LECTURE 02: CABLE AND TENSILE STRUCTURES

What is the primary structural characteristic of a cable?

• High compressive strength

• Zero resistance to shear and bending

• High torsional stiffness

• Resistance to buckling

What shape does a cable assume when subjected to evenly distributed loads along its length?

• Triangle

• Parabola

• Catenary

• Arch

Which of the following cable structures features cables running directly from the deck to the tower?

• Suspension bridge

• Cable-stayed bridge

• Arch bridge

• Truss bridge

What is the vertical distance between the lowest point of the cable and its supports called?

• Thrust

• Span

• Deflection

• Sag

Which is considered the main load-carrying member in a suspension bridge?

• The girder

• The tower

• The anchorages

• The main cable

True or False: A cable has high resistance to bending.

• True

• False

True or False: The funicular shape of a cable depends on the location and magnitude of the applied loads.

• True

• False

True or False: Cable-stayed structures require two towers to function effectively.

• True

• False

True or False: Suspension bridges are more flexible but require more construction time than cable-stayed bridges.

• True

• False

True or False: Harp-type cable arrangement features cables that all converge at a single point on the tower.

• True

• False