Chapter5. Cable and Arches

Chapter 5:
Cables and Arches
Structural Analysis 7th Edition in SI Units

Russell C. Hibbeler
Cables
• Assumptions when deriving the relations between

force in cable & its slope
• Cable is perfectly flexible & inextensible
• Due to its flexibility, cable offers no resistance to
shear or bending
• The force acting the cable is always tangent to the
cable at points along its length
Chapter 5: Cables and Arches

Structural Analysis 7 th Edition
© 2009 Pearson Education South Asia Pte Ltd
Cable subjected to concentrated loads
• When a cable of negligible weight supports several

concentrated loads, the cable takes the form of
several straight line segments
• Each of the segment is subjected to a constant
tensile force
  specifies the angle
of the chord AB
• L = cable length

Cable subjected to concentrated loads
• If L1, L2 & L3 and loads P1 & P2 are known,

determine the 9 unknowns consisting of the
tension of in each of the 3 segments, the 4
components of reactions at A & B and the sags y C
& yD
• For solutions, we wrtite 2 eqns of equilibrium at
each of 4 points A, B, C & D
• Total 8 eqns
• The last eqn comes from the geometry of the
cable
Example 5.1
Determine the tension in each segment of the cable. Also, what is

the dimension h?

Solution
By inspection, there are
 4 unknown external reactions (Ax, Ay, Dx and Dy)
 3 unknown cable tensions
These unknowns and sag, h can be determined from available

equilibrium eqn applied to points A through D.
A more direct approach to the solution is to recognize that the

slope of cable CD is specified.

Solution
With anti - clockwise as  ve

M A  0
TCD (3 / 5)(2m)  TCD (4 / 5)(5.5m)  3kN (2m)  8kN (4m)  0
TCD  6.79kN
Now we can analyze the equilibrium of points

C and B in sequence. Point C (Fig 5.2c)
Fx  0
6.79kN (3 / 5)  TBC cos BC  0
  F y  0
6.79kN (4 / 5)  8kN  TBC sin  BC  0
 BC  32.3o and TBC  4.82kN
Solution
Point B (Fig 5.2d)
Fx  0
 TBA cos  BA  4.82kN cos 32.3o  0
  F y  0
TBA sin  BA  4.82kN sin 32.3o  3kN  0
 BA  53.8o and TBA  6.90kN
Hence from Fig 5.2(a)
h  (2m) tan 53.8o  2.74m

Cable subjected to a uniform distributed load
• The x,y axes have their origin located at the

lowest point on the cable such that the slope is
zero at this point
• Since the tensile force in the cable changes
continuously in both magnitude & direction along
the cable’s length, this load is denoted by T

• The distributed load is represented by its resultant

force ox which acts at x/2 from point O
• Applying eqn of equilibrium yields:
Fx  0
 T cos   (T  T ) cos(   )  0
  F y  0
 T sin   wo (x)  (T  T ) sin(   )  0
With anti - clockwise as  ve

M A  0
wo (x)(x / 2)  T cos y  T sin x  0
• Dividing each of these eqn by x and taking the

limit as x 0, hence, y 0 ,  0 and T 0
, we obtain: d (T cos  )
0 eqn 1
dx
d (T sin  )
 wo eqn 2
dx
dy
 tan  eqn 3
dx
• Integrating Eqn 1 where T = FH at x = 0, we have:
T cos   FH eqn 4
• Which indicates the horizontal component of force

at any point along the cable remains constant
• Integrating Eqn 2 realizing that Tsin = 0 at x = 0,

we have:
T sin   wo x eqn 5

• Dividing Eqn 5 by Eqn 5.4 eliminates T

• Then using Eqn 3, we can obtain the slope at any
point dy wo x
tan    eqn 6
dx FH
• Performing a second integration with y = 0 at x =

0 yields
wo 2
y x eqn 7
2 FH

• This is the eqn of parabola

• The constant FH may be obtained by using the
boundary condition y = h at x = L
• Thus F 
wo L2
eqn 8 H
2h
• Substituting into Eqn 7

h 2
y 2 x eqn 9
L

• From Eqn 4, the max tension in the cable occurs

when  is max
• From Eqn 4 and 5
Tmax  2 F 2 H  ( wo L) 2 eqn 10
• Using Eqn 8 we can express Tmax in terms of wo
Tmax  wo L 2 1  ( L / 2h) 2 eqn 11

• We have neglect the weight of the cable which is

uniform along the length
• A cable subjected to its own weight will take the
form of a catenary curve
• If the sag-to-span ratio is small, this curve closely
approximates a parabolic shape

Example 5.2
The cable supports a girder which weighs 12kN/m. Determine the

tension in the cable at points A, B & C.

Solution
The origin of the coordinate axes is established at point B, the
lowest point on the cable where slope is zero,
wo 2 12kN/m 2 6 2
y x  x  x (1)
2 FH 2 FH FH
Assuming point C is located x’ from B we have:
6 2
6 x'  FH  1.0 x' 2 (2)
FH

Solution
For point A,
6
12  [(30  x' )]2
FH
6 2
12  [  (30  x ' )]
1.0 x' 2
x' 2 60 x'900  0  x'  12.43m

Thus from eqn 2 and 1, we have:
FH  1.0(12.43) 2  154.4kN
dy 12
 x  0.7772 x (3)
dx 154.4
Solution
At point A,
x  (30  12.43)  17.57m
dy
tan  A   0.7772(17.57)  1.366
dx x  17.57
 A  53.79 o
We have,
FH 154.4
TA    261.4kN
cos  A cos(53.79 )
o

