Cable Structures parabolic cables

Length of a parabolic cable

Integral solution in closed form
shape function cable length s between x = 0 and x = b

wx y= 2T0

s=

x =0

dy 1+ dx = dx
2

x =0

wx 1+ dx T0

rearrangement
b w T0 s= + x2 dx , a = T0 x = 0 w 2 b 1 T0 2 = + s a x dx w a x =0

a + x2 dx =
=

a + x2 + x x dx =
x2 a + x + x dx 2
2

a + x2 + x dx x dx

Michael Beer, Statics and Mechanics of Materials EG 1109, Part I: Statics

Cable Structures parabolic cables

Length of a parabolic cable

Integral solution in closed form (contd)
substitution
2

t2 a a + x = t x a + x = t 2tx + x , x = 2t 2 2 2 t +a dx (2t ) t a 2 dx = dt = 2 2 2t dt 4t x2 t2 + a x2 2 a + x + x dx 2 = ( t x ) + x 2t2 dt 2 t2 + a x2 = dt 2t 2 1 a 1 x2 = t dt + dt 2 2 t 2

2 2 2

t2 a x2 = + ln t 4 2 2
Michael Beer, Statics and Mechanics of Materials EG 1109, Part I: Statics

Cable Structures parabolic cables

Length of a parabolic cable

Integral solution in closed form (contd)
back-substitution

t=

a + x2 + x

1 a + x dx = 4
2

a+ x + x

a + ln 2

x2 a+ x + x 2
2

s=

4 a

a+b +b

a ln 2

a + b2 + b

1 a a ln 2 2 a 4

b2

( a)

Michael Beer, Statics and Mechanics of Materials EG 1109, Part I: Statics