CABLE STRUCTURES

ESHIKA AGARWAL - 210BARCH117

CABLES

A cable is a flexible structural component that offers no resistance when

compressed or bent in a curved shape. Technically we can say cable has zero
bending rigidity. It can only support tensile loading. → Cables are often used in
engineering structures for support and to transmit load from one point to another
when used to support suspension roofs, bridges and trolley wheels, cables form
the main load carrying element in the structure. In analysis of cables the weight
of itself cable is rejected. We assume that cable is flexible and inextensible. Due
to its flexibility cables offers no resistance to shear or bending. Being inextensible
the cable has constant length before and after the load is applied. As a result
once the load is applied the geometry of cable remains fixed. The easiest
structure type to think is a tension structure to resist only tensile force and of
these, the simplest are those which sustain only unidirectional tension as
represented by a cable or thin rod. > A cable is the main component of cable
supported bridge or suspended roof structures that are classified as follows.
 TYPES OF CABLE
STRUCTURES

SUSPENTION TYPE CABLES

STAYED TYPE CALBES

 SUSPENSION
BRIDGE

A suspension bridge is a type of bridge in which the deck (the load-bearing portion) is
hung below suspension cables on vertical suspenders. This type of bridge has cables
suspended between towers, plus vertical suspender cables that carry the weight of the
deck below, upon which traffic crosses. This arrangement allows the deck to be level or to
are upward for additional clearance. The main type of force in a suspension bridge are
tension in cables and compression in the pillars. The suspension cables must be anchored
at each end of the bridge, since any load applied to the bridge is transformed into a
tension in these main cables. The main cables continue beyond the pillars to deck-level
supports, and further continue to connections with anchors in the ground. The roadway is
supported by vertical suspender cables or rods, called hangers. The bridge will usually
have two smaller spans, running between either pair of pillars and the highway, which may
be supported by suspender cables or may use a truss bridge to make this connection. In
the latter case there will be very little are in the outboard main cables.
 ADVANTAGES
Suspension bridges have a high strength to weight ratio.
They are flexible (can also be disadvantage) and can span long distances with no piers therefore good on very high places,
across water etc. and they require little access from below aiding construction. They can be very thin and therefore less
visible.
They have an elegant look. The area spanned by a suspension bridge is very long in proportion to the amount of materials
required to construct bridges

DISADVANTAGES
Flexibility Disadvantages Suspension bridges are flexible, which is an advantage until conditions become severe. Instability
in extremely turbulent conditions or during strong earthquakes may require temporary closure. In 1940, high winds caused
the Tacoma Narrows bridge, near Seattle, Washington, to collapse. Foundation Disadvantages When built in soft ground,
suspension bridges require extensive and expensive foundation work to combat the effects of the heavy load on foundation
towers.
Heavy Loads Flexibility also becomes a disadvantage when heavy, concentrated loads are involved. Suspension bridges
are not generally used for regional rail crossings that carry maximum weight loads, which adds dangerous stress to the
structure.
 CABLE-STAYED
BRIDGES

A cable-stayed bridge has one or more towers (or pylons), from which cables support the
bridge deck. There are two major classes of cable-stayed bridges: harp and fan. In the
harp or parallel design, the cables are nearly parallel so that the height of their attachment
to the tower is proportional to the distance from the tower to their mounting on the deck.
In the fan design, the cables all connect to or pass over the top of the towers. The fan
design is structurally superior with minimum moment applied to the towers but for
practical reasons the modified fan is preferred especially where many cables are
necessary. In the modified fan arrangement the cables terminate near to the top of the
tower but are spaced from each other sufficiently to allow better termination, improved
environmental protection, and good access to individual cables for maintenance
 ADVANTAGES

The cable-stayed deck is in compression, pulled towards the towers, and has to be stiff at all stages of construction and
use. A great advantage of the cable-stayed bridge is that it is essentially made of cantilevers, and can be constructed by
building out from the towers. cable-stayed bridges possess higher stiffness and display smaller deflections when compared
with suspension bridges Construction time is less for cable stayed bridges. Cable Stayed Bridges require less cables