MIDAS TECHNICAL WORKSHOP 2018

Midas
Training
Series
midas
Practical Modeling for Civil

Cable Stayed Bridge with

Staged Sequencing
2018

Suman Dhara, Structural Engineer at Midas India

 - Part -1
Midas
1. Introduction Training
Series
2. Modeling of the cable-stayed bridge
a. Bridge wizard and model generation
midas
b. Stiffening girder Civil
c. Analysis required

3. Nonlinear Effect
a. Sag effects of long cables
b. P-Delta effects
c. Large deformations
d. Material nonlinearity 2018

4. Initial Cable Forces Determination

a. Traditional Zero Displacement method
b. Force Equilibrium Method
c. Force Method
d. The Unknown Load Factor function
- Constraints
- Influence matrix
e. Tuning of cables
 Midas
Training
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1. Introduction – Common Configuration of Long Span Bridges

Where does these long-span bridges fit ?

Balanced Cantilever Bridge

Extra-dosed Bridge

Cable-stayed Bridge
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1. Introduction

Major Characteristics of Cable Stayed Bridge

 The deck acts as a continuous beam with a number of elastic

supports with varying stiffness.

 All the members are under predominantly axial forces, with

cables under tension and both the pylon and the girder under
compression.

 The deck and pylon are both in compression and therefore

bending moment in these elements will be increased, due to
second order effects. Application of these moments will be non-
linear. The use of influence lines, which rely on the principles of
linear superposition, can only be used as an approximate
method of determining the stay loads.

 Nonlinear material properties (Creep and shrinkage) will also

influence the design.

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1. Introduction

Different arrangements of cable system

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1. Introduction

Design Process in Cable Stayed Bridge (Forward or Backward Construction Stage)

1 2 3 4
Determine Back
Determine Cable Determine Deck Determine Pylon
span to main span
Spacing Stiffness Height
ratio

5 6 7 8
Deck Erection
Determine Deck Form
Preliminary Cable Deck Design (Backward /
(Concrete /
Force Forward Stage
Composite / Hybrid)
Analysis)
Unknown Load Factor
9 X
Lack of Fit Force
Unknown Load Factor
Cable Force Tuning
Static Analysis Dynamic Analysis

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1. Introduction

Design Process 1. Back span to main span ratio

 The ratio between back span and the main span should be less than 0.5. It influences the
uplift forces at the anchor pier and the range of load within the back stay cables supporting
the top of the pylon.

 The optimum length: between 0.4 ~ 0.45 of the main span.

Design Process 2. Cable spacing a b

 The spacing of the stay anchors along the deck should be compatible with the capacity of the
longitudinal girders and limit the stay size.

 The spacing should also be small enough so that the deck may be erected by the free
cantilevering method.

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1. Introduction

Design Process 3. Deck stiffness

 The deflection of the longitudinal girders is primarily determined by the stay layout.

 Depth of girders should be kept to minimum, subject to sufficient area and stiffness being
provided to carry the large compressive forces without buckling.

Design Process 4. Pylon height

 The height of the pylon will determine the overall stiffness of the structure. As the stay angle
increases, the required stay size will decrease as will the height of the pylon. However, the
deflection of the deck will increase as each stay becomes longer.

 The most efficient stay is that with a stay inclination of 45°. In practice the efficiency of the
stay is not significantly impaired when the stay inclination is varied within 25 ~ 65°.

 This implies an optimum ratio of pylon height above the deck (h) to main span (l) is between
0.2 and 0.25.
a

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1. Introduction

Design Process 5. Preliminary stay forces

 The main span stay forces resist the dead loads such that there is no deflection of the deck or
pylon and the vertical components due to these loads are therefore known.
 An initial approximation of the main span stay forces can be determined by considering the
structure as a simple truss ignoring bending stiffness of both the pylon and the deck. Ignoring
bending stiffness of the pylon will be a valid assumption as the bending stiffness of the pylon
is usually small when compared to the axial stiffness of the stays.
 The back stay anchoring forces can be calculated assuming the horizontal component of the
main span and back span stay forces are balanced at the pylon.

