UNIFIED FINITE DIFFERENCE FORMULATION FOR FREE VIBRATION

OF CABLES

By Armin B. Mehrabi, l P.E., Associate Member, ASCE, and Habib Tabatabai,:1 P.E.

ABSTRACT: In this paper, a finite difference fonnulation for vibration analysis of structural cables is introduced.
This fonnulation incorporates into a unified solution the effects of the bending stiffness of cable and its sag-
extensibility characteristics and provides a tool for accurate detennination of vibration mode shapes and fre-
quencies. Various cable-end conditions, variable cross sections, and intennediate springs and/or dampers are
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taken into account. Using a nondimensional fonn of this fonnulation, a parametric study was conducted on the
effects of sag-extensibility and bending stiffness. The fonnulation is verified with available theoretical solutions
and compared with finite-element analyses. Capabilities of this fonnulation are demonstrated through examples.
A simple relationship among nondimensional cable parameters is also introduced for the range of parameters
applicable to stay cables in cable-stayed bridges. This simple relationship provides an accurate tool for mea-
surement of tension forces in stay cables using the vibration method.

INTRODUCTION for the parametric studies had to be performed rapidly and

The increasing use of structural cables in modem construc-
tion necessitates a better understanding of their dynamic be-
havior. A prominent application of structural cables is in cable-
stayed bridges, where stay cables are arguably the most crucial
elements of the entire structure. Changes in cable forces
through degradation or other factors are therefore very impor-
tant in assessing the condition of the structure. To develop a
practical method to measure stay-cable forces using the vibra-
tion method, a research study sponsored by the Federal High-
way Administration (FHWA) was initiated in March 1996 (Ta-
batabai and Mehrabi 1997). An important part of this
investigation was the development of an accurate analytical
model to relate vibration response (i.e., frequencies) to cable
tension. This paper addresses the development and verification
of this analytical tool. Although the objective of this research
was specifically related to tension force measurement, the de-
veloped formulation can be used in other applications related
to cable dynamics.
Structural cables are sometimes idealized as taut strings.
This idealization simplifies the analysis but may introduce un-
acceptable errors in many applications by ignoring the sag and
bending stiffness effects (e.g., tension force measurements)
(Casas 1994). The effects of sag extensibility or bending stiff-
ness on cable vibrations have been addressed separately by
Morgan (unpublished report, 1989), Robert et al. (1991), Ir-
vine (1992), Starossek (1994), and Zui et al. (1996).
An evaluation of various analytical tools for practical and
accurate determination of cable frequencies was performed.
Nonlinear finite-element analyses can be used for this purpose.
However, iterative nonlinear finite-element analyses have to
be performed to accurately relate measured cable frequencies
to tension. It was determined that through use of the finite
difference method, the problem can be transformed from a
dimensional two-step analysis (geometrically nonlinear struc-
tural analysis plus eigenvalue analysis) into basically a one-
step nondimensional analysis (eigenvalue analysis). This was
of special value in this research, where thousands of analyses
'Engr., Constr. Technol. Lab., Inc., 5420 Old Orchard Rd., Skokie, IL
60077.
'Prin. Struct. Engr., Constr. Technol. Lab., Inc., 5420 Old Orchard Rd.,
Skokie,IL.
systematically. In addition, the ability of the method to solve
complex eigenvalue problems (cables with viscous dampers)
was of great importance for future developments.
A unified finite difference approach, taking into account the
combined effects of all important parameters involved, has not
been available. In this paper, a new finite difference (FD) for-
mulation is introduced that considers all important parameters
affecting the vibration characteristics of cables. These include
cable tension, sag-extensibility, bending stiffness, end condi-
tions, variable cross sections, and intermediate springs and/or
dampers. The general formulation is developed for a flat-sag
(sag/span < 118) horizontal cable (supports at the same level).
However, with some simplifying assumptions, this formulation
can be transformed easily to an inclined cable (Starossek 1991;
Irvine 1992). To conduct a parametric study on the effects of
bending stiffness and sag-extensibility, the general formulation
is transformed into a nondimensional form. Results of the
parametric study are presented in the form of interaction sur-
faces. The finite difference formulation is verified with avail-
able theoretical solutions and compared with finite-element
analyses. Finally, a simple relationship among nondimensional
cable parameters is proposed for the range of parameters ap-
plicable to the stay cables in cable-stayed bridges.
GENERAL FINITE DIFFERENCE FORMULATION
A general finite difference formulation for vibration of a
flat-sag cable under tension and self weight is derived in this
section. The cable is assumed to have supports at the same
level, and the supports are assumed to be restrained against
translation, but they can be either free or fixed against rotation.
It is also assumed that transverse in-plane, transverse out-of-
plane, and axial vibrations of the cable are uncoupled. Fig. 1
shows the schematic of a cable for which the formulation is
derived.
