Nonlinear analysis of cable-stayed spatial latticed structures

The combination of spatial latticed structures (hereafter SLS) and flexible cables, the cable-stayed spatial latticed structures (hereafter CSLS) can cross longer span. According to variation principle, a novel geometric nonlinear formulation for 3-D bar elements considering large displacement and infinitesimal rotation increments with second-order precision is developed. The cable nonlinearity is investigated and it is taken that the secant modulus method can be considered as an exact method for a cable member. The tower column with which the cables link is regarded as a special kind of beam element, and, a new simplified stiffness formulation is presented. The computational strategies for the nonlinear dynamic response of structures are given, and the ultimate load carrying capacities and seismic responses are analyzed numerically. It is noted that, compared with corresponding spatial latticed shells, the cable-stayed spatial latticed shells have more strength and more stiffness, and that the vertical seismic responses of both CSLS and CLS are remarkably greater than the horizontal ones. In addition, the computation shows that the stiffness of tower column influences the performance of CSLS to a certain extent and the improvement of structural strength and stiffness of CSLS is relevant not only to cables but also to tower columns.