Static analysis of cable structures

1. Introduction

Cable structures are lightweight structures of flexible type. The typical cables structure is usually
composed of curved members. These members have only axial stiffness related to tension. They
can carry neither bending nor compression. Some of them are load bearing ones, some are
tightening.
They allow spanning large distances. Therefore, they are used in the construction of large span
roof girders, shell-like roofs and hanging bridges.

2. Types of cable structures

Single cable

q
N N

Double cable girders

Initially tightened – they reach large stiffness. Hence, they exhibit smaller displacements than
single cables
Load-bearing cable
Tensile hanger

Tightening cable

Jahwert’s girder

There are also less frequently used double cable girders with compressive hangers.
Cable meshes

Load-bearing cables

Hyperbolic paraboloid
Tightening cables

Hybrid structures – consisting of bars and cables or trusses and cables

– suspension bridges
single span

Load-bearing cable
Pylon
Hanger

Beam

The main beam can be replaced by a truss

multi-span (may have spans of several kilometres)

– cable-stayed bridges

harp type fan type

 Pylons may have various cross-sections

– masts with guys

Mast

Guy (cable)

3. Basic equation for a single cable

Let us consider a single cable subjected to the axial tightening force and transverse loading.

q
A B
N f N
ql ql
RA = C RB =
2 2
l

Since the cable carries no bending we can write down the equation of equilibrium of moments with
respect to the centre point C for a half of the cable
ql l ql l
∑ MC Nf − ⋅ + ⋅ =0
left

2 2 2 4
and get the basic relation between the tightening force and the uniform transverse loading
ql 2
N=
8f
4. Analytical model

The model for the cable analysis is based on the following assumptions
– the material is linearly elastic
– the strains are small but displacements are large – geometric non-linearity
– loading is applied at nodes
Let us consider a cable element e with the nodes i and k having the initial length L0.

x e
k
y
z i

u~k N
k x~
u~i
N i
e
~ v~k N – tightening force
w
y~
k
~
w i v~i L0

z~

The vectors of nodal displacements and nodal reactions in local co-ordinates are given as
 u~i  U ~ 
i
~   ~ 
v
 i   i 
V
 w~  W ~ 
~ = ~
q e  ~
i
 R e =  ~ 
i
u
 k  k
U
 v~   V~ 
 ~k   ~k 
 k 
w Wk 

The stiffness matrix consists of elastic and geometric parts

1 0 0 − 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 
   
 0 0 0 0 0  1 0 0 −1 0 
~ EA  0 0 0 0 N  1 0 0 − 1
Ke =  +  
L0  1 0 0 L  0 0 0
 0 0  1 0
   
 0  1 
or
K~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
~ ~ ~ K ik 1,e   K ii 2, e K ik 2,e   K ii 1,e − K ii 1, e   K ii 2,e − K ii 2, e 
K e = K1e + K 2e =  ~ ii 1, e ~  +  ~ ~  =  ~ ~  +  ~ ~ 
K ki 1, e K kk 1,e  K ki 2,e K kk 2, e   − K ii 1,e K ii 1,e  − K ii 2,e K ii 2,e 

Note, that the geometric matrix includes the current element length L.
The equilibrium equation for the element in local co-ordinates reads
~ ~ ~
Keq e = Re

In order to analyse the entire system all quantities from local co-ordinates must be transformed to
the global co-ordinates
 T~
K e = Te K e Te
where the transformation matrix is

T c xx c xy c xz 
C 0   
Te =   with C = c yx c yy c yz 
 0 C c zx c zy c zz 

The direction cosine cab is defined as
~
c ab = cos ∠ a, b ( )
The first part of the element stiffness matrix can be transformed as follows
~ ~ ~ ~
CT 0   K ii 1, e − K ii 1,e  C 0   CT K ii 1,e − CT K ii 1,e  C 0 
K1e =  T
 ~ ~  =
  T~ ~  =
 0 C   − K ii 1,e K ii 1,e   0 C  − C K ii 1, e CT K ii 1,e   0 C
 CT K ~ ~
C − CT K ii 1, e C
=  T ~ii 1,e T~ 
 − C K ii 1, e C C K ii 1,e C 
and similarly for the second part we get
~
 CT K ~
ii 2, e C − CT K ii 2,e C
K 2e =  T~ T~ 
− C K ii 2, e C C K ii 2,e C 
We can substitute the explicit form of the matrices and get
c xx c xy c xz   1 0 0 c xx c yx c zx  c xx 0 0 c xx c yx c zx 
~ EA     EA   
C K ii 1,e C =
T
c yx c yy c yz  0 0 0 c xy c yy c zy  = c yx 0 0 c xy c yy c zy  =
L0  L0 
c zx c zy c zz  0 0 0 c xz c yz 
c zz  c zx 0 0 c xz c yz c zz 

