Cables and Arches

Cables: Assumptions

Cable is perfectly flexible & inextensible

No resistance to shear/bending: same as
truss bar
The force acting the cable is always tangent to
the cable at points along its length

Only axial force!

Example 5.1 Under Concentrated Forces

Determine the tension in each segment of the cable. Also,
what is the dimension h?
4 unknown external reactions (Ax, Ay, Dx and Dy)
3 unknown cable tensions
1 geometrical unknown h
8 unknowns

Solution
M A 0
TCD (3 / 5)( 2m) TCD ( 4 / 5)(5.5m) 3kN( 2m) 8kN( 4m) 0
TCD 6.79kN

Joint equilibriu m at C
6.79kN (3 / 5) TBC cos BC 0
6.79kN ( 4 / 5) 8kN TBC sin BC 0

BC 32.3o and TBC 4.82kN

Similarly, Joint equilibriu m at B

BA 53.8o and TBA 6.90kN

Finally , h ( 2m) tan 53.8o 2.74m

BA

BC

Cable subjected to a uniform distributed load

Consider this cable under distributed vertical load wo

The cable force is not a constant.
wo

FH

Fx 0
T cos (T T ) cos( ) 0

T cos T cos T cos( ) cos

Fy 0
T sin wo (x) (T T ) sin( ) 0
With anti - clockwiseas ve
M 0 0
wo (x)(x / 2) T cosy T sin x 0

d (T cos )
0 eqn 1
dx
d (T sin )
w o eqn 2
dx
dy
tan eqn 3
dx

Cable subjected to a uniform distributed load

d (T cos )
0 eqn 1
dx
d (T sin )
w o eqn 2
dx
dy
tan eqn 3
dx

Tsin

From Eqn 1 and let T = FH at x = 0:

T cos cons tan t FH eqn 4

FH

Integrating Eqn 2 realizing that Tsin = 0 at x = 0:

T sin wo x eqn 5

Eqn 5/Eqn 4:

dy wo x
tan

dx FH

eqn 6

T
FH

Cable subjected to a uniform distributed load

dy wo x
tan

dx FH

eqn 6
FH

Performing an integration with y = 0 at x = 0 yields

wo 2
y
x
2 FH

eqn 7

Cable profile:
parabola

y = h at x = L

h 2
y 2 x
L

eqn 9

wo L2
FH
2h

eqn 8

Cable subjected to a uniform distributed load

Tmax

max

Where and what is the max tension?

T cos FH eqn 4

T sin wo x eqn 5
T FH 2 ( wo x)2

T is max when x=L

FH

Tmax FH 2 ( wo L )2
wo L2
FH
2h

eqn 10

eqn 8

Tmax wo L 1 ( L / 2h )2

eqn 11

Cable subjected to a uniform distributed

load
T cos FH

T sin wo x
dy wo x
tan

dx FH

wo L
FH
2h
y

h 2
x
2
L

Tmax wo L 1 ( L / 2h)2

FH

Cable subjected to a uniform distributed load

Neglect the cable weight which is uniform along the length

A cable subjected to its own weight will take the form of a
x
y a cosh
catenary
curve

a
This curve ~ parabolic for small sag-to-span ratio
Wiki catenary

Hangers are close and

uniformly spaced

If forces in the hangers are known

then the structure can be analyzed
1 degree of indeterminacy

Determinate structure
hinge

Example 5.2
The cable supports a girder which weighs 12kN/m. Determine the
tension in the cable at points A, B & C.

12kN/m

Solution
The origin of the coordinate axes is established at point B, the
lowest point on the cable where slope is zero,
y

wo 2 12kN/m 2
6 2
x
x
x (1) 0.0389 x 2
2FH
2FH
FH

Assuming point C is located x from B:

6

6 2
x' FH 1.0 x'2 (2)
FH

154.4kN

FH

From B to A:
6
[(30 x' )]2
FH
6
2
12
[

(
30

x
'
)]
1 .0 x ' 2
12

x' 2 60 x'900 0 x' 12.43m

FH

Solution
y 0.0389x 2

T cos FH

TA

TC

A
C

dy
tan
0.0777x
dx

FH=154.4kN

17.57m

tan C

dy
dx

0.966
x 12.43

C 44.0o
TC

FH
154.4

214.6kN
o
cos C cos 44.0

tan A

dy
dx

12.43m

1.366
x 17.57

A 53.79o
TA

FH
261.4kN
cos A

Example 5.3

Determine the max tension in the cable IH

Assume the cable is parabolic

(under uniformly distributed load)

M C 0 I y Ay 0.667 FH

FH 28 .13 kN
M B 0 I y Ay 18 .75

Example 5.3

wo L2
FH
2h

FH 28 .13 kN

wo 3.13 kN / m

Tmax wo L 1 ( L / 2h )2 46.9 kN

Cable and Arch

FH

flip
FH
What if the load direction reverses?

Arches

An arch acts as inverted cable so it receives

compression
An arch must also resist bending and shear
depending upon how it is loaded & shaped

Arches

Types of arches
indeterminate

indeterminate

indeterminate
determinate

Three-Hinged Arch

Bx

Ax
Ay

By

Problem 5-30
Determine reactions at A and C and the cable
force
3 global Eqs
1 hinge condition

Ax
Bx

Ay
By

Cy
Ax
Ay

Example 5.4
The three-hinged arch bridge has a parabolic shape and supports
the uniform load. Assume the load is uniformly transmitted to the
arch ribs.
Show that the parabolic arch is subjected only to axial
compression at an intermediate point such as point D.

Solution
y

8 kN/m

=160 kN

10

20 2

x
10 m

x2

=160 kN
=160 kN

=160 kN

tan D

160 kN =

dy
20

x
0.5
dx ( 20 )2
x 10 m

D 26.6o

0=

N D 178.9kN

=160 kN
=160 kN

VD 0
MD 0