Cable Structures

• Cables can withstand only

tensile internal forces: no
internal moments or shear.

Differential Equations

To
θ0

θ(x)
T(x)
w(x)
W dy
θ ( x) = tan −1 ( x)
dx
cos θ 0 Rx
∑F x = −T0 cosθ 0 + T ( x) cos θ ( x) = 0 ⇒ T ( x) = T0 =
cos θ ( x) cos θ ( x)
x x

∑F
y = −T0 sinθ 0 + T ( x) sin θ ( x) + ∫ w(ξ )dξ = −T0 sin θ 0 + Rx tan θ ( x) + ∫ w(ξ )dξ = 0
0 0

x
dy
dx ∫0
−T0 sin θ 0 + Rx + w(ξ ) dξ = 0

1
 Differentiate:

dy
x
d2y w
−T0 sin θ 0 + Rx + ∫ w(ξ )d ξ = 0 ⇒ 2
=−
dx 0 dx Rx

(xe, ye)

The Moment Diagram For a Beam Under the same

loading w(x)
w(x)

dV dM
= − w, = −V
dx dx
M(x)
MR
d 2M
⇒ = −w
V(x)
dx 2
Ry x

The shape of the catenary follows the moment diagram:

y ( x) ∝ M ( x)

2
 Equation for the Cable:

(xe=d, ye)

d2y w( x)
2
=−
dx Rx
W

Given: Cable Length L0 , span d Endpoints y(0)=0, y(xe)=ye and force w(x)
Find y(x) and Rx

xe = d xe = d xe = d 2
ds ⎛ dy ⎞
L0 = ∫ ds = ∫ dx + dy = ∫ 1 + ⎜ ⎟ dx
2 2
dy
dx 0 0 0 ⎝ dx ⎠

d2y w
End Tensions 2
=−
T0 xe=d
dx Rx
θ0
ye Te
−θe

dy
θ ( x) = tan −1 ( x)
∑F x = −T0 cosθ 0 + Te cos θ e = 0 dx

∑ Fy = −T0 sinθ0 + Te sin θe + ∫ w(ξ )dξ = 0

0

d
W W
T0 = , Te = , W = ∫ w(ξ )d ξ
sin θ 0 − cos θ 0 tan θ e cos θ e tan θ 0 − sin θ e 0

W
Rx = T0 cos θ 0 =
tan θ 0 − tan θ e

3
 Internal Tension
T0 Te
θ0
x
−θ e

dy
θ ( x) = tan −1 ( x)
dx

cos θ 0 ( x)
2
⎛ dy ⎞
T ( x) = T0 = Rx 1 + tan θ 2 ( x) = Rx 1 + ⎜ ⎟
cos θ ( x) ⎝ dx ⎠

W
Rx =
tan θ 0 − tan θ e