• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.42 no.3
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• pp.291-311
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• 2012

The multi-span suspension bridge having double main cables in the vertical plane is investigated regarding endurance of live load distribution in the case of non-displaced pylon and pylon displacement. The coefficient formula of live load distribution described as the ratio of live load on the bottom cable to the top cable is obtained. Based on this formula, some function in respect of this bridge are derived and used to analyze its characteristics. This analysis targets the cable force, the cable sag and the horizontal displacement at the pylon top under live load etc. The results clarified that the performance of the live load distribution and the horizontal force of cables in the case of non-deformed pylon has a similar tendency to those in the case of deformed pylon, and the increase of pylon rigidity can increase live load distributed to the bottom cable and slightly raise the cable horizontal force under live load. However, effect on the vertical rigidity of bridge and the horizontal force increment of cables caused by live load is different in the case of non-deformed pylon and deformed pylon.

• Progress in Superconductivity and Cryogenics
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.32-39
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• 2023

One of the main problems faced in developing India's first HTS power cable was that of shrinkage in length of the double-walled vacuum-insulated cryostat. The shrinkage was due to the evacuation of the annular vacuum space which results in a shorter working cable length. This work reports experimentally observed contraction during evacuation and analyses corrugated pipes/bellows which house the cable core of HTS cables. The effect of corrugation geometry including length, corrugation pitch and depth, diameters of corrugated pipes and thicknesses of pipes is studied numerically to realize the degree of shrinkage due to vacuum as well as chill down. Finally, necessary length compensation and associated cost is determined to tackle the shrinkage issue.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.90 no.4
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• pp.325-343
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• 2024

Triple-tower double-cable suspension bridges have increased confinement stiffness imposed by the main cable on the middle tower, which has bright application prospects. However, vertical bending and torsional vibrations of the double-cable and the girder are coupled in such bridges due to the hangers. In particular, the bending vibration of the towers in the longitudinal direction and torsional vibrations about the vertical axis influence the vertical bending and torsional vibrations of the stiffening girders, respectively. The conventional analytical algorithm for assessing the dynamic features of the suspension bridge is not directly applicable to this type of bridge. This study attempts to mitigate this problem by introducing an analytical algorithm for solving the triple-tower double-cable suspension bridge's natural frequencies and mode shapes. D'Alembert's principle is employed to construct the differential equations of the vertical bending and torsional vibrations of the stiffening girder continuum in each span. Vibrations of stiffening girders in each span are interrelated via the vibrations of the main cables and the bridge towers. On this basis, the natural frequencies and mode shapes are derived by separating variables. The proposed algorithm is then applied to an engineering example. The natural frequencies and mode shapes of vertical bending and torsional vibrations derived by the analytical algorithm agreed well with calculations via the finite element method. The fundamental frequency of vertical bending and first- and second-order torsion frequencies of double-cable suspension bridges are much higher than those of single-cable suspension bridges. The analytical algorithm has high computational efficiency and calculation accuracy, which can provide a reference for selecting appropriate structural parameters to meet the requirements of dynamics during the preliminary design.

• Wind and Structures
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• v.13 no.5
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• pp.471-485
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• 2010

In comparison with the common two-tower suspension bridge, due to the lack of effective longitudinal restraint of the center tower, the three-tower suspension bridge becomes a structural system with greater flexibility, and more susceptible to the wind action. By taking a three-tower suspension bridge-the Taizhou Bridge over the Yangtze River with two main spans of 1080 m as example, effects of structural parameters including the cable sag to span ratio, the side to main span ratio, the deck's dead load, the deck's bearing system, longitudinal structural form of the center tower and the cable system on the aerodynamic stability of the bridge are investigated numerically by 3D nonlinear aerodynamic stability analysis, the favorable structural system of three-tower suspension bridge with good wind stability is discussed. The results show that good aerodynamic stability can be obtained for three-tower suspension bridge as the cable sag to span ratio is assumed ranging from 1/10 to 1/11, the central buckle are provided between main cables and the deck at midpoint of main spans, the longitudinal bending stiffness of the center tower is strengthened, and the spatial cable system or double cable system is employed.