Structural Analysis of Suspension Bridges

Abstract

A practical structural analysis of suspension bridges by the stiffness matrix method is presented. This analysis is based on deflection theory. In this method all live loads are applied at arbitrary points and locations along a stiffening girder or truss because of the inclusion of the load terms derived by means of the Laplace transformation. Therefore, it is possible to reduce the number of division elements. Horizontal cable tension can be determined by integral of Green's function with respect to deflection. Irrespective of the number of division elements, the magnitude of horizontal cable tension can be obtained precisely. The method is applicable to an analysis of suspension bridges with any number of spans and variable cross sections. The validity of the stiffness matrix method proposed herein is examined and checked by numerical calculations. This stiffness matrix method can be developed and extended to a three‐dimensional analysis of suspension bridges.