Design Process 6. Deck form

 The primary factors influencing the choice of deck will be the length of the main span and
deck width.
 Concrete deck section is the most economic for the span range 200-400m and the composite
deck above 400m.
 Above 600m a hybrid combination is economic with the back span as concrete and the main
span in an all steel construction. 9
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1. Introduction

Design Process 7. Deck design

 It is possible to minimize the moments in the deck under the dead load by tuning the loads
in the stays to the small local moments arising from the span between stays.
 The balance between positive and negative live load moments at any section along the girder
will not be equal.
 In most cases the properties of the deck section will be more favorable when resisting positive
moments.

Design Process 8. Deck erection

 The common method of deck erection is by the successive cantilever method.
 The stay forces that are compatible with the final distribution of dead load moment and the
defined structure geometry are known. However the initial stay forces introduced at each
stage of the erection are not.
 Backward stage analysis: the completed structure is dismantled stage by stage.
 Forward stage analysis
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1. Introduction

Design Process 9. Static analysis

 For the final analysis, the most common approach is to model either a half or the entire
structure as a space frame. The pylon, deck and the stays will usually be represented within
the space frame model by “bar/truss” elements.

 The stays can be represented with a small inertia and a modified modulus of elasticity that will
mimic the sag behavior of the stay.

Design Process 10. Dynamic analysis

 The seismic analysis of the structure

 Response of the structure to turbulent wind

 Physiological effect of vibration

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2. Modeling of Cable Stayed Bridge

Modeling Techniques:

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2. Modeling of Cable Stayed Bridge

Example Problem 1:

General Layout

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2. Modeling of Cable Stayed Bridge

Example Problem 1:

Tower Layout
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2. Modeling of Cable Stayed Bridge

Input Material Properties:

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2. Modeling of Cable Stayed Bridge

Input Sectional Properties:

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2. Modeling of Cable Stayed Bridge

(1) Bridge Wizard

 Modeling symmetric
or Asymmetric bridge
 Truss & Cable
element
 Box sloped girders
 Vertical station of
Girder

Cable Stayed Bridge Wizard 17

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2. Modeling of Cable Stayed Bridge

Below model is used for Final Stage Analysis with the relevant boundary conditions.

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2. Modeling of Cable Stayed Bridge

Elements in midas Civil to model Cables:

Tension only/Cable
Truss Element Element

2. Elastic Catenary Element

1. Equivalent Truss (Large Deformation + Lateral
(Sag Effect only) Stiffness + Sag effect)
Entered pretension is applied only when nonlinear analysis is performed. Unless geometric
nonlinear analysis is performed, the entered pretension will be ignored. For linear analysis,
pretension should be entered using Load>Prestress Loads> Pretension Loads.
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2. Modeling of Cable Stayed Bridge

Truss Element
•Uniaxial tension-compression line element
•Used to model space trusses or diagonal braces
•Undergoes axial deformation only

Equivalent truss element

• Tension-only line element
• Capable of transmitting axial tension force only
• This will consider decreased axial stiffness of cable due to sagging effect.
• Cable element is simulated as Equivalent truss element in linear analysis.

element length
Lh: horizontal projection length of the cable element 20
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2. Modeling of Cable Stayed Bridge

Elastic Catenary Cable Element

•Capable of transmitting axial tension force only

•Reflects the change in stiffness varying with internal tension forces (sagging effect)
•Tangent stiffness of a cable element applied to a geometric nonlinear analysis (Large displacement effect)

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2. Modeling of Cable Stayed Bridge – Cable Element and its application

In case of “applying non-linear cable elements” in a linear analysis MIDAS calculates an effective stiffness. In this program, cable
elements must be defined as Tension only/Hook/Cable elements. To consider the sag effect of cable elements in a linear analysis in
the structure, an equivalent truss element is used for the cable element. The stiffness of the equivalent truss element is composed of
the elastic stiffness and the stiffness resulting from the sag.

The sag has a softening effect on the cable stiffness so that this results in a non-linear force-displacement relationship. For large values
of sag, the cable has a relatively low stiffness. As the sag decreases, the cable stiffness increases and the behavior of the cable comes
close to a truss bar tension element.

