In-plane non-linear dynamics of the stay cables

Stay cables used in cable-stayed bridge and cable-stayed arch bridge are prone to vibration due to their inherent susceptibility to external deflection. The present work is devoted to the mitigation of a stay cable from the point of view of its nonlinear dynamics. The Galerkin integral, multiple scales perturbation method, and numerical techniques are applied to analyze the primary and subharmonic resonances of the stay cable. The nonlinear dynamic response of the stay cable subjected to parametrical and forced excitations is investigated numerically. The effects of some key parameters of the stay cable, such as initial tension force, damping and inclination angle, and the excitation frequency and amplitude are discussed. The carbon fiber reinforced polymers (CFRP) cable is also studied to understand the effect of the material properties of cable. The results show that these parameters have a considerable effect on the dynamic behavior of the cable. In particular, unreasonable tension force and inclination angle of stay cable may cause excessive vibration. It is suggested that CFRP cable replaces steel cable, which can mitigate the vibration of a stay cable.