Sensitivity Analysis of Deflection Variation of the Cable-Stayed Bridge to the Cable Damage

Abstract

In the context of a single-tower cable-stayed bridge, the effects of the ambient temperature change, stiffness degradation of the main beam and cable damage on the deflection of the main girder under the action of self-weight are investigated. To explore the possibility of identifying cable damage based on the deflection of the main girder, the results show that before and after the cable damage, the variation of the deflection difference of the girder has obvious characteristics: under the action of dead weight, the distribution curve of the deflection difference of the girder is obviously twisted at the anchorage point of the damaged cable and reaches a peak, and the peak value increases with the increase of the cable damage degree. The deterioration of the girder’s performance will make the change of the girder’s deflection more sensitive to the cable damage. The ambient temperature change has a great influence on the deflection of the girder but has no obvious influence on the deflection difference of the girder before and after the cable damage.