Investigation of Cable Tension in Cable-Stayed Bridges Through Field Measurements and Numerical Simulation

Abstract

This study investigates cable tension forces in a one-plane cable-stayed bridge in Vietnam using field measurements and numerical simulation. Cable forces obtained from the Finite element method (FEM) are compared with design values and field-measured data from lift-off and vibration-based method. Results show that field-measured forces generally deviate within 7% of the design values, confirming their reliability. Both measurement methods effectively capture cable force variations, with low tension in long cables and high tension in shorter ones. Numerical simulations accurately represent cable rigidity, with frequency discrepancies remaining below 3%. However, larger errors of 12% to 15% occur in shorter cables near the tower, while longer cables closely align with design values within 3%. Despite these differences, simulation-based preliminary analysis is acceptable for minimizing field measurements and serves as a valuable reference for structural assessments in service stage.