On Determining Instability Conditions for Stay Cables Subjected to Parametric Resonance

Parametric Resonance Vibration in cables of cable-stayed bridges is mainly studied when the excitation frequency is close to or twice the cable natural frequency. It is, however, important to consider other cases for this frequency relationship, since among other factors, cable-parametric resonance vibrations are strongly depending on the displacement amplitude at the cable supports. Consequently, the present research work is focused on determining, by experimental and numerical analysis, the instability conditions for stay cables subjected to parametric resonance within a wide range of frequency ratios. This is accomplished, by finding the minimum displacement required at the cable supports in order to induce non-linear vibration of considerable amplitude at the cable. Once the cable characteristics (geometry, material properties, inherent damping and initial tensile preload) are known, the instability conditions are identified and expressed in a simplified and practical way in a diagram. Numerical results are compared to those obtained by experimental analysis carried out on a simplified scaled model (1:200) of the Öresund Bridge. A good agreement between numerical and experimental results is found.Proceedings of the International Conference on Experimental Vibration Analysis for Civil Engineering Structures, EVACES'09, Wroclaw, Poland. 2009.