 c xx 2 c xx c yx c xx c zx 
EA  
=
2
c xx c yx c yx c zx c yx 
L0 
c zx 
2
c xx c zx c zx c yx

c xx c xy c xz  0 0 0 c xx c yx c zx  0 c xy c xz  c xx c yx c zx 
~ N    N  
C K ii 2, e C = c yx
T
c yy c yz  0 1 0 c xy c yy c zy  = 0 c yy c yz  c xy c yy c zy  =
L L
c zx c zy c zz  0 0 1 c xz c yz c zz  0 c zy c zz  c xz c yz c zz 
 
(
 c xy 2 + c xz 2 ) (c xy c yy + c xz c yz ) (c xy c zy + c xz c zz )
N
= (c xy c yy + c xz c yz ) (
c yy
2
+ c yz
2
) (c yy c zy + c yz c zz )
 (c xy c zy + c xz c zz )
L
(c yy c zy + c yz c zz ) (c zy
2
+ c zz
2
) 

The elements of the second submatrix can be rewritten if the orthogonality conditions for the
direction cosines are used. We have for instance:

c xx + c xy + c xz = 1
2 2 2

so the first diagonal term can be given as

c xy + c xz = 1 − c xx
2 2 2

There is also
 c xx c yx + c xy c yy + c xz c yz = 0

so the first off-diagonal term can be given as

c xy c yy + c xz c yz = −c xx c yx

Using the similar relations the entire second part of the stiffness matrix can be rewritten and finally
we get
 K ii 1,e − K ii 1, e   K ii 2,e − K ii 2, e 
Ke =  + 
 − K ii 1,e K ii 1, e  − K ii 2,e K ii 2,e 

where:
 c xx 2 c xx c yx c xx c zx 
EA  
=
2
K ii 1,e c xx c yx c yx c zx c yx 
L0 
c zx 
2
c xx c zx c zx c yx


(
 1 − c xx 2 ) − c xx c yx − c xx c zx 
K ii 2,e
N
=  − c xx c yx (1 − c ) 2 
− c yx c zx 
( )
yx
L
 − c xx c zx − c yx c zx 1 − c zx 
2

Thus we have expressed the stiffness matrix in terms of direction cosines between the local axis x~
and the global axes x, y and z. Because of such a relatively simple form, usually the element
matrices are directly given in the global co-ordinates using the co-ordinates of nodes. Let us
consider the element

x
yi
xi zi yk
i
xk
e zk
y L
k
z x~

The cosines required to express the element stiffness matrix can be given as
x − xi
c xx = cos ∠(x, x~) = k
L
y − yi
c yx = cos ∠(y , x~) = k
L
−
c zx = cos ∠(z, x~) = k
z zi
L
Thus, with these definitions there is no necessity for the transformation of co-ordinates.

After the assembly of the global stiffness matrix K and inclusion of support conditions the global set
of equations is formulated
Kq = P
The global stiffness matrix has the dimension n×n, where n = 3s and s is the number of free
(unsupported) nodes.
Solution of this equation gives the nodal displacements in the vector q. Then the equilibrium
conditions in the deformed configuration must be checked.
The new co-ordinates of nodes are obtained from
x i ' = x i + ui
yi ' = yi + vi
zi ' = zi + w i
x k ' = x k + uk
yk ' = yk + vk
z k ' = zk + w k
and the displacements ui, vi and wi come from q.
The current length of the element is:

L' = (x k '− x i ')2 + (y k '− y i ')2 + (zk '−zi ')2

so the length increment is

∆L ' = (x k '− x i ')2 + (y k '− y i ')2 + (zk '−zi ')2 − L0

The current value of the axial force in the element is
N ' = N + ∆N '
where the current force increment is obtained from the Hooke’s law
∆L'
∆N ' = EA Having found the current axial forces we can calculate the out-of-balance nodal
L0
forces ∆Qx', ∆Qy' and ∆Qz' assembled into a vector

