Effect of Wrapping Force on the Effective Stiffness of Packed Parallel Wire Cables with Elastoplastic Contacts

When cables use many wires packed in a hexagonal pattern wrapped by bands around the surface, effective stiffness plays an important role in structural integrity and safety. This paper studies cylindrical wires packed in a hexagonal lattice tightened up by wrapping bands. When a transverse load is applied, the stress transferred through the contacts between the wires can be represented by a center-center force network with the Hertz contact theory. When yielding is considered in the contact zone, an elastoplastic contact model is developed. The Singum model simulates the singular forces by the stress between continuum particles. The effective stress-strain relationship changes with the stress of the wrapping bands and exhibits isotropic behavior in the cross section. Therefore, the overall elastic behavior of the cable is transversely isotropic with a tailorable stiffness in the cross section by the wrapping force. This method is general for mechanical modeling of packed parallel wire cables, and its application to bridge cable testing and repair with development length prediction is underway. This study introduces a novel approach, the Singum model, for analyzing the overall mechanical properties of packed wire cables, which are crucial for ensuring structural integrity and safety in various engineering applications. By investigating the effective transverse stiffness of packed wire cables through a combination of theoretical modeling, finite element analysis (FEM), and experimental tests, this research provides valuable insights into optimizing cable design and performance across diverse engineering applications such as cable domes, electric transmission lines, tramways, cable-stayed bridges, and suspension bridges. The findings highlight the significant impact of wrapping force on the effective stiffness of packed cylinders, offering engineers a means to tailor the stiffness of cable cross sections for specific requirements in these applications. This study provides a robust framework for advancing the understanding and optimization of packed wire cable systems in engineering practice with reasonable assumptions and simplifications, which can be tailored for specific materials or applications.