Temperature effects on the behavior of anchorage cable of partially anchored suspension bridges

A partially anchored suspension bridge is a novel type of suspension bridge. Temperature effects on the behavior of the anchorage cable of the partially anchored suspension bridge should be analyzed thoroughly. In this study, analytical solutions for the mechanical behavior of anchorage cables under temperature were derived using cable theory. And the finite element method is also employed to give a validation of the analytical results. The results indicate that the variation in the tension force in the anchorage cable with a uniform temperature change is mainly caused by the change in the length of the stiffening girder. To offset the influence of the temperature, vertical loads could be applied to the anchorage cable and adjusted with the variation in temperature. If multiple concentrated forces are exerted on the anchorage cable, the influence of the temperature on the anchorage cable force is smaller than if a single concentrated load is exerted. In the extreme case when vertical uniform loads are applied, the variation in the horizontal tension force in the anchorage cable can be maintained within acceptable limits by choosing an appropriate rise-to-span ratio of the anchorage cable, avoiding the trouble of regulating the vertical uniform loads.