Linear Analysis Non-Linear Analysis

Cable element treated as equivalent Cable element is transformed into elastic catenary element, which
truss with effective stiffness given by considers the tangential stiffness
the formula shown below

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2. Modeling of Cable Stayed Bridge

(2) Stiffened Girder using SPC

 The Import function permits the use of AutoCAD DXF files.

Import CAD data
 Simple data entry using various modeling functions or
Define
 The section property calculations are provided for thesections in SPC configuration by generating fully
input section
automated optimum meshes.
 The properties of hybrid sections composed of different material properties can be calculated.

Import SPC Section

Define Section using Value Type of PSC
Shape in CAD Section

Composite Section imported from SPC

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2. Modeling of Cable Stayed Bridge

(3) Analysis required for cable stayed bridges

1 Final Stage Analysis 2 Construction Stage Analysis

1. Starting Point of a cable stayed bridge is an 1. To determine the forces in the cable stays at each
idealized stressed state at a given time : this is construction stage.
called final stage.
2. Check stresses in the girder, pylon and cables at each
2. Static and dynamic analyses and section design construction stage.
are undertaken using the final stage.
3. Check deformation of the structure at each
3. Construction Sequence and Cable installation construction stage. Provide Camber accordingly.
forces are developed such that the final stage is
achieved at the given time.

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1. Final Stage Analysis

Series

Objective: Determination of the initial cable forces of the final structure

The initial cable forces at installation and tensioning are usually quiet different from those of the final dead load
condition.
Due to the high redundancy of the structural system restressing one single cable to correct discrepancies also effects
the forces in all other cables

Presumption of unit pretension in the cables

Using Unknown Load Factor

Initial Cable pretension optimized using ULF

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3. Nonlinear Effect

(1) Sag Effects of Long Cables

element length
Lh: horizontal projection length of the cable element

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3. Nonlinear Effect

(2) P-Delta Effect

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3. Nonlinear Effect

(3) Large deformations

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4. How to determine Initial Cable Forces ? Initial Cable Forces

(4) Unknown Load Factor in midas Civil

This function optimizes tensions of cables at

the initial equilibrium position of a cable
structure. The program can calculate the
initial cable force by inputting the restrictions
such as displacement, moment, etc. and
satisfying the constraints.

Copy &
Paste

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Unknown Load Factor Method in Midas civil
Unknown Load Factor: It is a feature with which you can calculate the cable pretension force that would satisfy certain c
onstraints in terms of displacements, bending moments etc.
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4. Initial Cable Forces

(4) Unknown Load Factor in midas Civil

Object Function type: Select the method of forming an object function consisted of unknown load
factors.
Linear: The sum of the absolute values of Load factor x scale factor

Square: The linear sum of the squares of Load factor x scale factor

Max Abs: The maximum of the absolute values of Load factor x scale factor

Sign of Unknowns: Assign the sign of the unknown load factors to be calculated.
Negative: Limit the range of the calculated values to the negative (-) field.
Both: Do not limit the range of the calculated values.
Positive: Limit the range of the calculated values to the positive (+) field.

Simultaneous Equations Method

Using linear algebraic equations, the equality conditions are solved. If the numbers of the unknown
loads and equations are equal, the solution can be readily obtained from the matrix or the linear
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4. Initial Cable Forces

(4) Unknown Load Factor in midas Civil

Inequality condition Object Function type
midas Civil finds a solution to Inequality
conditions, which uses variables that
minimizes the given object functions.

Linear
T2
Numerous solutions
satisfying the inequality
conditions Square

Square
T1 Max. Abs
Linear Max. Abs

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4. Initial Cable Forces

(4) Unknown Load Factor in midas Civil

Influence Matrix

Moment/Displacement
at the corresponding
element/Node ID due
to a unit load applied
for each load case.

Ti δi

Unknown Value = Σ(Ti * δi)

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Example Problem 1:

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4. Initial Cable Forces

(4) Unknown Load Factor in midas Civil

Tip to enter Constraint

 Constraint Position: Vertical Deformation of Span Center Node

Horizontal Deformation of Pylon Top Node
 Once it is converged, try to increase Constraint condition.
 Once it is converged, try to decrease Constraint range.

