ANALYSIS FOR C IVIL STRUCTURES

Cable Element

Introduction

Two nodes define a tension-only, three-dimensional line element, which is

capable of transmitting axial tension force only. A cable element reflects the
change in stiffness varying with internal tension forces.

pretension

Figure 1.6 Schematics of a cable element

A cable element is automatically transformed into an equivalent truss element

and an elastic catenary cable element in the cases of a linear analysis and a
geometric nonlinear analysis respectively.

Equivalent truss element

The stiffness of an equivalent truss element is composed of the usual elastic

stiffness and the stiffness resulting from the sag, which depends on the
magnitude of the tension force. The following expressions calculate the stiffness:

1
K comb
1/ K sag 1/ Kelastic
EA
K comb
w2 L2 EA
L 1
12T 3
EA 12T 3
K elastic , K sag
L w2 L3
where, E: modulus of elasticity A: cross-sectional area
L: length w: weight per unit length
T: tension force

10
 Types of Elements and Important Considerations

Elastic Catenary Cable Element

The tangent stiffness of a cable element applied to a geometric nonlinear

analysis is calculated as follows:

Figure 1.7 illustrates a cable connected by two nodes where displacements 1 ,

2& 3 occur at Node i and 4 , 5 & 6 occur at Node j, and as a result the
0 0 0 0 0 0
nodal forces F 1, F 2, F 3, F 4, F 5, F 6 are transformed into F1, F2, F3, F4, F5, F6
respectively. Then, the equilibriums of the nodal forces and displacements are
expressed as follows:

F4 F1
F5 F2
F6 F3 0 L0 (except, 0 assumed)
lx lx0 1 4 f (F1 , F2 , F3 )
ly ly0 2 5 g(F1, F2 ,F3 )
lz lz0 3 6 h(F1 ,F2 ,F3 )

Figure 1.7 Schematics of tangent stiffness of an elastic catenary cable element

11
ANALYSIS FOR C IVIL STRUCTURES

The differential equations for each directional length of the cable in the Global
Coordinate System are noted below. When we rearrange the load-displacement
relations we can then obtain the flexibility matrix, ([F]). The tangent stiffness,
([K]), of the cable can be obtained by inverting the flexibility matrix. The
stiffness of the cable cannot be obtained immediately, rather repeated analyses
are carried out until it reaches an equilibrium state.

f f f
dl x = dF1 + dF2 + dF3
F1 F2 F3
g g g
dl y dF1 dF2 dF3
F1 F2 F3
h h h
dl z dF1 dF2 dF3
F1 F2 F3

f f f
F1 F2 F3
dlx dF1 f11 f12 f13
g g g
dly F dF2 , F f 21 f 22 f 23
F1 F2 F3
dlz dF3 f31 f32 f33
h h h
F1 F2 F3

dF1 dlx
dF2 K dl y , ( K F 1 )
dF3 dlz

12
 Types of Elements and Important Considerations

The components of the flexibility matrix are expressed in the following

equations:

f L0 1 F12 1 1
f11 ln F3 wL0 B ln F3 A
F1 EA0 w w B2 F3 wL0 B A2 F3A

f FF 1 1
f12 1 2

F2 w B2 F3 wL0 B A2 F3A

f F1 F3 wL0 B F3 A
f13
F3 w B2 F3 wL0 B A 2 F3A
f
f 21 f12
F1
g L0 1 F22 1 1
f 22 ln F3 wL0 B ln F3 A
F2 EA0 w w B2 F3 wL0 B A2 F3A
g F2
f 23 f13
F3 F1
h F1 1 1
f 31
F1 w B A
h F2
f 32 f 31
F2 F1
h L0 1 F3 wL0 F3
f 33
F3 EA0 w B A
1/ 2 2 1/ 2
A F12 F22 F32 , B F12 F22 F3 wL0

dF KT d
F1 F1 F1 F1 F1 F1
1 2 3 4 5 6

F2 F2 F2 F2 F2 F2
1 2 3 4 5 6

F3 F3 F3 F3 F3 F3
1 2 3 4 5 6
Fii Fij
(where, K T )
F1 F1 F1 F1 F1 F1 Fii Fij
1 2 3 4 5 6

F1 F2 F2 F2 F2 F2
1 2 3 4 5 6

F1 F3 F3 F3 F3 F3
1 2 3 4 5 6

13