General Information

Figure 1 shows a cable-stayed bridge that is used by motorcycles, bicycles and pedestrians.

Cable-stayed bridge.
Cable-stayed bridge over a river
Type Single-span cable-stayed bridge
Main span ≅ 120 m
Deck width ≅ 2 m
Girder Steel twin I-girder
Pylon Reinforced concrete (A-longitudinal shaped)
Stay cable arrangement Radial (two cable planes)

Main Span Vertical Alignment

Figure 2 shows a side view of the main span.

Main span.
Main span vertical alignment of a cable-stayed bridge

The main span vertical alignment consists of one horizontal and two inclined sectors. Figure 3 shows a schematic lateral view of half bridge.

Lateral view.
Schematic lateral view of a cable-stayed bridge sector

The black arrow represents the horizontal component force F caused by the stay cables in the horizontal sector.

  • How does the force F affect the inclined sector?
  • Stay Cables

    Figure 4 shows a schematic lateral view of the bridge.

    Lateral view.
    Schematic lateral view of a cable-stayed bridge

    A stay cable in the horizontal sector consists of two steel wire ropes; in the inclined sector, of a single wire rope. Figure 5 shows stay cables 5 and 6 viewed from the main span.

    Stay cables 5 and 6 (horizontal sector).
    Stay-cables viewed from the main span

    Stay cables 5 and 6 are sagging. Video 1 shows stay cable 6 during hand-induced vibration.

    Video 1: Stay cable 6 during hand-induced vibration
  • How does cable sagging affect the stress-strain relationship of a stay cable?
  • Deck Materials

    Figure 6 shows the deck viewed from the main span.

    Bridge deck. Deck materials of a cable-stayed bridge

    The deck in the inclined sector is made of reinforced concrete (thickness ≅ 8 cm); in the horizontal sector, of steel checker plates (thickness ≅ 0.5 cm).

  • What are some possible reasons for the used deck materials?