Cables with Distributed Loads

Let's consider a cable suspended between points A and B that carries a distributed load. In this case,
The cable hangs forming a curve and the internal force at any point D is the tension T directed
along the tangent to the curve.

Objectives:

1. Determine the tension at all points of the cable given a certain distributed load.
2. Determine the shape of the cable for various particular cases of distributed loads.

a) General case of a load B

distributed:

We make a free body diagram of the A D

portion of the cable that goes from the highest point C
down C to any point D of the cable.

T
W = resultant of the distributed load that Dθ
supports the CD portion of the cable.
T C

W
We observe that the cable is considered as a body subjected to three forces:

We observe that:

T
(the horizontal component is the same in T
To θ W
all the points θ

W To

√( ) () Equilibrium triangle

We see that:

 The horizontal component of T is the same at all points.

 The vertical component of T is equal to the magnitude of W of the distributed load measured
from the lowest point.
 The magnitude of the tension T is minimum at the lowest point and maximum at one of the 2.
supports.

b) If the cable carries a uniform distributed load along the horizontal. (Cable
Parabolic

The cables of the suspension bridges are of this type, as the weight of the cables is negligible.
compared to the weight of the road.

w = load per unit length (measured y B

horizontally
D(x,y)
We choose coordinate axes whose origin A
coincides with the lowest point C of the cable and C
x
we observe that the magnitude W of the charge
total that supports a section of street that goes
from C to the point D(x,y) is:

y T T
Dθ To θ
√ () ()
To C W
√ () x
⁄ ⁄
T
θ
x
To
W = wx
 As we see, this is the equation of a
∑
parabola with a vertical axis and vertex at the origin
of coordinates. Therefore, the curve formed
( ) by cables that support distributed loads
uniformly along the horizontal is
a parable.

If the supports A and B of the cable have the same elevation, the distance L between the two supports is
clear cable line and the vertical distance h = cable sag.

L
L = cable clear y
A B
h = cable arrow

In ⁄ we see that . h

x
C

If we know L, h, and w we can obtain Tminwhen replacing ⁄ in the cable equation

()
()

The cables that hang under their own weight are not loaded evenly along the
horizontal and do not form a parabola; however, when the cable is sufficiently tense the
the error made is small when assuming the parabolic shape. In this case, the relationship of the deflection to the
light is small.
If the supports have different elevations: the position of the lowest point is unknown and must
determine the coordinates of supports A and B.

y y
B B
yb yb
d
d
A
A ya
ya x x
C C xb
Xa‹0
xa xb L
L

In this case, we need to ensure that the coordinates of A and B satisfy the equation. y
besides:

Where

d = vertical distance between the supports

L = horizontal distance between the supports

For a differential segment of cable length:

√( ) ( )

Dividing by dx:

( ) ( )
√ √( )
( )

The length of the cable from the lowest point C to the support B can be obtained from:

∫ √ ()
Recalling the equation:

( )

∫√

Remembering the Binomial Theorem to expand the radical into an infinite series:

( ) ( )
( )( )

√ ( ) ( )
( )( )

∫( )

( )
Based on the equation:

For point B:

[ ( ) ( ) ]

[ () () ]

The series converges for values of less than 0.5 and in most cases, this
the reason is much smaller and only the first 2 terms need to be calculated.

c) If a cable carries a uniformly distributed load along itself (cable

catenary) (for example, a transmission line).

The cables that hang under the action of their own weight are loaded in this way.
Let w be the charge per unit length, measured along the cable.

y
B
w = load per unit length measured at
length of the cable.
A s D (x,y)

C c x
o
Doing a D.C.L. to portion CD:
T
W = resultant of the total load that it supports ds
CD portion of the cable. s θ

To C D
W = ws

where w = the charge per unit length,

measure along the cable.
W
Point C is the lowest point.

Adding the 3 forces acting on the CD portion we have:

√( ) () T
W
θ
√( )
To
To simplify the calculations, the constant C is introduced:

√( )

√( ) √ ( )

√ ()

We observe that in the D.C.L. of the CD portion we do not know the horizontal distance from D to the line of
resultant action W of the load. Therefore, we cannot directly obtain the equation of the
curve formed by the cable. To obtain this equation, we look at the D.C.L. of the segment CD.

y T
ds
s ds Dθ
dy
θ
To C
dx x

From the triangle of forces of the D.C.L. of the segment CD we observe:

T W
θ
() To

Remembering that:

√ √
 ∫ ∫ ( ) √
√

()

()

() ()

We see that

()

()

Replacing equation (b) in the previous equation:

()

Integrating from C(0,c) to D(x,y)

∫ ∫

()
( )]
⁄

( )
 () Equation of a catenary with a vertical axis.

This is the equation of a catenary with a vertical axis where:

c = parameter of the catenary. From eq.(b): () ()

Squaring: ()

()

()

() ()

[ () ( )]

( )

From equation (a) we observe:

√ √

()

Indicates that the tension at any point D of the cable is proportional to the vertical distance from 'D' to
x axis:

If the supports have the same height

L = wire clear

h = cable arrow
Based on the position of the reference axis; it is observed:

A B

y h

C c x

There are catenary problems that include transcendental equations that must be solved by
successive approximations. (However, if the cable is well taut, the load can be assumed
evenly distributed along the horizontal and the catenary can be replaced by a
The problem is simplified and the error is small.

If the supports are at different heights: the position of the lowest point and similar to it is not known.
we say parabolic cable:

L = horizontal distance between the supports

d = vertical distance between the supports