In-plane dynamic behavior of cable networks. Part 1: formulation and basic solutions

This paper is motivated by mitigation of oscillation of the stays in cable-stayed bridges in which transverse elements (cross-ties) are placed among different stays. The dynamic behavior of a simplified cable network, composed by a set of interconnected truss elements, has been investigated analytically. Solutions to the free-vibration problem have been computed by means of a general analytical procedure. Several special cases have been defined and solved in closed form, revealing interesting characteristics. These examples have been investigated in detail as a background for understanding more complex systems. It is worth noting that even for a relatively modest number of interconnected elements, considerable complexity, which demands a numerical solution technique, is often present. The approach presented herein will be applied to more general configurations and bridge application examples in a companion paper.