Solution
At point B, x = 0
dy
tan  B   0   B  0o
dx x 0
FH 154.4
TB    154.4kN
cos  B cos 0 o
At point C, x = 12.43m
dy
tan  C   0.7772(12.43)  0.9657
dx x 12.43
 C  44.0 o
FH 154.4
TC    214.6kN
Chapter 5: Cables and Arches cos C cos 44.0 o
Arches
• An arch acts as inverted cable so it receives

loading in compression
• Because of its rigidity, it must also resist some
bending and shear depending upon how it is
loaded & shaped

Arches
• Depending on its uses, several types of arches can

be selected to support a loading

Three-Hinged Arch
• The third hinge is located at the crown & the

supports are located at different elevations
• To determine the reactions at the supports, the
arch is disassembled

Example 5.4
The three-hinged open-spandrel arch bridge has a parabolic

shape and supports the uniform load. Show that the parabolic
arch is subjected only to axial compression at an intermediate
point such as point D. Assume the load is uniformly transmitted to
the arch ribs.

Solution
•Applying the eqn of equilibrium, we have:

Entire Arch :
With anti - clockwise direction moments as  ve,
MA  0
C y (40m)  320kN (20m)  0
C y  160kN

Solution
Arch segment BC :
With anti - clockwise direction moments as  ve,
MB  0
 160kN (10m)  160kN (20m) C x (10m)  0
C x  160kN
  Fx  0  B x  160kN
   Fy  0
B y  160kN  160kN  0
By  0
Solution
A section of the arch taken through point D
x  10m
y  10(10) 2 /(20) 2  2.5m
The slope of the segment at D is :
dy  20
tan    2
x  0.5
dx (20) x 10 m

Solution
Applying the eqn of equlibrium, Fig 5.10(d), we have :

  Fx  0
160kN  N D cos 26.6 o  VD sin 26.6 o  0
   Fy  0
 N D  178.9kN
 80kN  N D sin 26.6 o  VD cos 26.6 o  0
With anti - clockwise moments as  ve :  VD  0

MD  0
M D  80kN (5m)  160kN (2.5m)  0
 MD  0
Example 5.6
The three-hinged trussed arch supports the symmetric loading.

Determine the required height of the joints B and D, so that the
arch takes a funicular shape. Member HG is intended to carry no
force.

Solution
For a symmetric loading, the funicular shape for the arch must be
parabolic as indicated by the dashed line. Here we must find the
eqn which fits this shape.
With the x, y axes having an origin at C, the eqn is of the form of

y = -cx2. To obtain the constant c, we require:
 (4.5m)  c(6m) 2
c  0.125 / m
Therefore,
y D  (0.125 / m)(3m) 2  1.125m
From Fig 5.12(a)
h1  4.5m  1.125m  3.375m

Chapter5. Cable and Arches

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Chapter5. Cable and Arches

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Chapter 5:

Cables and Arches

Structural Analysis 7th Edition in SI Units

• Assumptions when deriving the relations between

Chapter 5: Cables and Arches

• When a cable of negligible weight supports several

Chapter 5: Cables and Arches

• If L1, L2 & L3 and loads P1 & P2 are known,

Determine the tension in each segment of the cable. Also, what is

Chapter 5: Cables and Arches

These unknowns and sag, h can be determined from available

A more direct approach to the solution is to recognize that the

Chapter 5: Cables and Arches

With anti - clockwise as  ve

Now we can analyze the equilibrium of points

Point B (Fig 5.2d)

h  (2m) tan 53.8o  2.74m

• The x,y axes have their origin located at the

Chapter 5: Cables and Arches

• The distributed load is represented by its resultant

With anti - clockwise as  ve

• Dividing each of these eqn by x and taking the

• Integrating Eqn 1 where T = FH at x = 0, we have:

• Which indicates the horizontal component of force

• Integrating Eqn 2 realizing that Tsin = 0 at x = 0,

Chapter 5: Cables and Arches

• Dividing Eqn 5 by Eqn 5.4 eliminates T

• Performing a second integration with y = 0 at x =

Chapter 5: Cables and Arches

• This is the eqn of parabola

• Substituting into Eqn 7

Chapter 5: Cables and Arches

• From Eqn 4, the max tension in the cable occurs

• Using Eqn 8 we can express Tmax in terms of wo

Tmax  wo L 2 1  ( L / 2h) 2 eqn 11

Chapter 5: Cables and Arches

• We have neglect the weight of the cable which is

Chapter 5: Cables and Arches

The cable supports a girder which weighs 12kN/m. Determine the

Chapter 5: Cables and Arches

Assuming point C is located x’ from B we have:

Chapter 5: Cables and Arches

x' 2 60 x'900  0  x'  12.43m

Chapter 5: Cables and Arches

• An arch acts as inverted cable so it receives

Chapter 5: Cables and Arches

• Depending on its uses, several types of arches can

Chapter 5: Cables and Arches

• The third hinge is located at the crown & the

Chapter 5: Cables and Arches

The three-hinged open-spandrel arch bridge has a parabolic

Chapter 5: Cables and Arches

•Applying the eqn of equilibrium, we have:

Chapter 5: Cables and Arches

A section of the arch taken through point D

Chapter 5: Cables and Arches

Applying the eqn of equlibrium, Fig 5.10(d), we have :

With anti - clockwise moments as  ve :  VD  0

The three-hinged trussed arch supports the symmetric loading.

Chapter 5: Cables and Arches

With the x, y axes having an origin at C, the eqn is of the form of

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