Applied Mathematics and Mechanics Published by SU,

(English Edition, Vol. 20, No. 5, May 1999) Shanghai, China

A CATENARY ELEMENT FOR THE ANALYSIS

OF CABLE STRUCTURF~
Peng Wei (~'fl TJ_), Sun Bingnan ( ~ J v ) ~ ) , Tang Jinchun ( ) ~ i ~)
Department of Civil Engineering, Zhejiang University,Hangzhou 310027, P R China
(Commtmicated by Chen Shanlin; Received Feb 28, 1998, Revised Jan 16, 1999)
Abstract: Based on analytical equations, a catenary element is presented for the
finite element analysis of cable structures. Compared with usually used element (3-
node element, 5-node element), a program with the proposed element is of less
computer time and better accuracy.

Key words: cable structures; catenary elements; tangent stiffness matrix

Introduction
Cable structures arc nonlinear systems with large displacements, they should be analysed by
nonlinear elastic theory. At present, cable structures are usually analysed by finite element
method with bar element or multi-node curved element, these elements have approximation to
certain degree. An alternative approach proposed by this paper is to use step-by-step methods
based on approximate analytical equations of the elastic catenary. In contrast to the multi-element
techniques, the cable may be represented by a single element. The potential savings in computer
time make the method attractive for static response calculations.

1 Statics of the Elastic Catenary

1.1 Basic equations
The cable as shown in Fig. 1 is suspened between two fixed points A and B. The span of the
cable is l = Ltt, the unstrained and strained length of the cable is L0 and L, respectively. A point
on the cable has Lagrangian coordinate s in the unstrained profile. Under self-weight of
IV ( = mgL0) this point moves to occupy its new position in the strained profile described by
Cartesian coordinates x and z and Lagrangian coordinate p .

A(0,0)
V

B(Lu, Lv)

W,/Lo r

Fig. 1 Cable system Fig. 2 Forces on a segment

The geometric constraint to be satisfied is:

532
 A Catenary Element of Cable Structures 533

( d x / d p ) 2 + (dz/dp) 2 = 1. (1)
With reference to Fig. 2, the balancing of horizontal and vertical forces yields
T . dx/dp = H,
T'dz/dp = V- W" s/Lo. (2)
A constitutive relation of Hooke' s law is:
T = EA(dp/ds - 1), (3)
where E is Young' s modulus, A is the uniform cross-sectional area in the unstrained profile.
The end conditions at the cable supports A and B are
x =0, z=0, p =0 at A(s =0),
(4)
x = Ln, z = Lv, p = L at B (s = L0).
1.2 P a r a m e t r i c solutions
Based on F_qs. ( 1 ) ~ (4), x, z and T can be expressed as functions of the indenpendent
variable s

T = T(s) = H 2 + V- W. , (5)

= = H, + _~[sinh_l(V) sinh_l(V- W_'s/Lo)], (6)

z = z(s)=E~(~-2Zo)+ff-~{[I+(~ _ + W~ }

(7)
By using the end conditions s = Lo, x = L/~, z = Lv, we can obtain two equations in H
and V:
1 V
Ln- EA + W t (8)

Lv = EA
rZto( V
x -2
1)
+ -~-~{[ 1 + (V)2,] 1/2 - [ 1 + (-~)2] 1/2}, (9)

2 Catenary Element
For the purpose of developing procedure, it is best to replace the catenary element in Fig. 1
by that in Fig. 3, then
F1 = - H, F 2 = V, F3 = - F1, L

Fa = - F2 + W, T, = ( F~ + F~) 1/2
Tj = ( F 2 + F2) 1/2,
FI
with respect to
W = mgL0,
sinh-lx = ln[x + (1 + x2)1/2], Fig. 3 Catenary dement

rewritting Eqs. (8) and (9) yields

+ ___lln Tj + F4] (10)
mg T , - - f - 2 2 '
 534 Peng Wei, Sun Bingnan and Tang Jinehun

1 i(
Lr - 2EAmg (11)
Eqs. (10) and ( 11 ) may be written as
L~ = f ( F 1 , F 2 ) ,
4 = g(&,F2), (12)
8FI1 fSL:, (13)

where
r
[K] = IF]-1 = [ kl, k,2] = [ f . - fn] 1
fn ] ~ ' (14)
k21 k99 J - f21
"det[ F] = Alf22 - A2f21, (15)
kll = f ~ I ( A , f = - A2f21 ) ,
km= - A2/(A,f~ - A2A1),
(16)
k21 -- - f21/(A1f22 - A2AI ),
k~ = A 1 / ( A l f ~ - A2A, ),
from Eqs. (10) and ( 11 ) we see that
Lo 1 in Tj + F4 " 1 {F2
A, = - ~ - zg T -& +~tT, + , (17)

F,(1 1)
f,~ = f~, = ~ - ~ , (18)

Lo 1 (F2 F4)
s~ = - ~ - ~ T , +~ (19)

References

[ 1] Jayaraman H B, Knudson W C. A curved element for the analysis of cable structures[J].

Comput and Struct, 1981,3(4) :325 ~ 333
[2] Irvine H M. Cable Structures[M].Cambridge,Mass: MIT Press, 1981