The University of Hong Kong

Department of Civil Engineering

Theory and Design of Structures I
Cable Structures

Introduction

Ropes, chains, wires and cables of various kinds are commonly used in civil engineering.
They have considerable strength in simple tension but offer virtually no resistance either to
bending or to compression. Their flexibility gives the basis for their analysis. The bending
moment in a cable is always taken to be zero throughout its length.

For a vertically loaded cable, the horizontal component H of the tension in the cable is
constant throughout the cable.

The rigorous analyses of cables require sophisticated mathematical procedures, which are
beyond the scope of this course. Further details are available in “Cable Structures, H. Max
Irvine, MIT Press, 1981” or similar references. However simplified analysis can be performed
if the following assumptions are made:

1. The cable is perfectly flexible (i.e. flexural rigidity of cable is negligible).

2. The cable is inextensible (i.e. extension of the cable is negligible).

3. The cable is weightless (i.e. the weight of cable is negligible and it would not sag under its
own weight).

Under these conditions, a cable would act purely as a tension member and would be perfectly
straight between each suspended load.

Cables Subjected to Concentrated Loads

VB
l1 l2

B
S1 VA H

A
P H S2 h2
h1 S1

C
S2

P
A force triangle for the loaded point
A weightless cable under a concentrated load

If l1, l2, h1 and h2 are pre-fixed, then the forces in the cables AC and BC, and the forces S1 and
S2 can be determined by a triangle of forces.

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Example 1
Find out the cable forces if l1 = 20 m, l2 = 25 m, h1 = 7.5 m, h2 = 12.5 m and P = 400 N.

It can be solved graphically using the triangle of forces:

S1 = 490 N, S2 = 510 N

Alternatively it can be solved using the analytical method.

Taking moment of the whole cable ACB about B,

VA × 45 + H × 5 - 400 × 25 = 0 (1)

Taking moment of the portion AC about C,

VA × 20 - H × 7.5 = 0
∴ VA = 0.375 H (2)

Substituting (2) into (1),

H (0.375 × 45 + 5) - 10000 = 0
∴ H = 457.1 N (3)

Substituting (3) into (2), solving and then resolving vertically,

VA = 171.4 N
VB = 400 - 171.4 = 228.6 N

The resultant forces are calculated as

S1 = √(171.42+457.12) = 488.2 N
S2 = √(228.62+457.12) = 511.1 N

Cables Subjected to Distributed Loads

If the load is uniformly distributed over the whole length of the horizontal span, a case
approximately realized in some suspension bridge cables, the shape of the curve in which the
cable hangs is parabolic. L

A B
y
d P T

o x
H
x
wx

A cable under uniformly distributed load

2
Consider a cable suspended from two supports at same level.
Let w be load per unit length of horizontal span;
T be tension at any point P;
H be horizontal component of T;
o be lowest point of the cable;
x, y be horizontal and vertical co-ordinates; and
P be any point in the cable at (x,y) from o.

Consider the free body segment oP, and take moment about P:

H·y = w·x·(x/2)
∴ y = (w/2H) x2 = k x2 i.e. equation for a parabola (1)

At support B, x = L/2, y = d, and therefore using (1),

d = k (L/2) 2
∴ k = 4d/L2 (2)

Comparing the values of k in (1) and (2),

w/2H = k = 4d/L2
∴ H = wL2/8d (3)

Noting that the vertical component of internal force at point P is wx, the tension T there can be
written as

T = √(H2+w2x2) = H√[1+(w2x2/H2)] (4)

Substituting (3) into (4), the tension at support A or B is

TA = TB = (wL2/8d) √(1+16d2/L2) (5)

When d/L is small, T ≈ wL2/8d = H.

Example 2
A symmetrical suspension cable carries a UDL of 10kN/m over a span of 10m. The cable
length is such that the dip of the cable is 2.5m. Find H and T at the supports.

Given that: w = 10 kN/m, L = 10 m, d = 2.5 m

The horizontal component of tension is: H = wL2/8d = 10 × 102/(8 × 2.5) = 50 kN

The cable tension at each support is

TA = TB = (wL2/8d) √(1+16d2/L2) = 50√(1+16×2.52/102) = 70.7 kN

3
Example 3
A and B are the two supporting points for a cable. The point A is 15m below and at 100m
horizontally away from B. The maximum dip at the lowest point C in the cable when carrying
a uniformly distributed load of w = 1 kN/m of horizontal span is 10m below support A.
Calculate the reactions at A and B.
VB TB

B θB
H
TA VA y
15m
θA w = 1 kN/m
A
H
10m
C x
T=H
lA lB

l = 100m

A cable under UDL

Assume that the horizontal distances of C from A and B are lA and lB respectively. At C, the
tangent to the cable profile is horizontal. Considering the equilibrium and geometry,

VA = w × lA = lA, (1)
VB = w × lB = lB, (2)
lA + lB = l = 100, (3)
VA + VB = 100 × w = 100w

The curve ACB is a parabola, and the profile may be written as y = kx 2. Therefore

10 = k lA2, 25 = k lB2
∴ lA2 / lB2 = 10/25 (4)

Solving (3) and (4) for lA and lB, and substituting back into (1) and (2),

lA = 38.74 m, lB = 61.26 m
VA = 38.74 kN, VB = 61.26 kN
Taking moment about A for portion CA,

10 H = ½ × 1 × 38.74 2 = 750
∴ H = 75.05 kN

The reactions at supports A and B are calculated as follows:

TA = √ (VA2 + H 2) = √ (38.742 + 75.05 2) = 84.46 kN

tan θA = VA/H = 38.74/75.05 = 0.5162, θA = 27.30°

TB = √ (VB2 + H 2) = √ (61.26 + 75.05 2) = 96.88 kN

tan θB = VB/H = 61.26/75.05 = 0.8162, θB = 39.22°