Differential Equation of Motion
For a flat-sag horizontal cable subjected to a small in-plane
perturbation around the static deflected shape, the condition of
equilibrium of vertical forces leads to
2 2

Note. Associate Editor: Joseph W. Tedesco. Discussion open until April

a (a
-
v) a2 v d2y av a2 v
EI- -H--h-+k'v+c'-+m-=O (1)
I, 1999. To extend the closing date one month, a written request must ax 2
ar ar cb? at at 2
be filed with the ASCE Manager of Journals. The manuscript for this
paper was submitted for review and possible publication on April 4, 1997. where EI = EI~) = bending stiffness at point x; v = V~.t) =
This paper is part of the Journal of Structural Engineering, Vol. 124, lateral in-plane displacement due to vibration; y =y~) = lateral
No. 11, November, 1998. ©ASCE, ISSN 0733-9445/98/0011-1313- displacement due to cable self weight; H = horizontal com-
13221$8.00 + $.50 per page. Paper No. 15556. ponent of cable tension force; h = h(tl = horizontal component
JOURNAL OF STRUCTURAL ENGINEERING / NOVEMBER 1998/1313

J. Struct. Eng., 1998, 124(11): 1313-1322

 dx

nt
1-' dy
~~ x,u

dx+du ~~

nt
IIIIJ dy+ dv
y,v ~
~~~

•••............••• -. ,._"- .... ---

tIti
tIti

q~
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ds'

FIG. 1. Schematic of Vibrating Cable

of additional cable tension due to vibration; k' =k~) = spring where h' is a constant. Substituting h into (5) and factoring
constant per unit length at x; c' = c~) = viscous damping factor out the time function q results in
per unit length at x; and m = m(x) = mass per unit length at x. 2 2 2 2
Eq. (1) becomes identical to the equation of motion used
by Zui et al. (1996) when external spring and damping terms
d
tJx2 (d
EI tJx2
W) - H
d w
tJx2 - h' J. +
d
k'w + c'pw + mp2w = 0
are dropped. The following steps are taken to transform the (8)
equation of motion [(1)] into an eigenvalue problem.
Consider separation of variables as The first term of (8) can be expanded as
(2) d
tJx2
2
(
EI
d
2
W) =-;jT
tJx2
2 2
d (EI) d w
3
d(EI) d w d w
tJx2 + 2 ~ ~ + EI dx
4

4 (9)
where W(x) and q(t) = time-independent and time-dependent
components of V(x,t), respectively. To satisfy damped, free vi- Substituting for ds in (7), h' can be expressed as
bration of cable, q can be expressed as
(3)
r dy dw dx
L

Jo dx dx
where p is a complex number in the following form (Crandall h' = (10)

[(~)' + If
and McCalley 1996):
= -8w ± iWD
p (4) (' dx

in which 8 = damping "tiO; W = undamped natural angular Jo EA

2
frequency; and WD = W 1 - 8 is the damped frequency of By integration by parts in the numerator, (10) becomes
vibration.
With separation of variables [(2)], the equation of motion _r d y w dx
L 2

[(1)] becomes Jo tJx2

-f [(~)~+ r
2 2
d ( d W)
2
d w
2
d y
h' - (11)
tJx2 EI tJx2 q - H tJx2 q - h tJx2 + k'wq + c'pwq
dx
+ mp2wq =0 (5)
To be able to factor the time function q out of (5), it is
necessary to express h as a linear function of q. To the first Substituting (9) and (11) into (8) results in
order, the following relationship can be written for h based on d 2(El) d 2w d(EI) d 3w d 4w d 2w
the elastic and geometric compatibility of the cable element -;jT tJx2 + 2~ ~ + EI dx4 - H tJx2
(Irvine 1992):
d2y dx
Lh(ds/dx)3 dx = LL au dx + LL dy av dx (6)
L
L W

L EA
o ax 0 dx ax
where u = lonlitudinal displacement due to vibration; and ds
0

= (dx2 + dl)l is the tangential length of an infinitesimal cable

+ ('
o

[(~)' +
tJx2
If dx
d 2y
<Ix' + t'w + c'pw + mp'w = 0
element shown in Fig. 1.
The first term of the right-hand side of (6) is zero, because Jo EA (12)
the supports (at x = 0 and x = L) are assumed to be immovable This eigenvalue problem can be solved numerically after
with respect to each other. Also, for a horizontal cable, h is a discretization as shown in the following section.
function of time alone (constant with respect to x) (Irvine
1992). Therefore, h can be expressed as
Discretization of Differential Equation
Ldy av dx LL dy dw dx The individual terms in (12) are discretized for a cable with
h=
L dx ax = dx dx q=h'q
o 0
(7)
N divisions and n internal nodes. Fig. 2 shows a discretized
L(ds/dx)3 dx LL (ds/dx)3 dx cable. The matrix form of the discretized equation is
L
o EA 0 EA Kw + Cpw + M p 2W =0 (13)

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J. Struct. Eng., 1998, 124(11): 1313-1322

 ~
I I
1---.--.. .
