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2nd International Conference on Numerical Modelling in Engineering IOP Publishing
IOP Conf. Series: Materials Science and Engineering 657 (2019) 012021 doi:10.1088/1757-899X/657/1/012021

Analysis on local force of cable tower in low tower

cable-stayed bridge

T S Shen1, T Z Hao1,2,3,4, J Z Luo3 and Q F Chen3

1
School of Civil Engineering and Architecture, Guangxi University, Nanning, 530004,
China
2
Key Lab of Disaster Prevention and Structural Safety of Ministry of Education,
Nanning 530004, China
3
Guangxi Transportation Research & Consulting Co., Ltd., Nanning 530007, China

E-mail: [email protected]

Abstract. Concrete under pylon saddles in extradosed cable-stayed bridges is usually subjected
to tremendous cable force, which might easily cause cracking or crushing of concrete and lead
to potential structural security problems. At present, the finite element mechanical analysis
model for the cable saddle is not accurate enough to analyse the real stress situation. A stress
analysis method of concrete under the cable saddle based on the accurate finite element model
is presented in this paper. In order to obtain the exact stress results of the concrete under the
saddle, this paper modelled the filament dividers in the saddle one by one, and established the
loading surface element on the surface of each filament divider layer to apply the equivalent
surface force layer by layer. In addition, this paper also studied the stress characteristics of the
lower tower column in the tower bridge, and put forward structural reinforcement suggestions
for the force of the lower tower column. The results of this paper can provide reference for the
design and construction control of pylons in extradosed cable-stayed bridge.

1. Introduction
The external prestressing force of the cable-stayed cable passes through the pylon continuously by
installing saddles in the pylon of the extradosed cable-stayed bridge, under the action of enormous
cable force, the cable saddle would cause large local compressive stress easily to the concrete on the
lower part of the cable saddle which in the pylon due to external prestressing, consequently, it is easy
to cause local concrete crushing at the lower part of the cable saddle, as well as large-scale cracks,
which buries the hidden danger of structural safety. Domestic and foreign scholars adopted different
methods to simulate and analyse extradosed cable-stayed bridges from different perspectives.
Zhang et al [1] used ANSYS to analyse the pylon stress of extradosed cable-stayed bridge, they
used contact element to simulate the contact relationship between cable and steel pipe, but the saddle
structure of sub-steel-pipe is not simplified as a single bundle that ignoring the influence of external
steel pipe, and each steel strand interaction of the sub-steel-pipe can’t be simulated and analysed. Tan
et al [2] carried out the model test that main tower saddle segment of prestressed extradosed
cable-stayed bridge by using the improved cable saddle structure of the sub-steel-pipe, and a spatial
finite element model is established to analyse the stress distribution of concrete under saddle and the
stress characteristics of sub-steel-pipe by applying the actual cable force to the corresponding channels
according to the surface pressure in the form of spatial paraboloid. Zhang et al [3] used

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2nd International Conference on Numerical Modelling in Engineering IOP Publishing
IOP Conf. Series: Materials Science and Engineering 657 (2019) 012021 doi:10.1088/1757-899X/657/1/012021

