A PRACTICAL TREATISE SUSPENSION BRIDGES THEIR DESIGN, CONSTRUCTION AND ERECTION BY D. B. STEINMAN, A.M., C.E., Ph.D. CONSULTING ENGINEER Monty Amarin Sait of il ener, Member American tn Guth of Cb and Macon Bape ee he Laie oes cs hark ‘Wirt Arrenp:ces on: ‘Deston Cuarts ror SuspENsiON BRIDGES ‘Tue Frorranopouis Brice ‘Tue Outo River Suseexsion BRIDGE AT PoRTsMouTH ‘Tue Derizction THEoRy CumonoLocicaL TABLE OF SUSPENSION BRIDGES SECOND EDITION, REVISED 1929 PREFACE TO THE SECOND EDITION Duniwe the few years since the first publication of this book, considerable progress has been recorded in the art of suspension. bridge design and erection. There have been new developments in materials, forms, methods, and principles of construction, In preparing this second edition, the author has endeavored to keep the book abreast of the latest developments in the art, by revisions in the body of the text as well as by additions of new material. Among the portions of the text that have been rewritten or amplified are those bearing on the topics of wire cables os. eye- bars, rocker towers, anchorage design, materials used in suspension bridges, economic and limiting proportions, comments on the deflection theory, formulas for temperature stresses, multiple span bridges, proportioning cable bands, calculation of cable diameter, and time records of erection. Such typographical or ‘mathematical errors'as have been discovered in the original pages have been corrected, and some convenient new formulas have been added. Following the original Appendix on Design Charts for Sus- pension Bridges, four new Appendices have been added. ‘These, the author hopes, will substantially enhance the usefulness of the book for study and reference. To bring toa focus, in the light of recent progress, the previous separate treatments of design theory, construction details, and erection methods, there have been added comprehensive ‘illus- trative accounts of the planning and execution of actual projects, from conception of design to completion of construction. For this purpose, two representative modern structures have been used: Appendix B, on the Florianopolis Bridge, covers the latestiv PREFACE TO THE SECOND EDITION developments in the design and erection of eyebar suspension bridges, as represented by the largest executed example of that type. Appendix C, on the Ohio River Bridge at Portsmouth, presents an illustrated account of the details of design and con- struction of a modern wire-cable suspension bridge of ordinary spanength. In bpth cases, the explanatory descriptions of typical and novel features and methods, and the record of prob- Jems met and expedients developed, should be helpful to others ‘who may be confronted with like problems in field and office. Appendix D, on the Deflection Theory, is perhaps the most important contribution to this new edition. It presents the “more exact” method of computing stresses in suspension bridges, to supplement the common, approximate theory devel- oped in Chapter I. In writing this section on the Deflection ‘Theory, the author has aimed at maximum simplicity, concise- ness, and practical convenience. ‘The treatment is illustrated by ‘a numerical example of the application to an actual design, — the Mount Hope Bridge. Finally, to supplement the quick design charts given in Appendix A based on the Elastic Theory, there is presented in Appendix D a new graphic chart by which the more exact stresses of the Deflection Theory may be expe- ditiously evaluated. Appendix E presents a Chronological Table of Suspension Bridges, intended to facilitate reference and to aid historical review of the development of the wire-cable and eyebar types of construction. ‘The author wishes to express his indebtedness to the many who have contributed data to help make this the most complete tabulation of suspension bridges thus far published. In conclusion, the author wishes to state that this book has ‘been a labor of love, prepared at considerable personal sacrifice, in pursuance of the principle that a man should give of his best to his profession. In proportion as this work may prove helpful to others,—fellow-engineers and students,—the author will fee repaid for his effort D. B, Steracan. New You Cire October 7, 1928. PREFACE TO THE FIRST EDITION ‘Tats book has been planned to supply the needs of practi ing engineers who may have problems in estimating, designing ‘or constructing suspension bridges, and of students who wish to prepare themselves for work in this field, ‘The aim has been to produce an up-to-date, practical handbook on the subject, dis- tinguished by simplicity of treatment and convenience of appli- cation. In the first division, on Stresses in Suspension Bridges, the formulas have been corrected to conform to modern practice, and reduced to their simplest and most convenient form for direct application by the desigring engineer. The formulas are supplemented by curves for their expeditious solution, and by alternative graphical methods for determining stresses. The second division, on Types and Details of Construction, presents data and illustrations to assist the designing engineer in the selection of type of suspersion bridge and in the determina- tion of proportions, specifications, and details for the various ‘elements of suspension construction. ‘The third division, on Typical Design Computations, gives numerical examples of suspension designs of different types worked out by methods that have proved most efficent in the author's practice. ‘The designing engineer will find here the formulas. to be used in each successive step of the design, and the practical methods of applying them, with tabulations, graphs and short-cuts. ‘The fourth division, on Erection of Suspension Bridges, describes and illustrates the successive stages in the erection of, representative structures, from towers to trusses. ‘The opera- tions of stringing wire cables are presented in detail, with an outline of the computations for adjustment and control.vi PREFACE, ‘Methods of erecting eyebar chains and other types are also de- scribed and illustrated. The Appendix presents a series of design charts, specially devised for this book, for the expeditious proportioning of suspen- sion bridges. These charts give quickly and accurately the governing stresses throughout any span, saving the time and labor of applying the stress formulas otherwise required. ‘The author desires to express his indebtedness to his associate, Mr. Holton D. Robinson, for reviewing the manuscript on Erection; and to the Department of Plant and Structures of New York City for many courtesies extended. D. B. STeman. New York Cire August 3, 1922. * . s 6. 2 & ° 1B. Xs. 6 ™ 8. % CONTENTS CHAPTER T [STRESSES IN SUSPENSION BRIDGES Srow0y TT Came Form of the Cable for Any Loading. ‘The Parabolic Cable ‘Unsymmetrical Spans, ‘The Catenary ‘Deformations of the Cable. Section TI—Uvsrirrewen Suspension Buivors Introduction Strees in the Cables and Towers Deformations under Central Loading. Deformations under Unsymmetrical Loading. Deflections due to Elongation of Cable. Sreow TIL—Stirreyep Suspension Buiocrs Introduction ‘Assumptions Used Fundamental Relation. Tnfvence Lines. Seemion 1V —Tranecunony Sraewamo TRoeD2 Analyse. <= - ‘Moments i the Stifening Truss... ‘Sheas in the Stiflening Truss. Secrion V-—Twosoen Srierentse TRUSSES Determination of the Horizontal Tension H, Values of I for Special Cass of Lacing ‘Moments inthe Stiffeing Truss. 3 4 5 6 ”