by which is more accurate determined by flexibility method
many researchers [5, 13]. The wire suspension bridge (Fig. 2) considering suspenders deformation. And this small deviation
parameters were given as (Institute of Bridge Science of Bridge is always neglected in the practical design.
Engineering Department of Railways Ministry 1996):
f V. CONCLUSION
d=7m; l =140m; l1 =60.30m; l 2 =53.90m; = =1/9;f=15.5 Influence line for horizontal tension force at wire
l suspension bridge cable midpoint was analyzed in this paper. A
5m;Ec=1.5*1011N/m2;Ac=0.0221m2;EcAc=3.32*109N;E=2.1*
1011 N/m2;I=0.1330 m2*m2;EI=2.790*1010 N*m2. new equation based on the old common equation was
established. The horizontal tension force at wire suspension
The main cable mathematical equation is bridge cable midpoint in Fig. 2 determined by old common
equation is 0.01671% bigger than the one which is more
x x accurate determined by flexibility method considering
y 4f 1 suspenders deformation.
l l
Insert the parameters above into (5), one can find that The advantage of the proposed method mainly including (2)
equation below can represent the main cable curve in Fig. 2. and (10) is that (2) can more accurately determine the
horizontal tension force at wire suspension bridge cable
x x midpoint while (10) can be called to evaluate how much
y 62 . 20 1 accuracy the old equation (1) can get for small span wire
l l suspension bridges.
From Fig. 2, one can observe that
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
dy
tan 0 x0 The author is supported with Scientific Research Starting
dx Funds for Introduced Talent in the college of Civil Engineering
Combine (5) and (7), the following results can be obtained. and Architecture of Zhejiang University in the First Half-year
in 2010. The Program Number is 188020-544802[18] and the
f 4 Authorization Number is 21215. The author is also supported
tan 0 4 0.4444 with the 47th batch Chinese postdoctoral scientific fund with a
l 9 funding serial number as 113000-X91001. The financial help is
cos0 0.9137 greatly appreciated.

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Communications in Information Science and Management Engineering CISME
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