three-dimensional finite element software to establish the finite element model of extradosed
cable-stayed bridge cable saddle area, selected the most disadvantageous load in the overall
calculation for static analysis, the stress distribution of concrete and cable duct were obtained in cable
saddle area of bridge pylon. Liu et al [4] carried out full-scale model tests of the segment in the cable
saddle area combined with a low-tower cable-stayed bridge project, two kinds of double-sleeve cable
saddles bond anchorage structures were selected and the transmission degree of unbalanced cable
force was tested by low-cycle repeated loading of single-side cable. In addition, the mechanical
characteristics of concrete continuum in cable saddle area are analysed and studied, the results show
that two kinds of bond anchorage structures have strong and stable anti-slip effect. Zhang [5] used the
spatial finite element method to calculate the stress of the saddle. The cable force was converted into
parabolic surface pressure and applied to the corresponding channels, the comparison between the
sub-steel-pipe and double sleeves shown that the actual effect was closer to the actual situation than
the average method and the application method. Zhu [6] took a extradosed cable-stayed bridge as the
research object and calculate the stress of cable saddle by space finite element method, the cable force
was converted into parabolic surface pressure and applied on the corresponding channels, he
considered that the actual effect of the deviation of the tunnel construction on the tower in operation
stage was better, which was closer to the actual situation than the previous average method and
application method. Wang [7] took an extradosed cable-stayed bridge that the twin-tower
single-cable-plane with three-span prestressed concrete as the research background, and used Midas to
establish the spatial finite element model of the pylon and saddle area, under the maximum cable
force, the spatial force of the whole pylon and the local stress of the concrete in the pylon saddle area
were analysed. Liu [8] made use of full-scale model test to study the value and distribution of splitting
stress in concrete of main tower, the spatial finite element entity model was established by using
ANSYS to analyse the stress distribution under saddle and the stress performance of the filament
divider under cable force loading.
From what has been discussed above, although a large number of scholars have carried out a
variety of entity analysis on the stress distribution law of saddle and the local concrete stress
distribution law of saddle in the model test of extradosed cable-stayed bridge, and get a macroscopic
grasp of the stress state about the local concrete with saddle, there are still some problems as follows:
the saddle model established mostly uses approximate shape blocks, it fails to describe the concrete
stress condition of the structure accurately under the condition that steel strand concentrated action of
multiple sub-steel-pipes, the stress distribution of concrete under saddle is less accurate. Therefore,
this paper uses ANSYS finite element software to analyse the interaction between the saddle and the
concrete of the pylon by establishing the exact model of the cable-stayed saddle pylon and applying
the cable force on the corresponding channels by means of the average method, which can provide
reference for the design and construction control of the pylon of the extradosed cable-stayed bridge.

2. General situation of the engineering

As shown in figure 1, there is an extradosed cable-stayed bridge with the span arrangement of
90+165+90 m, because of the tower bridge beneath the cable saddle has a large force, it is easy to
crush the concrete bridge tower locally. This paper carries out force analysis on the saddle locally
stressed area of the bridge. The detailed geometric structure of cable tower shown in figure 2, which
including the elevation, side and section. The interaction between the steel cable saddle and the
concrete of the cable tower is analysed by accurately establishing the model of the steel cable saddle
concrete pylon. In addition, the stress characteristics of the lower tower column which belongs to the
tower bridge was studied in this paper, besides, this paper also puts forward structural reinforcement
suggestions for the force of the lower tower column.

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2nd International Conference on Numerical Modelling in Engineering IOP Publishing
IOP Conf. Series: Materials Science and Engineering 657 (2019) 012021 doi:10.1088/1757-899X/657/1/012021

Figure 1. Elevation diagram of low tower cable-stayed bridge.

Figure 2. Detailed geometric structure of cable tower.

3. Finite element analysis of cable saddle and tower column

The steel cable saddle adopts solid 45 element, each sub-steel-pipe is represented by solid element, the
material properties are defined as steel, and the holes in sub-steel-pipe are ignored, besides, the solid
45 unit is also adopted by the concrete of cable tower, and the joint coupling is adopted for the contact
between steel saddle and concrete tower.
Due to the meticulous consideration about the cable saddle sub-steel-pipe, there is a large number
of model elements if we establish the sub-steel-pipe accurately by entity elements, it will more
difficult to establish the model of cable tower completely. Therefore, the analysis range of the cable
tower selected in this paper is C1 and C2 (the number of the cable is C1-C12, which varies from the
side of the tower to the middle of the span) corresponding to the cable saddle of the cable tower, the
steel wire in the steel cable saddle is not simulated. Besides, the force acting on the cable saddle is

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2nd International Conference on Numerical Modelling in Engineering IOP Publishing
IOP Conf. Series: Materials Science and Engineering 657 (2019) 012021 doi:10.1088/1757-899X/657/1/012021

simulated by the normal surface force perpendicular to the cable saddle sub-steel-pipe, and the surface
force can be calculated by formula (1). The calculation results of normal equivalent forces on the
surface of cable saddle sub-steel-pipe corresponding to C1 and C2 cable saddles are shown in table 1,
the element type used in the model is shown in table 2.
Fs
qx = (1)
R
Where, Fs is cable force, R is saddle radius.

