Behaviour of cables under dynamic or repeated loading

Abstract The paper describes the elastic properties and fatigue performance of spiral strands and wire ropes relevant to tension structures. An up-to-date literature review is followed by a discussion of the effects of the contacts between the individual wires within the cable. These contact effects are seen to influence all aspects of cable behaviour. The variation of axial stiffness and hysteresis with load amplitude and mean load is then described, and followed by a discussion of the bending of axially preloaded cable in response to environmental effects. This discussion pays particular attention to the effects of localised bending close to a termination. Fatigue performance is then discussed, concentrating on cyclic axial loading and on the resistance to repeated bending close to terminations.