- -----------------I
Element No.

I
2 3 4 N-2 N-1 N
In (B), C and M are
1=1 1=2 1.3 1="-2 1="-1 1="
1-0 Node No. I=N
o o
I. L .\
C = M=
FIG. 2. Discretized Cable ("Xn) (nXn)
o o
T
= (Wit W2' ..... , w c~ m.
K=K' +K"; w 1l ) (14a,b)
where ml = mass per unit length at node i; c; = c/a; and c/ =
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Q U W
D S U W 0 damping factor for damper connected to node i. The above
V D S U two matrices are diagonal because only translational degrees
K' = (14c) of freedom are defined.
(II XII) V W
S U Eq. (13) can also be written in the following form (Crandall
0 V D T and McCalley 1996):
Each row of the above matrix corresponds to one node of the Kw + pMw=O (16)
discretized cable, with the first row corresponding to the first
internal node. In the above matrix: where

Q = -14 (-5EII+1 + 22EII

2a
- 3EII _ I ) + -2H
2 +
k'I
a
I:) ={p:}
for fixed end condition (i = 1)
(2n~2n) = [~ ~]
Q = -14 (-3EII + 1 + 18EI, - 5E1,_1) + -2H /

<2n~2n) = [~I ~]
2 + k,
2a a
for pinned end condition (i = 1)
Therefore, the complex eigenvalue problem represented by
S = ~ (-2Ell+l + IOEII - 2EII-I) + 2~ + k; (13) can be transformed into an equivalent eigenvalue problem
a a shown in (16). In (16), p is the eigenvalue and w is the ei-
genvector. This complex eigenvalue problem can now be
1
T= 2a4 (-3EII+ I + 22E( -
5E
1,_1)
2H,
+ 7 + k, solved for p and w. Then, using (4), 8, w, and WD can be
derived for each mode.
for fixed end condition (i = n)
Static Profile of Cable
1 2H ,
T= 2a 4 (-5EII + 1 + 18EII - 3EI,_I) + 7 + kl As reflected in the FD formulation, some of the terms used
depend on y, the static profile of the cable under self weight.
for pinned end condition (i = n) Often, the static profile of the cable is assumed to be a parab-
1 H ola (Irvine 1992). This assumption is quite acceptable for a
D = "4 (2EII+ I - 6EII ) - "2 horizontal cable with a constant cross section and pinned end
a a
conditions. Nevertheless, when the end condition is not
1 H pinned, bending stiffness is not negligible, or the cross section
U = "4 (-6EII + 2EII _ I ) - "2
of cable varies along its length, the profile deviates from a true
a a
parabola. Therefore, in this general formulation, the true de-
formed shape is also calculated using the FD method, in lieu
of an assumption of the parabolic static profile.
The static profile in a discretized cable model can be cal-
1
W = 2a 4 (EII+ I + 2EII - EI,_I) culated with the FD formulation. The differential equation for
static equilibrium of a flat-sag horizontal cable subjected to
where k; = k/a; and kl = spring constant for the spring con- tension is
nected to node i. Similarly
K" = rsT (15) (17)
(nXn)

in which In a manner similar to that carried out for the dynamic part,
(17) can be discretized about node i in a matrix form as
r
T
= (TIt 72, r, , T,,)
K'y= mg (18)
ST = (Sit $2'
I
Sl , Sn)

In this equation, m = nodal mass vector; y = nodal displace-

ment vector (under self weight); and K' = stiffness matrix, the
same as that defined in (14). However, k' is ignored, assuming
installation of spring occurs after cable attains its static profile.
The above system of equations [(18») can be solved for y, and
the resulting static profile can be used to conduct the dynamic
part of the calculation.
JOURNAL OF STRUCTURAL ENGINEERING / NOVEMBER 1998/1315

J. Struct. Eng., 1998, 124(11): 1313-1322

 Solution for General Cable Vibration complex eigenvectors. A better presentation of this effect can
be performed with an animation of the modal response.
The final formulation for general cable vibration, including For the second mode of vibration, the mode shape does not
the static profile and the dynamic equation of motion, were change as a result of the introduction of damper, because the
implemented in a computer program and linked to an eigen- damper is located at the midlength of the cable (node point).
value analysis code (EISPACK 1977). This program can be Consequently, the apparent damping ratio for the second mode
used to obtain damped and undamped vibration frequencies, is zero, and damped and undamped frequencies are the same.
damping ratios, and mode shapes. Higher symmetric modes also exhibit the effects of damping.