Table 1. Normal equivalent forces on the surface of cable saddle sub-steel-pipe

corresponding to C1 and C2 cable saddles.
Surface of sub-steel-pipe Surface of sub-steel-pipe
with C1 with C2
The magnitude of cable force (kN) 4170 4237
Radius of cable saddle (m) 3.9 4.0
The magnitude of equivalent force (kN/m) 1069.2 1059.3
The magnitude of equivalent surface 1204.1 1193.0
load (kN/m2)

Table 2. Model / Element table adopted.

Name of component Types of element Modulus of elasticity (MPa)
Steel saddle Solid45 2.1×10e5
Concrete pylon Solid45 3.45×10e4
Loading element Shell63(without thickness) —

The internal forces of the above pylons are simulated by the pylon equivalent weight and the stayed
cable vertical force component, and the surface forces are loaded on the finite element model, the
calculated values are shown in table 3. Since there are many elements to be divided, a 1/4 model is
used to calculate and symillimetersetrical constraint is imposed on the symillimetersetrical surface, the
established finite element model is shown in figures 3 and 4. As shown in figure 5, the normal surface
force is applied to the surface element through the generating surface element of the sub-steel-pipe.

Table 3. Vertical equivalent forces of cables loaded on the upper surface of cable saddle finite element
model.
Cable Horizontal Sin θ Cable force Vertical force composition Vertical component
number inclination kN of unilateral cable force of cable force
angle of cable kN kN
θ
C3 22.7 0.385906 4272 1649 3297
C4 21.4 0.364877 4306 1571 3142
C5 20.4 0.348572 4339 1512 3025
C6 19.5 0.333807 4368 1458 2916
C7 18.8 0.322266 4394 1416 2832
C8 18.2 0.312335 4418 1380 2760
C9 17.7 0.304033 4439 1350 2699
C10 17.2 0.295708 4454 1317 2634
C11 16.8 0.289032 4467 1291 2582
C12 16.4 0.282341 4472 1263 2525

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2nd International Conference on Numerical Modelling in Engineering IOP Publishing
IOP Conf. Series: Materials Science and Engineering 657 (2019) 012021 doi:10.1088/1757-899X/657/1/012021

(a) (b) (c)

Figure 3. Finite element model of cable tower. (a) 1/4 model of cable tower
(whole), (b) 1/4 model of cable tower (local) and (c) Global boundary conditions
of the model.

Figure 4. Cable saddle and loading plate element.

Figure 5. Equivalent force loading of steel wire on cable saddle loading plate element.

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2nd International Conference on Numerical Modelling in Engineering IOP Publishing
IOP Conf. Series: Materials Science and Engineering 657 (2019) 012021 doi:10.1088/1757-899X/657/1/012021

The load on the model surface must also include the self-weight of the tower, which is 0.260
N/mm2, and the vertical force of the cables which causes the pressure load on the model surface is
4.736 N/mm2. The total of the two loads is 4.996 N/mm2.
(1) The calculation results of the contact position between the lower part of the cable saddle and the
concrete are shown in figures 6-10.
From the calculation results in figures 6-10, it can be seen that the regular vertical (along Y axis)
compressive stress distribution appears in the lower part of saddle under the cable saddle force action,
and the magnitude of compressive stress is 7.31 MPa-11.41 MPa; The inner side of the saddle arc in
the X direction is basically under compression, the tensile stress with a maximum of 1.15 MPa in the
X direction will appear at the junction of the arc section and the straight section of the cable saddle.

