Cable optimization Tips

November 14, 2017

DESIGN OF CIVIL STRUCTURES

I n t e g r a t e d S o l u t i o n S y s t e m f o r B r i d g e a n d C i v i l E n g i n e e r i n g
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1. Bridge overview Pylon Height

400 ft 17 main-span
cable pairs

17 back-span
cable pairs

The main span cables are initially stressed

in Stage DSX.4*, and stressed again in DS
X.7 (where X varies from 1 to 17 for each
Abut cable pair).

Cross-section

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* Unknown Load Factor w/o Construction Stages

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* Unknown Load Factor with Construction Stages

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2. Composite section with three parts

Stage 1

Stage 2

Stage 3

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3. Erection Sequence

Pylon First Segment Back Span Cable Main Span Cable

Temporary Support

Final Stage
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4. Main factors to be included for cable optimization

• Creep, Shrinkage
• Large displacement effect
• Multiple tensioning
• Constraints based on real displacements

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Tip 1. Initial pretension

• Unit pretension is not a good choice.
• Creep results due to unit pretension would be much different
from those due to the optimized pretension.
• Use cable pretensions optimized without considering erection
sequence.

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Tip 2. Multiple tensioning

• Each main cable is tensioned two times.
• ULF does not support multiple tensioning.
• Divide the pretension into two, i.e. first, second tensioning.
• First : Second = 80% : 20% or 70% : 30%
• Assign first tensioning to ‘Unknown’.

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Tip 3. Large Displacement Effect

• Do not apply creep/shrinkage and large displacement together
from the beginning.
• Start with creep/shrinkage only.
• When optimized pretension is obtained for the creep/shrinkage
, then add the large displacement effect.

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Tip 4. ULF Iteration

• Perform ULF with iteration number = 1.
• Check the changes of load factors.
• Perform ULF again until all the factors are close to 1.0.

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Tip 5. Real Displacement

• Create dummy deck along the main span.
• Activate all dummy deck elements at the beginning before
actual main deck elements are activated.
• Actual deck element and dummy deck element share same
node. Actual deck element
Node Node

Dummy deck element

Deformed shape of dummy deck elements.

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Constraints
Horizontal displacements of pylon: Within ±0.5 in at final stage

Vertical displacements of main deck: Within ±2 in at final stage

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Change of vertical displacements after iterations

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Change of horizontal displacement after iterations

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