A Novel Analytical Model for Structural Analysis of Long-Span Hybrid Cable-Stayed Suspension Bridges

The hybrid cable-stayed suspension bridge is used to combine the advantages of cable-stayed and suspension bridges and hence has a broad prospect for application. The conventional simplified analytical models of the hybrid bridge are usually developed based on a schematic with the cable-stayed and s...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Dongsheng He, Shunquan Qin, Haizhu Xiao, Suiwen Wu
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-01-01
Series:Applied Sciences
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/15/3/1187
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1849717773083607040
author Dongsheng He
Shunquan Qin
Haizhu Xiao
Suiwen Wu
author_facet Dongsheng He
Shunquan Qin
Haizhu Xiao
Suiwen Wu
author_sort Dongsheng He
collection DOAJ
description The hybrid cable-stayed suspension bridge is used to combine the advantages of cable-stayed and suspension bridges and hence has a broad prospect for application. The conventional simplified analytical models of the hybrid bridge are usually developed based on a schematic with the cable-stayed and suspension systems working separately without any overlapping zone, which cannot represent the modern hybrid bridge system. In this study, a novel analytical model is proposed based on the modified suspension–elastic foundation beam theory to estimate the mechanical performance and deflection of the hybrid bridge system with the consideration of the overlapped section between the suspension and stayed cables. The governing equations of the hybrid bridge system are developed based on the elastic foundation beam theory and the deflection theory, which are derived separately in the hybrid section, the pure suspension section and the cable-stayed section. The general solution of each section is presented. The Transfer Matrix Method is then employed to solve the unknowns from one end to the other, which are in turn used to solve the internal forces of the hybrid bridge system caused by the concentrated load. In addition, in view of no variation in the unstressed length of the main cable, the compatibility equation of the main cable is established with consideration of the longitudinal displacement of the main tower, which is used to derive the formulas for the internal force and deflection of the hybrid system. The model can be easily complied in any programming platform, such as Matlab, with simple input parameters, which can eliminate the complex finite element modeling process. Hence, it can be easily used in the preliminary design stage to determine the optimal size and layout of the bridge. Then, a case study is presented for the verification of the proposed model under a vertical load, which is simplified from the Xihoumen Bridge, a combined highway and railway bridge with a main span of 1488 m. Good agreement is obtained between the proposed model and the finite element method. Meanwhile, it is found that there exists a negative deflection zone for the main beam at a distance from the concentrated vertical load, which is mainly caused by the deflection of the main cables, leading to the cambering of the beam.
format Article
id doaj-art-649e4ab6404247ffba2f5f11e97b2916
institution DOAJ
issn 2076-3417
language English
publishDate 2025-01-01
publisher MDPI AG
record_format Article
series Applied Sciences
spelling doaj-art-649e4ab6404247ffba2f5f11e97b29162025-08-20T03:12:34ZengMDPI AGApplied Sciences2076-34172025-01-01153118710.3390/app15031187A Novel Analytical Model for Structural Analysis of Long-Span Hybrid Cable-Stayed Suspension BridgesDongsheng He0Shunquan Qin1Haizhu Xiao2Suiwen Wu3School of Civil Engineering, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu 610031, ChinaSchool of Civil Engineering, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu 610031, ChinaSchool of Civil Engineering, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu 610031, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Bridge Safety and Resilience, College of Civil Engineering, Hunan University, Changsha 410082, ChinaThe hybrid cable-stayed suspension bridge is used to combine the advantages of cable-stayed and suspension bridges and hence has a broad prospect for application. The conventional simplified analytical models of the hybrid bridge are usually developed based on a schematic with the cable-stayed and suspension systems working separately without any overlapping zone, which cannot represent the modern hybrid bridge system. In this study, a novel analytical model is proposed based on the modified suspension–elastic foundation beam theory to estimate the mechanical performance and deflection of the hybrid bridge system with the consideration of the overlapped section between the suspension and stayed cables. The governing equations of the hybrid bridge system are developed based on the elastic foundation beam theory and the deflection theory, which are derived separately in the hybrid section, the pure suspension section and the cable-stayed section. The general solution of each section is presented. The Transfer Matrix Method is then employed to solve the unknowns from one end to the other, which are in turn used to solve the internal forces of the hybrid bridge system caused by the concentrated load. In addition, in view of no variation in the unstressed length of the main cable, the compatibility equation of the main cable is established with consideration of the longitudinal displacement of the main tower, which is used to derive the formulas for the internal force and deflection of the hybrid system. The model can be easily complied in any programming platform, such as Matlab, with simple input parameters, which can eliminate the complex finite element modeling process. Hence, it can be easily used in the preliminary design stage to determine the optimal size and layout of the bridge. Then, a case study is presented for the verification of the proposed model under a vertical load, which is simplified from the Xihoumen Bridge, a combined highway and railway bridge with a main span of 1488 m. Good agreement is obtained between the proposed model and the finite element method. Meanwhile, it is found that there exists a negative deflection zone for the main beam at a distance from the concentrated vertical load, which is mainly caused by the deflection of the main cables, leading to the cambering of the beam.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/15/3/1187hybrid cable-stayed suspension bridgeanalytical modelinfluence lineelastic foundation beam theoryFEM analysis
spellingShingle Dongsheng He
Shunquan Qin
Haizhu Xiao
Suiwen Wu
A Novel Analytical Model for Structural Analysis of Long-Span Hybrid Cable-Stayed Suspension Bridges
Applied Sciences
hybrid cable-stayed suspension bridge
analytical model
influence line
elastic foundation beam theory
FEM analysis
title A Novel Analytical Model for Structural Analysis of Long-Span Hybrid Cable-Stayed Suspension Bridges
title_full A Novel Analytical Model for Structural Analysis of Long-Span Hybrid Cable-Stayed Suspension Bridges
title_fullStr A Novel Analytical Model for Structural Analysis of Long-Span Hybrid Cable-Stayed Suspension Bridges
title_full_unstemmed A Novel Analytical Model for Structural Analysis of Long-Span Hybrid Cable-Stayed Suspension Bridges
title_short A Novel Analytical Model for Structural Analysis of Long-Span Hybrid Cable-Stayed Suspension Bridges
title_sort novel analytical model for structural analysis of long span hybrid cable stayed suspension bridges
topic hybrid cable-stayed suspension bridge
analytical model
influence line
elastic foundation beam theory
FEM analysis
url https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/15/3/1187
work_keys_str_mv AT dongshenghe anovelanalyticalmodelforstructuralanalysisoflongspanhybridcablestayedsuspensionbridges
AT shunquanqin anovelanalyticalmodelforstructuralanalysisoflongspanhybridcablestayedsuspensionbridges
AT haizhuxiao anovelanalyticalmodelforstructuralanalysisoflongspanhybridcablestayedsuspensionbridges
AT suiwenwu anovelanalyticalmodelforstructuralanalysisoflongspanhybridcablestayedsuspensionbridges
AT dongshenghe novelanalyticalmodelforstructuralanalysisoflongspanhybridcablestayedsuspensionbridges
AT shunquanqin novelanalyticalmodelforstructuralanalysisoflongspanhybridcablestayedsuspensionbridges
AT haizhuxiao novelanalyticalmodelforstructuralanalysisoflongspanhybridcablestayedsuspensionbridges
AT suiwenwu novelanalyticalmodelforstructuralanalysisoflongspanhybridcablestayedsuspensionbridges