When nodal dampers do not exist, the eigenvalues and ei- However, this effect is much smaller than that of the first sym-
genvectors resulting from the eigenvalue analysis are real, and metric mode discussed above.
the shape of every mode stays the same with respect to time.
For the case of nodal dampers, the eigenvalues and eigenvec- Example 2
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tors are complex numbers, and for every mode of vibration,

there exists a complex eigenvector representing the corre- In this example, the cable analyzed in Example I is assumed
sponding mode shape. Although the mode shape is unique for to include a spring at midlength in lieu of a damper. This
each mode, its complex nature causes a variation of mode spring has a factor (k) of 500 kN/m (2.85 kip/in.). Fig. 4 shows
shape with time. the first and second vibration mode shapes for this cable along
with corresponding frequencies. The frequency of the first
Example 1 mode as well as its first mode shape have been affected con-
siderably by the spring, whereas the second mode shape has
A horizontal cable with constant cross section is assumed not been influenced.
to have a damper with a damping vector (c) of 20 kN/m1s
(0.114 kip/in.ls) installed transversely at its midlength. Cable NONDIMENSIONAL FORMULATION
ends are assumed to be fixed. Cable length (L) is 93 m (3661 To simplify parametric studies, the general formulation pre-
in.); axial stiffness (EA) is 1458408 kN (327570 kips); flexural sented earlier is converted to a nondimensional format. For
stiffness (E1) is 1305.8 kN_m2 (454606 kip-in. 2 ); mass (m) is this purpose, the cable is assumed to have a uniform cross
113.748 kg/m (6.364lb/in.); and tension force (H) is 5017 kN section along its length without intermediate springs or damp-
(1127 kips). ers. For such a cable, (1) can be simplified as
Analysis of this cable with the program developed indicates
that the presence of a damper results in an equivalent general ilv iiv d 2y iiv
E I -4 - H - - h - + m-=O (19)
damping ratio (8) of 13.3% of critical damping for the first ax
dx'- at 2 or
mode. Therefore, the damped frequency of the first mode was Also, the deflected static profile of the cable is assumed to
reduced to 7.186 rad/s from an undamped first mode frequency be parabolic; i.e., cable sag is assumed to be relatively small,
of 7.251 rad/s. Fig. 3 shows the first mode response of the cable and the effect of bending stiffness on the static profile is ig-
at various times between t = 0 and t = 0.32 s. Although this nored. Therefore
response corresponds only to the first. mode of vibr~tion, ~e
4d
vibrated shape of the cable changes With respect to bme. This
is a phenomenon related to the effect of damping and associated
y =x(L - x) 2
L
(20)

~--- ........ " ,

/'
/'/
.---- "" '
./
././ .- .- -~-'
~,
~ ,
------
.- .-

./
-- --- .-- --- ---
.-'-

+-- - -- 1- - 1- -1---
......... --- --- ---~ ---
--+-
~ ~--:::""
-- ......

30 40 60 70 .~ o
~"""
" ,.-;;:t'
, .. ~
'~~<'"
"=",....... .
.....;;~(/
/~
' .. ::::........... .... .. ..
.......'..... . ",,/;:"
'"
.... -..
/./
.......':::::'........... ....... .. --- --_ .. -- _.-. --- -- ---- /

-------..
........... /
-.",...,:'.....
...... .....
':: "-
................ ...... ----.....
-----------_ ..........
/'

----- t 0.16 sec

--t=O.OO sec t-O.04 sec - - - -t 0.08 sec - -t 0.12 sec
t-0.20 sec -------t-0.24 sec ----t=0.28 sec -----t=0.32 sec
Cable Nodes

FIG. 3. First Mode Response of Cable with Damper Connected Transversely at Mldlength

1316/ JOURNAL OF STRUCTURAL ENGINEERING / NOVEMBER 1998

J. Struct. Eng., 1998, 124(11): 1313-1322

 . --"",
,, .
,
.-
.. ..
.. .
...
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60 70 80 90 1 0

- - Mode 1, Freq.=1.7098 Hz
••••••• Mode 2, Freq.=2.2nS Hz

Nod. No.