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4. Initial Cable Forces

(4) Unknown Load Factor in midas Civil

Note when using Cable elements

The unknown load factors obtained by using the Unknown Load Factor feature for the final stage
model do not include the change in stiffness of the cable due to the change in pretension.
Therefore the user must use truss element in Unknown Load Factor. In order to determine the
pretension in the truss element to satisfy constraints, iteration will be required. The following
procedure can be adopted:

1. Define the constraints and obtain the Unknown Load Factors for the Pretension Forces.
2. Determine the Pretension Force by multiplying those factors with the assigned Pretension Loads
3. Change the Pretension Forces with the new ones ( obtained in step 2)
4. Perform the Analysis.
5. Check whether the constraints are satisfied with modified pretensions
6. If not then determine the Unknown load factors again and keep repeating steps 2 to 5 till you get
the constraints satisfied after static analysis ( step 5)

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(5) Tuning of Cables

 Reduce the repetitive computation process to obtain the optimum cable pretension.
 Calculates the effects of the cable pretension (or load factor) on the displacements/
member forces/ stresses through influence matrix and updates the results graph in real
time.

The process of Cable Force Tuning

1. Adjust the cable pretension (or load factor) using
the table or bar graph.
2. Select the result item for which the effects of the
cable pretension are to be checked.
3. Produce the results graph for the result item
selected from step 2. If the pretension (or load
factor) is adjusted in step 1, it is reflected in the
results graph in real time.
4. Save the adjusted pretension forces in a load
combination or apply the new pretension forces
to the cables directly using the pre-programmed
buttons.

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 - Part -2
5. Construction Stage Analysis Midas
a. Backward and forward analysis Training
b. Initial cable forces at the time of installation Series
c. Unknown Load Factor function midas
d. Example Problem 2
e. Camber Control
Civil
f. Consideration in Construction Stage

6. Dynamic Analysis
a. Initial Stiffness in Cable Elements
b. Modal analysis
c. Seismic analysis 2018
7. Post-Processing
a. Max / Min stress check during erection
b. Cable configuration
c. Cable efficiency

8. FAQ in Cable Stayed Bridge

a. When Nonlinear Analysis is required?
b. How to perform Dynamic Analysis for Cable Stayed Bridge?
c. What is Jacking Force applied in the construction?
d. Why I cannot obtain cable force using Unknown Load Factor with Cable elements?
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5. Construction Stage Analysis

(1) Backward Analysis (2) Forward Analysis

The structure is virtually disassembled stage by stage in reverse

The analysis is carried out stage by stage until the bridge
direction to the sequence of erection stages in the real bridge
girder is completely erected and the results are continuously
construction. After releasing girder segments or stay cable the
accumulated.
internal forces of the members are determined in each erection
stage of the backward analysis. The tension in a particular cable Useful to confirm Backward Analysis results when
just before its removal can be taken as the initial stressing force creep/shrinkage are not considered.
of this cable at the time of installation in the real bridge Can account for time dependent effects
construction. Cannot account for time dependent effects like
creep and shrinkage etc.
Jacking Force in Backward Analysis: Truss force right before deactivating the corresponding cable
Jacking Force in Forward Analysis: Truss force right after activating the corresponding cable 40
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5. Construction Stage Analysis

(3) Lack-of-Fit Force

Lack of Fit Force in Truss

Lack of Fit Force in Beam

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One of the difficulties associated with forward stage analysis is to find tension forces at
construction stages. With the facility of the lack of fit force functionality, additional pretension
loads, which are introduced during the installation of cables, are calculated, and member forces
are preloaded at Key Segment such that member forces at key segment closure are the same as
those at the completed state. Using these pretension and member forces, forward stage analyses
are performed.

(1) Lack of Fit Force - Truss

First, displacements at each end of cables are calculated at a stage immediately before the cables
are installed. Using the displacements at each cable end, the program calculates the additional
cable pretension (ΔT), the difference between the cable length (L) at the completed state and the
cable length (L’) during the construction. This additional cable pretension (ΔT) is added to the
initial Pretension (T) determined from the initial configuration analysis; that is, it is entered as
Pretension during the construction to perform forward analysis.