Figure 6. Y-direction stress nephogram on the Figure 7. Y-direction stress nephogram of the
outer surface of concrete tower column at saddle section of cable saddle of concrete tower column
position. (right side).

Figure 8. Y-direction stress nephogram of the Figure 9. X-directional stress in the section of
section of cable saddle of concrete tower column cable saddle of concrete tower column.
(left side).

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2nd International Conference on Numerical Modelling in Engineering IOP Publishing
IOP Conf. Series: Materials Science and Engineering 657 (2019) 012021 doi:10.1088/1757-899X/657/1/012021

Figure 10. Stress calculation near end plate.

(2) The stress calculation results at the variable section of the main tower are shown in figures
11-16. It can be seen from figures 11 and 12, viewing from the force acting on the whole cable tower
in the X-direction, there is a large area of tensile stress along the X-axis direction at the cross section
of the cable tower (the junction between the upper tower column and the lower tower column), as
shown in figure 13. The range of tensile stress is between 0.41 MPa and 8.10 MPa (mean value is 4.2
MPa), especially in a small area at the top of the arc section, the maximum tensile stress is 8.10 MPa,
this is due to the change of section at the upper and lower pylons junction and the eccentric force at the
lower pylon section. Figure 15 is the overall Y-direction stress diagram of the pylon, and figure 16 is
the overall deformation diagram of the pylon in the X-direction. As can be seen from figure 15, the
Y-direction stress in the upper part of the lower pylon in the inner side is larger than the outer side,
while the case in the lower part of the lower pylon is contrary, the Y-direction stress in the inner side
is smaller than the outer side. From Fig. 16, it can be seen that the bending deformation of the lower
pylon in the overall direction of X-direction is the largest with the value of 0.3 mm at a distance about
5-6 meters from the bridge deck. Prestressed tension or transverse reinforcement infill treatment is
needed to prevent crack propagation, or a tension member is installed at the lower tower column 5-6
meters away from the bridge deck, which can also reduce the large transverse tension stress at the
variable section.

Figure 11. X-axis stress nephogram of the main Figure 12. X-axis stress nephogram (interface) of
tower (front). the main tower.

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2nd International Conference on Numerical Modelling in Engineering IOP Publishing
IOP Conf. Series: Materials Science and Engineering 657 (2019) 012021 doi:10.1088/1757-899X/657/1/012021

Figure 13. X-axis stress at variable section of Figure 14. X-axis local stress at variable section
main tower. of main tower.

Figure 15. Y-directional stress of cable tower. Figure 16. Integral deformation diagram of
X-axis cable Tower.

4. Conclusion
In this paper, a stress analysis method of concrete under saddle based on the exact finite element
model is presented. The feasibility of this method is verified by the analysis of engineering cases, and
the following conclusions are drawn:
⚫ Under the action of local cable saddle force and upper load, regular vertical compressive stress
distribution (along Y axis) appears at the lower part of cable saddle with the value of 7.31
MPa to 11.41 MPa. The inner side of the cable saddle arc in the X direction is basically under
compression. At the junction of the arc section and the straight section of the saddle, the X
direction tensile stress will appear, and the maximum tensile stress is 1.15 MPa, which meets
the strength design requirements of C50 concrete.
⚫ From the overall X-direction stress of the pylon, there is a large area of tension stress along the
X-axis at the variable section of the pylon (the junction of the upper and lower pylons) , this is
due to the change of section at the upper and lower pylons junction and the eccentric force at
the lower pylon section. Prestressed tension or transverse reinforcement is needed to prevent
crack propagation.

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2nd International Conference on Numerical Modelling in Engineering IOP Publishing
IOP Conf. Series: Materials Science and Engineering 657 (2019) 012021 doi:10.1088/1757-899X/657/1/012021

Acknowledgments
This research was supported by Key Laboratory of Disaster Prevention and Structural Safety of
Ministry of China (grant no. 2016ZDK004).

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