NONLINEAR ANALYSIS OF TWO -NODE ACCURATE CATENARY CABLE ELEMENT WITH ARBITRARY RIGID ARMS

In order to solve the problem of rigid anchor connection when using catenary cable element, based on the tangent stiffness matrix of two-node catenary cable element deduced with catenary equations, a more exact expression of tangent stiffness matrix is derived for two-node catenary cable element with arbitrary rigid arms. The iteration technique for initial cable tension and cable erection is also analyzed. Analysis and numerical example demonstrate that the new catenary cable element can simulate the rigid connection successfully, and the FEM procedure of the new element is the same as the old one. The new tangent stiffness matrix may degenerate into the old one automatically if the catenary cable element has no rigid arms. The new element can be used in cable structures extensively.