(2) Lack of Fit Force – Beam

At the time of key segment closure for a 3-span continuous cable stayed bridge, cantilevers of the
center span are deflected. If the key segment is closed in this state, no member force takes place
at the key segment (only member forces due to self-weight take place) and there is discontinuity
between the cantilevers and the key segment. To connect the key segment to each cantilever
member continuously, Lack-of-Fit Force function calculates specified displacements required at
each end of the key segment and converts the specified displacements into member forces to
apply these forces to the key segment.
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5. Construction Stage Analysis

(3) Lack-of-Fit Force

Construction stage pretension force

= Initial pretension force (from step 1) +
Lack of Fit Force (additional tension required to install a cable)

*Limitation
Not applicable with Creep/Shrinkage option.
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5. Construction Stage Analysis

(4) Unknown Load Factor

Update Cable Pretension

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5. Construction Stage Analysis

(4) Unknown Load Factor

Final construction stage

Select stages when cables and key segment are installed.

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5. Construction Stage Analysis

(4) Unknown Load Factor

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5. Construction Stage Analysis

(4) Unknown Load Factor

Large Deformation + Creep & Shrinkage + Unknown Load Factor

Modeling Method
Method 1) Create a stage in which only cables are activated and the stage duration is zero. Specify the stage as
‘Unknown’.
Method 2) Save results for ‘Additional Steps’ as well as ‘Stage’ in the Construction Stage dialog. Activate cables at
the first step of a stage. Specify the step as ‘Unknown’ in the Unknown Load Factor function.
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5. Construction Stage Analysis

(5) Example Problem 2:

Configuration of the final stage of an asymmetrical cable-stayed bridge

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5. Construction Stage Analysis

(5) Example Problem 2:

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Constraints for the unknown load factor calculation

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Construction Sequence Chosen:

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Construction activities in the construction stages 1 to 14

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5. Construction Stage Analysis

(6) Camber Control

[Manufactured Camber]
=Stage/Step Real Displacement
Real disp. at the point 1: δ11+ δ12+ δ13
Real disp. at the point 2: δ21+ δ22+ δ23
Real disp. at the point 3: δ31+ δ32+ δ33

Active

[Construction Camber]
=Net Deformation
Net disp. at the point 1: δ11+ δ12+ δ13
Net disp. at the point 2: δ22+ δ23
Net disp. at the point 3: δ33

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5. Construction Stage Analysis

(6) Camber Control
Construction Camber

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5. Construction Stage Analysis

(6) Camber Control
Manufacture Camber

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5. Construction Stage Analysis

(6) Camber Control
Apply Camber Displacement to C.S
Displacement without
considering Camber Displ. Option

Displacement with
considering Camber Displ. Option

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5. Construction Stage Analysis

(7) Consideration in Construction Stage

Forward Analysis
Forward Analysis
Components Backward Analysis Unknown Load
Lack-of-fit Force
Factor

Creep & Shrinkage N/A N/A V

Large Displacement
(Lateral Stiffness + Sag Effect N/A V V
+ Large Deformation)

When Cable Element is used in Construction Stage

Components Construction Stage Analysis

Equivalent Truss Element

Linear Analysis
(Sag effect only)
Elastic Catenary Cable Element
Large Displacement Analysis
(Large Deformation + Lateral Stiffness + Sag effect)
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5. Construction Stage Analysis

(7) Consideration in Construction Stage

Components Concrete Girder Steel Girder

Creep & Shrinkage V No Need

Temperature Gradient V V

V
V
Camber Control (Construction Camber &
(Construction Camber)
Manufacture Camber)

Temporary Support
V V
& Temporary Cable

Cable Tensioning
No Need V
in Multiple Steps
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6. Dynamic Analysis

(1) Application of Cable Element by Analysis Type in Post CS

Check on Check off

Analysis Change Cable element to Equivalent Change Cable element to Equivalent
Truss Element for Post CS Truss Element for Post CS
Considering Lateral Stiffness Considering Lateral Stiffness
Linear Static Considering Sag Effect Considering Sag Effect
(NOT updating Cable Stiffness considering additional (Updating Cable Stiffness considering additional loads
loads applied in Post CS) applied in Post CS)

