SIMPLIFIED NUMERICAL ANALYSIS OF SUSPENSION BRIDGES

Discretization methods are widely used in the analysis and design of suspension bridges. However, the large number of variables involved do not normally allow examination of the influence of different parameters on the behavior of suspension bridges. This paper presents a numerical method of analysis of suspended cables under vertical loads. Both explicit equilibrium and tangent stiffness matrices are derived by the finite element method. The expressions are also presented in dimensionless form, so that parametric studies can be performed. The obtained matrices can be assembled easily in a general structural analysis computer program. The proposed method is applied to the simplified analysis of suspension bridges. Some dimensionless charts are given for a single span suspension bridge. These include displacement and bending moments under the position of a concentrated load, pseudoinfluence line of displacement and bending moments at the quarter of span, and maximum displacements and bending moments for an arbitrarily located distributed load. It is believed that these charts can be useful in the first phase of design of suspension bridges and can contribute to the understanding of suspension bridge behavior.

• Record URL:
  http://onlinepubs.trb.org/Onlinepubs/conf/1995/cp7/cp7v1-035.pdf
• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/isbn/0309061091
• Supplemental Notes:
  • Distribution, posting, or copying of this PDF is strictly prohibited without written permission of the Transportation Research Board of the National Academy of Sciences. Unless otherwise indicated, all materials in this PDF are copyrighted by the National Academy of Sciences. Copyright © National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved
• Corporate Authors:

  Transportation Research Board

  500 Fifth Street, NW
  Washington, DC  United States  20001
• Authors:
  • Cobo del Arco, D
  • APARICIO, A C
• Conference:
  • Fourth International Bridge Engineering Conference
  • Location: San Francisco, California
  • Date: 1995-8-28 to 1995-8-30
• Publication Date: 1995

Language

• English

Media Info

• Features: Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: p. 324-334
• Monograph Title: FOURTH INTERNATIONAL BRIDGE ENGINEERING CONFERENCE, SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA, AUGUST 28-30, 1995. CONFERENCE PROCEEDINGS, 2 VOLUMES
• Serial:
  • Transportation Research Board Conference Proceedings
  • Issue Number: 7
  • Publisher: Transportation Research Board
  • ISSN: 1073-1652

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Bending moments; Bridge design; Bridges; Conferences; Dislocation (Geology); Numerical analysis; Structural analysis; Structural design; Structural mechanics; Suspension bridges
• Uncontrolled Terms: Structural behavior
• Subject Areas: Bridges and other structures; Design; Highways; I24: Design of Bridges and Retaining Walls;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00711701
• Record Type: Publication
• ISBN: 0309061091
• Files: TRIS, TRB
• Created Date: Sep 5 1995 12:00AM