Multi-segment continuous cables with frictional contact along their span


Tezin Türü: Doktora

Tezin Yürütüldüğü Kurum: Orta Doğu Teknik Üniversitesi, Mühendislik Fakültesi, İnşaat Mühendisliği Bölümü, Türkiye

Tezin Onay Tarihi: 2017

Öğrenci: ABDULLAH DEMİR

Danışman: MUSTAFA UĞUR POLAT

Özet:

Cables are highly nonlinear structural members under transverse loading. This nonlinearity is mainly due to the close relationship between the final geometry under transverse loads and the resulting stresses in its equilibrium state rather than the material properties. In practice, the cables are usually utilized as isolated single-segment elements fixed at the ends. Various studies and solution procedures suggested by researchers are available in the literature for such isolated cables. However, not much work is available for multi-segment continuous cables with multiple intermediate supports between its two ends. In this thesis, a solution procedure based on contact mechanics is proposed for the non-linear interaction between a multi-segment continuous cable and an elastic structure such as a plane truss. The intermediate supports represent the target nodal points of the structure where the cable is likely to come into contact with the structure. Therefore, the intermediate supports of the multi-segment continuous cable are assumed to be frictional and elastic. Moreover, the cables are not constrained to be in contact with each of these target supports. Actual support locations along the cable are determined in the course of the iterative non-linear analysis. A cable and a bar element are formulated mathematically with their geometric nonlinearities. The coupling is established and non-linear interaction between the two structures is determined by the principles of contact mechanics. Proposed mathematical model is coded and verification analyses are done with a sample model composed of a cable and a truss structure. A number of case studies are carried out for a real-life application of truss structures post-tensioned by a continuous cable.