Geometric NL Elastic Catenary Cable Element Elastic Catenary Cable Element

Considering Lateral Stiffness
Eigenvalue Considering Sag Effect Considering Lateral Stiffness
Time History (NOT updating Cable Stiffness considering additional NOT considering Sag Effect
loads applied in Post CS)

Considering Lateral Stiffness

Moving Load Considering Sag Effect Truss Element
Settlement (NOT updating Cable Stiffness considering additional
loads applied in Post CS)

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6. Dynamic Analysis

(2) Modal Analysis

Type of Analysis

Eigen Vectors

Subspace Iteration

Lanczos

Ritz Vectors

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6. Dynamic Analysis

(3) Seismic Analysis

Response Spectrum Analysis Inelastic Time History Analysis

Boundary Nonlinear Analysis Pushover Analysis

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7. Post-processing

(1) Max/Min Stress Check during Erection

Min/Max

Final Stage

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8. FAQ in Cable Stayed Bridge

(1) When Nonlinear Analysis is required?

In the cable stayed bridge or suspension bridge, engineers will determine the initial cable force
in the complete state(final shape) without construction stage. After that, construction stage
analysis will be performed.
If this initial cable force is correctly found, the cable force will be above 70% of its yielding force
and it will behave very similar to the truss element. Therefore in the most of the general cable-
stayed bridge, the engineers can assume the cable to act like truss element and there is no need
to consider large deformation analysis (=nonlinear geometric analysis).

However, if the bridge span is very large (ex. Larger than 600m) and shape is complex (like
stonecutter bridge or sutong bridge), engineers will perform large deformation analysis.

There is no clear criteria when exactly the engineer need to perform nonlinear analysis.
However, in the general case for cable bridge, it is not very common to perform nonlinear
geometric analysis if they have correct value of initial cable force.

One way to determine it clear will be performing both analysis, linear and nonlinear. By
comparing the results, if the difference in these two analysis are very large, nonlinear analysis
will be needed.

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8. FAQ in Cable Stayed Bridge

(2) Why I cannot obtain cable force using Unknown Load Factor with Cable elements?

As Unknown Load Factor is based on the linear stiffness algorithm, cable element for which
element stiffness keep changing cannot be considered. In the optimal algorithm, different
stiffness term in summation will results in negative pretension value.
Therefore, in Unknown Load Factor, cables must be modeled using Truss elements. After
obtaining initial cable force, we can manually change the element into Equivalent Truss or
Catenary elements by entering the initial cable force as Pretension Load (Load > Prestress >
Pretension Load). In this case, the value in cable element force (Lu / Pretension /
Horizontal) can be entered as arbitrary value.

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8. FAQ in Cable Stayed Bridge

(3) How to perform Post CS analysis using the cable force obtained in CS analysis?

If construction stage analysis has been performed with Dead Load, and “Convert Final Stage
Member Forces to Initial Forces for Post C.S.” option is checked on in Construction Stage
Analysis Control, the member forces at the last CS will be shown in Initial Element Forces(CS)
table (Load > Static Load > Initial Forces > Small > Initial Element Forces(CS)).

If we would like to modify some cable forces, we can enter it in “Initial Element Force Table”. It
can be applied into geometric stiffness of the structure at the Post CS and this has priority than
Initial Element Forces(CS) table.

Initial force will not be reflected into Member Forces of an element. In order to do so, check on
“Add Initial Force to Element Force” option in Initial Force Control Data.

When both Initial Element Force and Cable Pretension (Lu / Pretension / Horizontal) are
entered, Initial Element Force Table has a priority.

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Cable Stayed Bridge Design in midas Civil
Midas
Training
Series

8. FAQ in Cable Stayed Bridge

(4) What is Jacking Force applied in the construction?

Cable Pretension Load entered for each cable element

are the values used in FEM analysis.
Jacking Force can be checked as “Member Force” at
each construction stage when the corresponding cable
is activated.

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Thank you