FIG. 4. First and Second Mode Shapes of a Cable with Spring Connected Transversely at Mldl.ngth

where d = vertical sag in the midspan of the cable; x = co-

ordinate along the cable cord; and L = chord length. By dif-
mg m g EA
-h=-2---q
2 2
LL wdx (27)
H H L. 0
ferentiating (20) twice and using (17):
A nondimensional parameter for sag extensibility (~?) is ex-
d 2y 8d mg pressed as (Irvine 1992):
dK =- L2 = - Ii (21)

Substitution of (21) into (19) results in

a4v a2v a2v mg (28)
EI ax4- H ar + m at2 + Ii h = 0 (22)
Substituting (28) into (27) results in
By separation of variables [(2)] and assuming q(l) as a har-
monic function of time, the second derivative of q becomes
mg
- h = -3 q
H
H~?
L
lL
0
wdx (29)
2
d q 2
Substituting the above relations in the equation of motion
dt 2 = -wnq (23)
[(24)] and factoring out q will result in
where W n = natural angular frequency of the nth mode of vi-
bration.
d w
4
d w
E I -4 - H - - mw 2w
2
+ -'A H
2
LL wdx=O (30)
dx dK n L3
0
Substituting (23) into (2) and (22), the equation of motion
becomes Eq. (30) can be discretized in the form of
'
(24) K w + -'A2Ha 2
3 - Bw - mwnIw = 0 (31)
L

Assuming a parabolic static profile, the following can be in which a = UN is element length in the discretized cable; I
written (Irvine 1992): is an identity matrix; K' was defined earlier [(14)], and B is
L a full unit matrix (B 1j = 1 for all i and j). Defining a nondi-
mgEA mensional parameter (~) for bending stiffness (Zui et al. 1996):
h=--
H L. L
0
vdx (25)
~ = L YEi
[ii (32)
where

L. = f (ds/dx)3 dx =L ( 1+
(mgLy)
~ (26)
and, simplifying the terms in matrix K' for a uniform cross
section without intermediate springs, the following can be
written:
Multiplying both sides of (25) by mglH and separation of
(33)
variables gives
JOURNAL OF STRUCTURAL ENGINEERING / NOVEMBER 1998/1317

J. Struct. Eng., 1998, 124(11): 1313-1322

 in which

2 -(4n2 + ~2) 2
exn + 2e n 0 0 0 0
2 2 2 2
-(4n + e) 6n + 2e -(4n + e) n 0 0 0
2 -(4n2 + ~2) 2 2 2
n 6n + 2e -(4n + e) n 0 0
2 2 2 2 2
1 0 n -(4n + e) 6n + 2e -(4n + e) n 0
X="2
~

0
0 0 n
2 -(4n2 + ~2) exn 2 + 2~2
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where ex = 7 or 5 for fixed or pinned end conditions, respec-
tively. By substitution, (31) becomes
For further simplification, a dimensionless parameter for fre-
quency, On (frequency ratio) is defined as
where Wls = first mode angular frequency of a taut string ex-
pressed as
W
Is
=~L 'J;
@ (36)
By substitution, (34) can be rewritten in the following form:
[ N2X + ~ B] W = O~Iw
The eigenvalue problem expressed by (37) can be solved
for mode shape (w) and frequency ratio On> from which an-
gular frequency W n can be determined.
Other nondimensional formulations have also been devel-
oped that include intermediate springs and dampers, and are
presented in the final research report to FHWA (Tabatabai et
al. 1997).
PARAMETRIC STUDY
(34)
The nondimensional formulation of cable vibration was also
implemented in a computer program and linked with a general
purpose eigenvalue analysis program. The following finite dif-
ference analyses have been conducted based on a fixed end
condition for the cable and a one-hundred-division mesh (N =
(35) 100). The mesh size was selected based on a sensitivity anal-
ysis to achieve sufficient accuracy for the purposes of this
investigation.
Figs. 5 and 6 illustrate the interaction surfaces, showing
frequency ratios for the first symmetric and antisymmetric in-
plane vibration modes, respectively, as a function of the bend-
in~-stiffness parameter (~) and the sag-extensibility parameter
(A ). It can be noticed in these figures that for the first sym-
metric mode, the interaction of ~ and A2 can be quite signifi-
cant, especially for the lower values of ~ (less than 100) and
(37)
the higher values of A2 (greater than 1). The first antisymmetric
mode is influenced only by the bending-stiffness parameter, as
the sag extensibility of the cables has no effect on the anti-
symmetric frequency ratios. Fig. 5 clearly shows the phenom-
enon known as "modal crossover" (Irvine 1992). In this case,
crossover occurs when the frequency of the first antisymmetric
mode becomes equal to the frequency of the first symmetric
mode.

