Classification and Mechanical Behaviors of Inner Concave Cable-Arch Structure with V-Shape Web Struts

Abstract

The inner concave cable-arch structures with V-shape web struts were classified, and single-tensioning construction method and multiple-tensioning construction method for continuous cable-arch structures were described. The optimization of pretension for multiple-tensioning construction method was carried out. FE models of cable-arch structures including the single-tensioning models and the multiple-tensioning models were created. The mechanical behaviors including stress ratios, stiffness, horizontal bearing reaction force and structural stability of the two kinds of models were compared. The results show that the pretension does not significantly influence the maximum resultant displacement, horizontal bearing reaction force, and stability of the single-tensioning cable-arch structures. With pretension increasing the stress ratios can be reduced. The stress ratios and stiffness decrease with the increasing of the rise-to-span ratio, and horizontal bearing reaction force slightly decreases, but structural stability has no obvious changing rules. There is no difference in mechanical behaviors between two types of cable-arch structures with the rise-to-span ratio of 0.2, it is recommended to use the single-tensioning construction method. However, the mechanical behaviors of multiple-tensioning type are generally better than that of single-tensioning type with the rise-to-span ratio of 0.3 and 0.4. It is necessary to consider the cost of construction and mechanical behaviors to determine its tensioning construction method.