Equivalent stiffness method for nonlinear analysis of stay cables

Abstract

In the famous equivalent elasticity modulus method proposed by Ernst for the geometrical nonlinear analysis of stay cables, the cable shape was assumed as a parabolic curve, and only a part of the gravity load normal to the chord was taken into account with the other part of gravity load parallel to the chord being ignored. Using the actual catenary curve and considering the entire gravity load of stay cables, the present study has derived the equivalent stiffness method to analyze the sag effect of stay cables in cable-stayed bridges. The derived equivalent stiffness can be degenerated into Ernst's equivalent elasticity modulus method with some approximations. Therefore, the Ernst's method is a special and approximate formulation of the present method. The derived equivalent stiffness provides a theoretical explanation for the famous Ernst's formula.