Approximate calculation of the static analysis of a lifted stay cable in super-long span cable-stayed bridges

The sag effect of long stay cables is one of the key factors restricting further increase in the span of cable-stayed bridges. Based on the formerly proposed concept of long stay cables lifted by an auxiliary suspension cable in cross-strait cable-stayed bridges, corresponding static approximate calculations and analytical theory based on catenary and parabolic cable configurations are established. Taking a main span 1400 m cable-stayed bridge as the research object, three typical lifting conditions and the whole process of auxiliary cable lifting are analyzed and discussed. The results show that the sag effect is effectively reduced. The support efficiency is only improved when the cables are lifted above the original cable chord. Reduction of the horizontal component force of the cable is limited. The equivalent elastic modulus and the vertical support stiffness of the lifted cables are significantly increased with increased horizontal projection length and not sensitive to the change of the lifting point position. The scheme of lifting the cable to the chord midpoint is more economical because of the less steel required for the auxiliary suspension cable, but its effect on improving the vertical support efficiency is limited. The support efficiency is better when the cable is lifted to the cable end tangential to the original cable chord, but the lifting force and the cross-sectional area of the auxiliary suspension cable are doubled. The approximate calculation results of the lifted cables are very close to the numerical analysis results, which verifies the applicability of the approximation method proposed in this study. The results of parabolic approximation calculations are approximately equal to that of catenary cable geometry. As the parabolic approximation analysis theory of lifted cables is more convenient in mathematical processing, it is feasible to use parabolic approximation analysis theory as the analytical method for the conceptual design of lifted cables of super-long span cable-stayed bridges.