5.0

4.5

4.0

10
30
50
70
90
J: 110
~ 160
210
410

0.001
FIG. 5. Interaction Surface for Frequency Ratio of First Symmetric In-Plane Mode

1318/ JOURNAL OF STRUCTURAL ENGINEERING / NOVEMBER 1998

J. Struct. Eng., 1998, 124(11): 1313-1322

 3.0
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10
30
50
70
90
110
160
210
0.1
410

0.001
FIG. 6. Interaction Surface for Frequency Ratio of First Antisymmetric In-Plane Mode

VERIFICATION OF FD FORMULATION Excellent agreement was observed between FD predictions

To verify the nondimensional formulation, theoretical ("ex-
act' ') solutions for two limiting cases in which either the sag-
extensibility parameter (.\2) or the bending-stiffness parameter
(~) was zero were derived based on relationships presented by
Irvine (1992) and Zui et al. (1996). Figs. 7 and 8 compare the
FD analysis results to the "exact" solutions for those cases.
and the theoretical solutions.
For further study on the accuracy of the FD formulation,
three different combinations of sag-extensibility and bending-
stiffness parameters were selected and analyzed with both FD
formulations developed in this study (general and nondimen-
sional). These cases were chosen to be representative of a ca-
ble with moderate sag and low bending stiffness (Cable 1, .\2

1.50 - , . - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ,

-- Symmetric Mode, Theoretical j

I - - - _. _. Symmetric Mode, FD

1.25

mI~s

1.00

0.75 +----+-----+---+-----1----+---+---+-----+----+------1
o 50 100 150 200 250 300 350 400 450 500

FIG. 7. Comparison of Frequency Ratios of First Symmetric Mode for Cable with}(" = 0.0

JOURNAL OF STRUCTURAL ENGINEERING / NOVEMBER 1998/1319

J. Struct. Eng., 1998, 124(11): 1313-1322

 3

v l0-

2
II
V
V
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- I-

- - Symmetric Mode, FD
- - - • Anti-Symmetric Mode, FD
•• - • _•• Symmetric Mode, Theoretical
- Anti-Symmetric Mode, Theoretical

o IIIIII1 II1II1 n
0.Q1 0.1 100 1000 10000

FIG. 8. Comparison of Frequency Ratios of First Symmetric and Antlsymmetrlc Modes for Cable with ~ = QC

TABLE 1. Comparison of Frequencies (In Hz) of First and Second In·Plane Vibration Modes Using Different Methods
FINITE DIFFERENCE FORMULATION Finite-Element
String Equation Simple Relationship General Nondimenslonal Method
Cable number >..2 ~ Mode 1 Mode 2 Mode 1 Mode 2 Mode 1 Mode 2 Mode 1 Mode 2 Mode 1 Mode 2
(1 ) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6) (7) (8) (9) (10) (11 ) (12) (13)
1 0.79 605.5 0.426 0.852 0.441 0.855 0.440 0.853 0.440 0.853 0.442 0.858
2 50.66 302.7 0.213 0.426 N/A N/A 0.428 0.464 0.428 0.463 0.429 0.462
3 1.41 50.5 1.278 2.556 1.399 2.682 1.393 2.679 1.399 2.679 1.395 2.686
4 50.66 50.5 0.213 0.426 N/A N/A 0.447 0.455 0.447 0.464 0.447 0.454
Note: Modes 1 and 2 correspond to the first and second lowest frequency modes, respectively. For Cables 1 and 3, Mode 1 is symmetric and Mode
2 is antisymmetric. For Cables 2 and 4, Mode 1 is antisymmetric and Mode 2 is symmetric (due to crossover).

= 0.79, ~ = 605.5); a cable with very high sag (higher than
that corresponding to the crossover point between the first and
second modes) and average bending stiffness (Cable 2, 'A 2 =
50.70, ~ = 302.7); a cable with moderate sag and high bending
stiffness (Cable 3, 'A 2 = 1.41, ~ = 50.5); and, finally, a cable
with high sag and high bending stiffness (Cable 4, 'A 2 = 50.70,
~ = 50.5). It must be pointed out that the low and high measure
of the sag and bending parameters are expressed in relation to
the parameters common for stay cables in cable-stayed
bridges. For the cases described, finite difference analyses us-
ing the developed formulations and finite-element analyses us-
ing the general purpose finite-element program NISA II (NISA
1992) were conducted, and the results were compared as
shown in Table 1. In all three analysis methods, the cable was
discretized into 100 elements. For finite-element analysis, a
geometrically nonlinear static analysis was first carried out in
each case and then eigenvalue analysis was conducted on the
deformed, stressed cables. A fixed end condition was assumed
in all cases. Table 1 shows good agreement between results of
the three analysis methods. The small differences observed be-
tween general and nondimensional FD solutions for the sym-
metric modes are due to the assumption of a parabolic static
profile of cables in the nondimensional formulation. Therefore,
assumption of a parabolic profile introduced negligible errors
for Cables 1, 2, and 3. This error increases to 2.1 % for Cable
1320 I JOURNAL OF STRUCTURAL ENGINEERING I NOVEMBER 1998
4. However, Cables 2 and 4 are outside the range of typical
stay cables in cable-stayed bridges. The mode shapes resulting
from the nondimensional FD and the finite-element method
are identical. Figs. 9 and 10 show the first and second vibration
mode shapes obtained from FD analysis of Cable 2 ('A 2 =
50.70, ~ = 302.7) and Cable 3 ('A 2 = 1.41, ~ = 50.5), respec-
tively. For the case of a large sag-extensibility parameter, the
crossover phenomenon can be deduced from Fig. 9. This can
be explained by the fact that the mode with the lower fre-
quency (Mode 1) is now an antisymmetric mode. Table 1 also
contains the first mode frequencies calculated using the taut
string equation (ignoring sag-extensibility and bending-stiff-
ness effects). These frequencies are quite different from those
calculated with either finite-element or FD analyses, indicating
a considerable influence of sag-extensibility and bending stiff-
ness on the vibration frequency of cables.