Q y' Qx' x
 ∆Qx ' m
  Nr ' = −∑ Ne ' c
∆Q' = ∆Qy ' Qz' Nr'
 ∆Qz '  y e =1

Let us denote the resultant from the axial forces in the m-elements coinciding at a node as Nr'.
Then, using the equilibrium conditions at the node we get

Q x '+ ∑ N e ' cos ∠(x, x~) = 0

m

e =1

Qy '+ ∑ N e ' cos ∠(y , x~) = 0

m

e =1

Qz '+ ∑ N e ' cos ∠(z, x~) = 0

m

e =1

or in the matrix notation

m
Q' = − ∑ N e ' c
e =1

Qx ' cos ∠(x, x~) c xx 

c = cos ∠(y , x~) = c yx 
     
where Q' = Qy '
Qz '   cos ∠(z, x~) c zx 
 
The external forces at the nodes are
P' = P0 + P
where P0 is the vector of initial (tightening) nodal forces and P is the vector of external imposed
loads.
The out-of-balance forces are
m
∆Q' = P'−Q' = P0 + P + ∑ N e ' c
e =1

In the next iteration the equilibrium equation reads

K' ∆q' = ∆Q'
Solving of these equations yields the vector of displacement increments, which are used to
calculate the new values of current displacements
q' = q + ∆q'
From this point the calculations are repeated to get the new values of out-of-balance forces, etc.
The iterations stop when the current value of the out-of-balance forces falls below a tolerance
∆Q' ≤ tol

The presented algorithm follows the line of the Newton method. Let us now briefly present the
methods of iterative solving of non-linear equations.

The Newton method

P
- a new stiffness matrix at each iteration
∆Q'

P
Q'
q

q ∆q' ∆q''
qreal

The modified Newton method

P
- the initial stiffness matrix used at each
iteration
∆Q' - slower convergence but low computation
cost at each iteration
P
Q'
q
∆q'
q
qreal
The Newton-Raphson method

P
- loading divided into increments
P3 - much better convergence in highly non-
linear cases
P P2

P1
q

5. Example

We consider a plane cable system consisting of 3 elements.

Initial configuration
Node co-ordinates:
A x B xA = 0.0
H yA = 0.0
1 H
3 3 xB = 10.0
RA RB yB = 0.0
C 2 D xC = 3.0
P0 P0
yC = 3.0
y xD = 7.0
3 4 3 yD = 3.0

Data:
EA = 8000 kN
Initial tightening load – two nodal forces P0 = 5 kN

The reactions in the initial configuration are

∑ MB : 10RA − 5 ⋅ 7 − 5 ⋅ 3 = 0 ⇒ RA = 5 kN

∑y : RB = 5 kN

∑ MC : 3RA − 3H = 0 ⇒ H = 5 kN

The axial forces in the inclined cables can be obtained from the equilibrium of the node A or B
A
H 2
N1 ∑y : N1
2
= 5 kN ⇒ N1 = 7.07107 kN
RA

And from the symmetry N3 = N1.

The force in the cable CD comes from the equilibrium of the node C

N1 C
2
N2 ∑x: N1
2
= N 2 ⇒ N 2 = 5 kN
P0
The cable system in this configuration is now loaded by a set of two external loads P = 12 kN
A x B
H H
1 3 3
RA C RB
2 D

P0 P0
y

P P
3 4 3

Initial lengths for the elements are

L0,1 = (3 − 0 )2 + (3 − 0)2 = 4.24264m = L0,3

L0,2 = (7 − 3 )2 + (3 − 3)2 = 4.0m

The direction cosines are:

xC − x A 3−0
c xx ,1 = = = 0.707107
L0,1 4.24264
yC − yA 3−0
c yx ,1 = = = 0.707107
L0,1 4.24264

xD − x C 7 − 3
c xx ,2 = = = 1.0
L0,2 4. 0
yD − y C 3 − 3
c yx ,2 = = = 0. 0
L0,2 4. 0

xB − xD 10 − 7
c xx ,3 = = = 0.707107
L0,3 4.24264
yB − yD 0−3
c yx ,3 = = = −0.707107
L0,3 4.24264

The element stiffness matrices

 K AA,1 − K AA,1 
K1 =  
− K AA,1 K AA,1 

EA  c xx ,1
2
(
c xx ,1c yx ,1  N1  1 − c xx ,1
2
)
− c xx ,1c yx ,1 
K AA,1 = 
L0,1 c xx ,1c yx ,1 2 
+ 
(2 
c yy ,1  L0,1 − c xx ,1c yx ,1 1 − c yy ,1  )
=

