An Incremental Method for Cable Force Tuning of the Concrete Cable-Stayed Bridge Considering Cable-Girder Temperature Difference Effect

Abstract

To ensure that the cable force tuning of Banfu No.2 bridge was carried out successfully, an incremental method for cable force tuning was presented, which took into account the cable-girder temperature difference. The cable forces were measured through frequency method. Before cable force tuning, all cable forces and temperatures of cables and girders were measured when the ambient temperature was stable, and these cable forces were taken as reference cable forces. During cable force tuning, the increment of cable force was regarded as the control quantity, while the displacement in the middle of main span was regarded as the verification quantity. After each stage, it was necessary to measure the temperatures of cables and girders and the displacement variation in the middle of the main span. To ensure the mechanical state of bridge was in control, all cable forces were measured after the 5th, 10th pairs of cables and all cables were tuned. In addition, the temperature-corrected cable forces were compared with the calculated ones, which showed the incremental method was not only accurate but also efficient.