SIMPLE RELATIONSHIP
In this section, a nondimensional simple relationship is pro-
posed among non-dimensional cable parameters for in-plane
and out-of-plane vibration modes. The relationship accounts
for both the sag-extensibility and bending-stiffness effects. The
cable ends are assumed to be fixed. This relationship is most
accurate when 'A 2 is less than 3.1 and ~ is more than 50. The

J. Struct. Eng., 1998, 124(11): 1313-1322

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60 70 80 90

- - Mode 1, Freq.=0.428 Hz
•••••• - Mode 2, Freq.=O.484 Hz

Nod. Number

FIG. 9. First lWo Mode Shapes for Cable 2 (Aa 50.7, t; = =302.7) Obtained from Finite Difference Analysis

..... --- ....

.......... ""
,
.- "".
. .- .. .
. '
.' .
'

....//
. \ .
,
....
., ,

20 30 40 /50 50 70 80 90 o
.
,.
\ ....... 10 ,

..'. /
.
/
'. /'
'. . .. , .-
.
.., ,, - - Mode 1, Freq.=1.393 Hz
"
-" .. ' •••••• - Mode 2, Freq.=2.579 Hz

Nod. Number

FIG. 10. First lWo Mode Shapes for Cable 3 (Aa =1.4, ~ =50.5) Obtained from Finite Difference Analysis
ranges of these parameters include more than 95% of stay
cables in cable-stayed bridges around the world (Tabatabai et (38)
aI. 1997); however, these ranges are not within the highly non-
linear parts of Fig. 5. The simple relationship can be expressed in which
as (X ::: 1 + O.039/-L

JOURNAL OF STRUCTURAL ENGINEERING / NOVEMBER 1998/1321

J. Struct. Eng., 1998, 124(11): 1313-1322

 NISA II: numerically integrated elements for system analysis. (1995).
Engineering Mechanics Research Corporation, Troy, Mich.
Robert, J. L., Bruhat, D., Gervais, J. P., and Chatelain, J. (1991). "Mesure
(Robert et al. 1991) de la tension des cables par methode vibratoire." Bulletin de liaison
des laboratoires des ponts et Chaussees, France, 173, 109-114 (in
French).
Starossek, U. (1991). "Dynamic stiffness matrix of sagging cable." J.
J.L = '11.2 for n = 1 (in-plane); J.L = 0 for n > 1 (in-plane); Struct. Engrg., ASCE, 117(12), 2815 - 2829.
Starossek, U. (1994). "Cable dynamics-a review." Struct. Engrg. Int.,
J.L = 0 for all n (out-of-plane); n = mode number 3,171-176.
Tabatabai, H., Mehrabi, A. B., Morgan, B. J., and Lotfi, H. R. (1997).
To investigate the accuracy of this proposed simple rela- "Nondestructive bridge evaluation technology: bridge stay cable condi-
tionship for the first symmetric in-plane mode of vibration, the tion assessment." Report to the Federal Highway Administration, Con-
estimated frequency ratios using the simple relationship [(38)] struction Technology Laboratories, Inc., Skokie, Ill.
Downloaded from ascelibrary.org by UNIV OF CONNECTICUT LIBRARIES on 06/10/18. Copyright ASCE. For personal use only; all rights reserved.

were compared with frequency ratios calculated through FD Zui, H., Shinke, T., and Namita, Y. (1996). "Practical formulas for esti-
mation of cable tension by vibration method." J. Struct. Engrg., ASCE,
analysis. The difference was less than 0.35% for the range of 122(6),651-656.
parameters considered here (Tabatabai et al. 1997).