8000 0.5 0.5  7.07107  0.5 − 0.5 943.643 941.976 

= + =
4.24264 0.5 0.5  4.24264  − 0.5 0.5  941.976 943.643 

 K AA,2 − K AA,2 
K2 =  
 − K AA,2 K AA,2 
 EA  c xx ,2 2
c xx ,2c yx ,2  N 2  1 − c xx ,2
2
( ) − c xx ,2c yx ,2 
K AA,2 =
L0,2
 2 
+ 
c yy ,2  L0,2  − c xx ,2c yx ,2
c xx ,2c yx ,2 ( )
2 
1 − c yy ,2 
=

8000  1 0 5 0 0 2000.0 0 
=  +  = 
4.0 0 0 4.0 0 1  0 1.250 

 K AA,3 − K AA,3 
K3 =  
 − K AA,3 K AA,3 

 c xx ,3 2
EA (
c xx ,3c yx ,3  N3  1 − c xx ,3
2
)
− c xx ,3c yx ,3 
K AA,3 = 
L0,3
c xx ,3c yx ,3
 + 
( 2 
c yy ,3  L0,3 − c xx ,3 c yx ,3 1 − c yy ,3 
2
=
)
8000  0.5 − 0.5 7.07107 0.5 0.5   943.643 − 941.976
= + =
4.24264  − 0.5 0.5  4.24264 0.5 0.5   − 941.976 943.643 
The pattern of global stiffness matrix assembly and support conditions inclusion is

A C D B
A K1

C K2
K=
D K3

and the remaining fragment of the matrix K corresponds to the free nodes C and D.
This remaining fragment is
 2943.64 941.976 − 2000.0 0. 0 
 
 941.976 944.893 0.0 − 1.250 
K=
 − 2000 .0 0 .0 2943.64 − 941.976 
 
 0 .0 − 1.250 − 941.976 944.893 

The load vector corresponding to the free nodes C and D has two forces P in the y direction and
zero forces in the x direction
 0.0 
 
12.0
P=
 0.0 
 
12.0
The solution of the equilibrium equation Kq = P is

− 0.0029922 
 
0.0157036 
q=
 0.0029922 
 
 0.0157036 
Now we can find the new co-ordinates of free nodes
 x C ' = 3.0 − 0.0029922 = 2.99701
y C ' = 3.0 + 0.0157036 = 3.01570
xD ' = 7.0 + 0.0029922 = 7.00299
y D ' = 3.0 + 0.0157036 = 3.01570
The current element lengths are

L1' = (2.99701 − 0.0)2 + (3.01570 − 0.0)2 = 4.25165m = L3 '

L2 ' = (7.00299 − 2.99701)2 + (3.01570 − 3.01570 )2 = 4.00598m

The length increments are

∆L0,1' = 4.25165 − 4.24264 = 0.00901m = ∆L0,3'

∆L0,2 ' = 4.00598 − 4.0 = 0.00598m

The increments of axial forces

∆L0,1' 0.00901
∆N1' = EA = 8000 ⋅ = 16.9894kN = ∆N 3 '
L0,1 4.24264

∆L0,2 ' 0.00598

∆N 2 ' = EA = 8000 ⋅ = 11.9680 kN
L0,2 4 .0

and the current values of the axial forces

N1' = N1 + ∆N1' = 7.07107 + 16.9894 = 24.0605kN = N3 '

N 2 ' = N 2 + ∆N 2 ' = 5.0 + 11.9680 = 16.9680kN

The current values of the direction cosines are
2.99701 − 0
c xx ,1 = = 0.704905
4.25165
3.01570 − 0
c yx ,1 = = 0.709301
4.25165
c xx ,2 = 1.0
c yx ,2 = 0.0

10 − 7.00299
c xx ,3 = = 0.704905
4.25165
0 − 3.01570
c yx ,3 = = −0.709301
4.25165
The out-of-balance forces can be found from the equilibrium of nodes

