Catenary curves

The catenary is the theoretical shape a hanging chain or cable will assume when supported at its ends and acted on only by its own weight. y = a * cosh(x / a) = a * (exp(x / a) + exp(-x / a)) / 2 a = {0.5, 1, 2} y = {0.5 * cosh(x / 0.5), 1 * cosh(x / 1), 2 * cosh(x / 2)}

However in a suspension bridge with a suspended roadway, the chains or cables support the weight of the bridge, and so do not hang freely. In most cases the roadway is flat, so when the weight of the cable is negligible compared with the weight being supported, the force exerted is uniform with respect to horizontal distance, and the result is a parabola, as discussed below (although the term "catenary" is often still used, in an informal sense). If the cable is heavy then the resulting curve is between a catenary and a parabola.[27][28]

Comparison of a catenary (black dotted curve) and a parabola (red solid curve) with the same span and sag. The catenary represents the profile of a simple suspension bridge, or the cable of a suspended-deck suspension bridge on which its deck and hangers have negligible mass compared to its cable. The parabola represents the profile of the cable of a suspended-deck suspension bridge on which its cable and hangers have negligible mass compared to its deck. The profile of the cable of a real suspension bridge with the same span and sag lies between the two curves. The catenary and parabola equations are y = cosh(x) and y = (cosh(1) - 1) x2 + 1, respectively.

Anchoring of marine objects

A heavy anchor chain forms a catenary, with a low angle of pull on the anchor.

The catenary produced by gravity provides an advantage to heavy anchor rodes. An anchor rode (or anchor line) usually consists of chain or cable or both. Anchor rodes are used by ships, oilrigs, docks, floating wind turbines, and other marine equipment which must be anchored to the seabed. When the rode is slack, the catenary curve presents a lower angle of pull on the anchor or mooring device than would be the case if it were nearly straight. This enhances the performance of the anchor and raises the level of force it will resist before dragging. To maintain the catenary shape in the presence of wind, a heavy chain is needed, so that only larger ships in deeper water can rely on this effect. Smaller boats must rely on the performance of the anchor itself.[29] [edit]Mathematical description [edit]Equation

Catenaries for different values of a

Three different catenaries through the same two points, depending horizontal force being and mass per unit length.

The equation of a catenary in Cartesian coordinates has the form[27]

where cosh is the hyperbolic cosine function. All catenary curves are similar to each other. Changing the parameter a is equivalent to a uniform scaling of the curve.[30] The Whewell equation for the catenary is[27]

Differentiating gives

and eliminating

gives the Cesro equation[31]

The radius of curvature is then

which is the length of the line normal to the curve between it and the x-axis.[32] [edit]Relation to other curves When a parabola is rolled along a straight line, the roulette curve traced by its focus is a catenary.[33] The envelope of thedirectrix of the parabola is also a catenary.[34] The involute from the vertex, that is the roulette formed traced by a point starting at the vertex when a line is rolled on a catenary, is the tractrix.[33] Another roulette, formed by rolling a line on a catenary, is another line. This implies that square wheels can roll perfectly smoothly if the road has evenly spaced bumps in the shape of a series of inverted catenary curves. The wheels can be anyregular polygon except a triangle, but the catenary must have parameters corresponding to the shape and dimensions of the wheels.[35] [edit]Geometrical properties Over any horizontal interval, the ratio of the area under the catenary to its length equals a, independent of the interval selected. The catenary is the only plane curve other than a horizontal line with this property. Also, the geometric centroid of the area under a stretch of catenary is the midpoint of the perpendicular segment connecting the centroid of the curve itself and the x-axis.[36] [edit]Science A charge in a uniform electric field moves along a catenary (which tends to a parabola if the charge velocity is much less than the speed of light c).[37] The surface of revolution with fixed radii at either end that has minimum surface area is a catenary revolved about the x-axis.[33] [edit]Analysis [edit]Model of chains and arches

In the mathematical model. the chain (or cord, cable, rope, string, etc.) is idealized by assuming that it is so thin that it can be regarded as a curve and that it is so flexible any force of tensionexerted by the chain is parallel to the chain.[38] The analysis of the curve for an optimal arch is similar except that the forces of tension become forces of compression and everything is inverted.[39] An underlying principle is that the chain may be considered a rigid body once it has attained equilibrium.[40] Equations which define the shape of the curve and the tension of the chain at each point may be derived by a careful inspection of the various forces acting on a segment using the fact that these forces must be in balance if the chain is in static equilibrium. Let the path followed by the chain be given parametrically by r = (x, y) = (x(s), y(s)) where s represents arc length and r is the position vector. This is the natural parameterization and has the property that

where u is a unit tangent vector.

Diagram of forces acting on a segment of a catenary from c to r. The forces are the tension T0 at c, the tension T at r, and the weight of the chain (0, gs).

Since the chain is at rest the sum of these forces must be zero. A differential equation for the curve may be derived as follows.[41] Let c be the lowest point on the chain, called the vertex of the catenary,
[42]

and measure the

parameter s from c. Assume r is to the right of c since the other case is implied by symmetry. The forces acting on section of the chain from c to r are the tension of the chain at c, the tension of the chain at r and the weight of the chain. The tension at c is tangent to the curve at c and is therefore horizontal, and it pulls the section to the left so it may be written (T0, 0) where T0 is the magnitude of the force. The tension at r is parallel to the curve at r and pulls the section to the right, so it may be written Tu=(Tcos , Tsin ), where T is the magnitude of the force and is the is the angle between the curve at r and the x-axis (see tangential angle). Finally, weight of the chain is represented by (0, gs) where is the mass per unit length,g is the acceleration of gravity and s is the length of chain between c and r. The chain is in equilibrium so the sum of three forces is 0, therefore

and

and dividing these gives

It is convenient to write

which is the length of chain whose weight is equal in magnitude to the tension at c.[43] Then

is an equation defining the curve. The horizontal component of the tension, Tcos = T0 is constant and the vertical component of the tension, Tsin = gs is proportional to the length of chain between the r and the vertex.[44] [edit]Derivation of equations for the curve The differential equation given above can be solved to produce equations for the curve.[45] From

the formula for arc length gives

Then

and

The second of these equations can be integrated to give

and by shifting the position of the x-axis, can be taken to be 0. Then

The x-axis thus chosen is called the directrix of the catenary. It follows that the magnitude of the tension at a point T = gy which is proportional to the distance between the point and the directrix.[44] The integral of expression for dx/ds can be found using standard techniques giving[4
6]

and, again, by shifting the position of the y-axis, can be taken to be 0. Then

The y-axis thus chosen passes though the vertex and is called the axis of the catenary. These results can be used to eliminate s giving

[edit]Al ternati ve derivati on The different ial equation can be solved using a different approac h.[47] From

it follo ws that

a n d

I n t e g r a t i n g

g i v e s ,

a n d