Antisymmetric in-plane modes as well as out-of-plane APPENDIX II. NOTATION
modes are not influenced by the sag-extensibility effects (Ir- The following symbols are used in this paper:
vine 1992). The effect of sag-extensibility is also negligible
for the higher in-plane modes. Finite difference analysis results A = cross-sectional area of cable;
indicated that, for the second in-plane symmetric mode, the a = length of element in discretized cable;
effect of sag-extensibility is less than 0.2% for the range of C = damping matrix;
parameters considered. For these cases, the solution of (38) c, c/ = viscous damping factor for damper connected to cable;
approaches the following relationship proposed by Robert et c', c: = viscous damping factor per unit length of cable;
al. (1992), which considers the bending stiffness effect only: d = vertical sag in midspan of horizontal cable;
E = modulus of elasticity of cable material;
g = gravitational acceleration;
(39) H = horizontal component of tension force in cable;
h = horizontal component of tension force due to vibration;
CONCLUSIONS h' = time-independent part of horizontal component of ten-
sion force due to vibration;
A unified finite difference formulation was developed for free I = moment of inertia of cable cross section;
vibration of structural cables. The distinguishing feature of this K = stiffness matrix including axial tension, bending stiff-
formulation is its ability to account for both the sag-extensibility ness, sag-extensibility, and external spring effects;
and bending stiffness effects on the dynamic behavior of cables. K' = stiffness matrix including axial tension, bending stiff-
It is also capable of incorporating variable cross sections along ness, and external spring effects;
the length, different end conditions (fixed or pinned), and in- K" stiffness matrix including sag-extensibility effects;
termediate springs and dampers. The new formulation was ver- k, k/ = spring constant for spring connected to cable;
ified with available theoretical solutions and compared with fi- k', k: = lateral spring constant per unit length of cable;
nite-element analyses. Parametric studies conducted using the
L = cable chord length;
nondimensional form of the formulation demonstrated the sig-
M = mass matrix;
m, m/ = cable mass per unit length;
nificance of the sag-extensibility and/or bending stiffness effects N = number of divisions in discretized cable;
on the dynamic response of cables. When an accurate estimation n = mode number, number of internal nodes in discretized
of vibration parameters is desired (e.g., in tension force evalu- cable;
ation), ignoring these parameters can create unacceptable errors. p = complex eigenvalue;
Also, a simple nondimensional formula was proposed that re- q = time-dependent part of transverse in-plane displacement
lates the vibration frequencies of cables to the sag-extensibility due to vibration;
and bending-stiffness parameters. The simple relationship was s = length of cable along its deflected shape;
examined for a range of parameters applicable to stay cables in t = time;
cable-stayed bridges. The error introduced by this relationship, u = longitudinal displacement due to vibration;
when compared with the FD results, is less than 0.35% for the v = transverse in-plane displacement due to vibration;
range of parameters considered. w = time-independent part of transverse in-plane displace-
ment due to vibration;
ACKNOWLEDGMENT x = coordinate along cable length;
y = transverse in-plane displacement due to weight;
The study presented in this paper was supported by the Federal High- c:x = correction factor for sag-extensibility effects;
way Administration under contract number DTFH-61-96-C-00029. The 13. correction factor for bending stiffness effects for nth
technical monitor was Dr. Philip Yen. The contributions of Dr. Bruce J. mode of vibration;
Morgan, a consultant to Construction Technology Laboratories, Inc., are 8 = damping ratio;
gratefully acknowledged. Opinions expressed in this paper are those of
the writers and do not necessarily represent those of the Federal Highway
'11.2 = dimensionless sag-extensibility parameter;
Administration or other participants in this study. J.L = second sag-extensibility parameter;
~ dimensionless bending-stiffness parameter;
APPENDIX I. REFERENCES X = nondimensional matrix used in calculating K' matrix;
O. = ratio of nth mode frequency to first mode frequency of
Casas, J. R. (1994). "A combined method for measuring cable forces: the equivalent string;
cable-stayed Alamillo Bridge, Spain." Struct. Engrg. Int., 3, 235-240. w natural angular frequency;
Crandall, S. H., and McCalley Jr., R. B. (1996). "Chapter 28: matrix WD = damped natural angular frequency;
methods of analysis." Handbook of shock and vibration, M. H. Harris,
ed., McGraw-Hill, New York.
w. = angular frequency of nth mode of vibration;
EISPACK: A package for solving matrix eigenvalue problems. (1997). w.. = angular frequency of nth mode of vibration of equivalent
Mathematics and Compo Sci. Div., Argonne National Laboratory, Ar- string; and
gonne, Ill. WI. = angular frequency of first mode of vibration of equiva-
Irvine, M. (1992). Cable structures. Dover Publications, Inc., New York. lent string.
1322 / JOURNAL OF STRUCTURAL ENGINEERING / NOVEMBER 1998

J. Struct. Eng., 1998, 124(11): 1313-1322