24.0605 C x ∆Qx ' = −24.0605 ⋅ 0.704905 + 16.9680 = 0.00763kN

16.9680 ∆Qy ' = −24.0605 ⋅ 0.709301 + 12 + 5 = −0.06614kN
5 + 12

y
And similarly, from the equilibrium of the node D we get
∆Qx ' = −0.00763kN
∆Qy ' = −0.06614kN

to complete the vector

 0.00763 
 
 − 0.06614 
∆Q' =
 − 0.00763 
 
 − 0.06614 
The stiffness matrices in the current configuration are formed using the following submatrices
 c xx ,12
EA (
c xx ,1c yx ,1  N1'  1 − c xx ,1
2
)− c xx ,1c yx ,1 
K AA,1' = 
L0,1
c xx ,1c yx ,1
 + 
( 2 
c yy ,1  L1' − c xx ,1c yx ,1 1 − c yy ,1 
2
) =

8000 0.496891 0.50  24.0605 0.503108 − 0.50  939.794 939.980 

=  +  = 
4.24264  0.50 0.503108  4.25165  − 0.50 0.496891 939.980 951.482

 c xx ,2 2
EA (
c xx ,2c yx ,2  N 2 '  1 − c xx ,2
2
)
− c xx ,2c yx,2 
K AA,2 ' = 
L0,2
c xx ,2c yx ,2
 + 
(
c yy ,2  L2 ' − c xx ,2c yx ,2 1 − c yy ,2 
2
)
2 
=

8000  1 0 16.9680 0 0 2000.0 0 

=  +  = 
4.0 0 0 4.00598 0 1  0 4.23567 

 c xx ,3 2
EA ( )
c xx ,3 c yx ,3  N 3 '  1 − c xx ,3
2
− c xx ,3 c yx ,3 
K AA,3 ' = 
L0,3
c xx ,3 c yx ,3
 + 
(
c yy ,3  L3 ' − c xx ,3 c yx ,3 1 − c yy ,3 
2 2 
) =

8000 0.496891 − 0.50  24.0605 0.503108 0.50   939.794 − 939.980 

=  +  = 
4.24264  − 0.50 0.503108  4.25165  0.50 0.496891 − 939.980 951.482 
Following the same assembly and support conditions pattern we get the “active” part of the global
stiffness matrix in the form
 2939.79 939.980 − 2000.0 0. 0 
 
 939.980 955.718 0 .0 − 4.23567 
K' =
 − 2000.0 0 .0 2939.79 − 939.980 
 
 0.0 − 4.23567 − 939.980 955.718 

and solving the equilibrium equations with out-of-balance forces

K' ∆q' = ∆Q '
we get the following increments of displacements
 0.0000182 
 
 − 0.0000875 
∆q' =
 − 0.0000182 
 
 − 0.0000875 
With these values the total current displacements can be found
 uC '  − 0.0029922 + 0.0000182  − 0.0029738 
     
v C ' = ∆q'+q =  0.0157037 − 0.0000852  =  0.0156162 
uD '  0.0029922 − 0.0000182   0.0029738 
     
v D '  0.0157037 − 0.0000852   0.0156162 
The co-ordinates of nodes in the current deformed configuration
x C ' ' = 3.0 − 0.0029738 = 2.997026
y C ' ' = 3.0 + 0.0156162 = 3.016162
xD ' ' = 7.0 + 0.0029738 = 7.002974
y D ' ' = 3.0 + 0.0156162 = 3.016162
The current element lengths are
L1' ' = 4.251600m = L3 ' '

L2 ' ' = 4.005948m

The length increments are
∆L0,1' ' = 0.008960 m = ∆L0,3 ' '

∆L0,2 ' ' = 0.005948m

The increments of axial forces

∆N1' ' = 16.8951kN = ∆N3 ' '
∆N 2 ' ' = 11.8960 kN
and the current values of the axial forces
N1' ' = N1 + ∆N1' ' = 23.9662kN = N3 ' '
N2 ' ' = N 2 + ∆N 2 ' ' = 16.8960kN
The current values of the direction cosines are
c xx ,1 = 0.704917
c yx ,1 = 0.709290

c xx ,2 = 1.0
c yx ,2 = 0.0

c xx ,3 = 0.704917
c yx ,3 = −0.709290

The current out-of-balance forces can be found from the equilibrium of nodes

23.9662 C x ∆Qx ' ' = −23.9662 ⋅ 0.704917 + 16.8960 = 0.00182kN

16.8960 ∆Qy ' ' = −23.9662 ⋅ 0.709290 + 12 + 5 = 0.00101kN
5 + 12

y
These values are several times smaller than the out-of-balance forces in the first iteration, what
confirms the convergence behaviour of the solution process.
They are also relatively small compared to the current values of forces in the elements (about
0.001%), so the iterations can be stopped at this point.