CABLE-SUSPENDED BRIDGES 15.

65

Hs2
Lc
Ac Ec
⫹ Hs冉Hw Lc
Ac Ec
 ⑀t tLt ⫹
16ƒ2 64ƒ2K2
3L
⫺
L2 冊
⫹ 冉
pƒLK1
3
 ⑀t tLt ⫹ Hw ⫹
8ƒpK3
L2
⫽0 冊 (15.31)

where K1 ⫽ k22(4k2 ⫺ 6) ⫺ k12(4k1 ⫺ 6)

4 ⫹ aL (e aL ⫺ e ⫺aL ) ⫺ 2(e aL ⫺ e ⫺aL )
K2 ⫽
a 3(e aL ⫺ e ⫺aL )
(e ⫺ 1)(e
aL ⫺ak2L
⫺ e⫺ak1L) ⫹ (e⫺aL ⫺ 1)(eak2L ⫺ eak1L)
K3 ⫽
a3(eaL ⫺ e⫺aL)
(e ⫺ e )(ak2L ⫺ ak1L )
aL ⫺aL
⫹
a 3(e aL ⫺ e ⫺aL )
This form of the equation frequently is useful for determining Hp or Hs directly. Once either
has been evaluated, however, the deflections are more readily determined by the series
method. Moments are then calculated from
M ⫽ M1 ⫺ (Hw ⫹ Hs )␩ ⫺ Hsy (15.32)

Example. The Ambassador Bridge (Table 15.1), with unloaded backstays and a two-hinged
stiffening truss, has the following properties:
ƒ ⫽ 205.6 ft Ac ⫽ 240.89 in2
L ⫽ 1850 ft Ec ⫽ 27,000 ksi
L1 ⫽ 984.2 ft E ⫽ 30,000 ksi
L2 ⫽ 833.9 ft I ⫽ 113.71 ft4
␣1 ⫽ 20⬚32⬘ ␣2 ⫽ 24⬚
From the bridge data:
w ⫽ 6.2 kips per ft for the east cable
Hw ⫽ 12,920 kips for the east cable
The structure is analyzed for live loads of 0.2 to 2.0 kips per ft in increments of 0.2.
These live loads are placed in various positions: over the entire span, the end half, the center
half, the end quarter, the quarter nearest the center, and the center quarter. Analysis is made
by both the Timoshenko approximate and exact forms of Eq. (15.27).

Approximate Method. Equation (15.27) becomes, when the proper values of the given data
are used:
Hp ⫽ 848.60269a1 ⫹ 282.86755a3 ⫹ 169.72053a5 (15.33)
The coefficients a1, a3, and a5 contain ␤ ⫽ Hp / Hw . So a method of successive approximations
must be used. First, a value of Hp or ␤ is assumed. Then, this value is used in Eq. (15.25)
to get values of a1, a3, and a5. These, in turn, are substituted in Eq. (15.33) to obtain Hp .
This computed value of Hp will not agree with the assumed value unless by accident the
correct value of Hp had been guessed.
15.66 SECTION FIFTEEN

This procedure is repeated again. Thus,

for two assumed values of ␤ , ␤1, and ␤2, two
calculated values of Hp , Hp1, and Hp2 are ob-
tained. On a graph, the straight line Hp ⫽
␤Hw ⫽ 12,920␤ is drawn (Fig. 15.50), and
the points ␤1,Hp1 and ␤2,Hp2 plotted. A
straight line between these points intersects
the line Hp ⫽ 12,920␤ at the correct value of
H and ␤. (As many as six points were plot-
ted, and always the calculated value of Hp
lay on a straight line.)
The preceding procedure was used in cal-
FIGURE 15.50 Chart for linear interpolation of culating 60 values of Hp . Each was checked
horizontal component Hp of the cable tension. by finding correct values of a1, a3, and a5
with Eq. (15.31). Values of Hp yielded by
both methods are given in Table 15.7. The values of Hp from Fig. 15.50 are the values most
nearly correct, since the check values of Hp often changed several kips when Hp from Fig.
15.50 was changed a few tenths of a kip.
In calculating the deflections, it was found necessary, especially for unsymmetrical load-
ing, to use five terms of Eq. (15.24). Table 15.8 gives deflections, ft. for a typical point.

Timoshenko Exact Method. For the full Eq. (15.27), Table 15.9 gives the values of Hp ,
kips, for two of the load distributions. The results show that the actual distribution of live
load did not increase the value of Hp more than 1%.

(S. O. Asplund, ‘‘Structural Mechanics: Classical and Matrix Methods,’’ Prentice-Hall,

Inc., Englewood Cliffs, N.J.
E. Egervary, ‘‘Bases of a General Theory of Suspension Bridges Using a Matrical Method
of Calculation,’’ International Association of Bridge and Structural Engineers (IABSE )
Publication, vol. 16, pp. 149–184, 1956.

TABLE 15.7 Cable Tension Component Hp, kps

Hp ⫽ values from Fig. 15.50, H⬘p ⫽ check value from Eq. (15.31)

Live k1 ⫽ 0 k1 ⫽ 0 k1 ⫽ 0.25 k1 ⫽ 0 k1 ⫽ 0.25 k1 ⫽ 0.375

load, k2 ⫽ 1 k2 ⫽ 0.5 k2 ⫽ 0.75 k2 ⫽ 0.25 k2 ⫽ 0.50 k2 ⫽ 0.625
kips
per ft Hp H⬘p Hp H⬘p Hp H⬘p Hp H⬘p Hp H⬘p Hp H⬘p

0.2 385 386 193 193 269 268 59 59 134 135 144 146*
0.4 770 765 385 383 536 538 117 117 269 268 289 287
0.6 1151 1160* 578 575 803 811* 176 174* 403 403 432 433
0.8 1534 1524 769 770 1069 1079 234 236 537 534 576 576
1.0 1912 1915 961 956 1336 1331 292 293 671 666* 719 720
1.2 2291 2281 1152 1149 1600 1601 351 352 804 804 863 857
1.4 2668 2658 1343 1341 1863 1879 409 413 937 938 1005 1006
1.6 3041 3054 1534 1524* 2127 2139 468 465 1070 1070 1148 1145
1.8 3416 3419 1723 1722 2391 2383 526 526 1203 1203 1291 1286
2.0 3789 3786 1913 1906 2651 2661 584 587 1335 1337 1433 1422
0.78* 0.65* 1.00* 1.15* 0.75* 1.39*

* Maximum difference, % of Hp.