Structure Cable

INTRODUCTION
Level 1 laboratory activity refers to condition where the problem and ways & means are
guided and given to the students. However the answers to the assignment are left to the
students to solve using the group creativity and innovativeness. The activity is designed to
slowly introduce and inculcate independent learning amongst students and prepare them for
a much harder task of open-ended laboratory activities.
In this laboratory activity students will be exposed to the apparatus and the procedures to
carry out experiment on suspension cable.
OBJECTIVE
The objective of the experiment is:
To determine the relationship between applied loan and the tensile force in the suspension
cable.
LEARNING OUTCOMES
1. identify and use the correct apparatus/ tools to carry out experiment on
suspension cable;
2. work in a group to undertake the task and
3. Collect and analyse the data correctly and produce the lab report.
THEORETICAL BACKGROUND
Cables are often used in engineering structures for support and to transmit loads from one
member to another. The application of cable can be used in suspension bridge, cable cars
etc.
Due to its flexibility, the cable offers no resistance to shear or bending. The force acting in
the cable is always tangent to the cable at points along its length.
The maximum tension in a suspension cable can be approximate using equation below.
𝑤𝐿 𝐿
𝑇= √1 + ( )2
2 4𝐷
Where:
T= Tension (N);
L= Span (M);
D= sag (m);
W= weight per unit length over the span (N/m);
PROBLEM STATEMENT
Students are required to determine the relationship between applied load and the tensile
force in the suspension cable.
APPARATUS
1. Test frame
2. Suspension cable
3. Vertical hangers
4. Deck
5. Digital force display
6. Hooks
7. Weights
8. Ruler and Vernier calliper
PROCEDURE
Experiment 1: A point load at centre
1) Connect the mini DIN lead from ‘Force Input 1’ on the Digital Force Display to the
socket marked ‘Force Output’ on the left-hand support.
2) Switch on the Digital Force Display
3) Adjust the ‘Set Zero’ control of the left –hand support so that the Force Display
shows zero to cancel out the force due to self-weight of the deck.
4) Add a load at the centre of the suspension cable record the tension measured by
force display
5) Increase the applied load and repeat steps 4 and 5 at least 5 more readings (do not
exceed 15 N cable tension) as it may damage the load cell.
Experiment 2: A moving point load
1) Follow steps 1 to 3 as in Experiment 1 if you have not done so.

2) Add a single load to the first position of the suspension cable, starting from the
left-hand support. Record the tension.
3) Repeat for other positions along the deck.
DATA & RESULTS
Span = 550 mm
Sag = 110 mm
Initial reading for Support 1 :0N
Initial reading for Support 2 : 8.5 N
Table 1. Experiment 1
Measured Tension (N)

Load (N) Support 1 Support 2
5 1.8 1.9
10 3.6 3.7
15 5.3 5.5
20 7.1 7.4
25 8.8 9.1
Table 2. Experiment 2
Position across the deck (mm)

25 85 150 210 275 335 400 460 525
Initial reading 8.3 8.4 8.4 8.5 8.6 8.6 8.7 8.7 8.8
for Support 2 (N)
Support 1 2.2 2.1 2.0 1.9 1.8 1.6 1.5 1.4 1.5
Tension
(N)
Support 2 1.3 1.4 1.6 1.7 1,8 2.0 2.1 2.3 2.5
Graph
Load vs Torsion
10
9
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
1
0
5 10 15 20 25
Measured Tension (N) Support 1 Measured Tension (N) Support 2

DISCUSSION
Cable is a tensile structure carrying only tension and no compression or bending.

Cable is used in engineering structures for support and to transmit loads from one member
to another. Cables are mostly used in structures such as suspension bridges, cable cars, a
simple suspension bridge, cable stayed bridge and many more. The objective for this
experiment is to determine the relationship between applied load and the tensile force in the
suspension cable.
In experiment 2, it is different than experiment 1 which applied on 9 different point

loads. The same set was used with the load of 5N. The reading at both supports was
achieved for each 9 point later. As an example, at the 4rd point load, when 5N load was
subjected to it, the reading of the tension force for support 1 is 1.9N while at support 2 are
1.7 N.
Based on the graph that we plot, we can see that at different position of the point
load, there is different in tension force. When also can see that when the load was applied
the first 4 point load from the left, the tension force at the support 1 is higher than support 2.
But it is different when the load was applied at the other side of the point load, where the
tension force at support 2 is higher than support 1. As the load is at the center of the cable,
the force is almost the same at both supports. This is because it is balance.
Based on the discussion above, we can conclude that when the load was applied
near to the support, the tension force is higher and when the load is placed at the middle of
the cable, the tension is equally almost the same for both sides of support. The differences
that occurred in support 1 and 2 are not obvious.
However, the data that was achieved could have slight difference from the accurate
value. This could happen due to parallax error which our eyes were not perpendicular to the
scale when taking the experiment reading. There is also a high possibility of other errors
such as experimental error in where the suspension cable was not calibrated which could
have contributed in not getting the accurate value.
CONCLUSION
In conclusion, the objective of this experiment is to determine the relationship

between applied load and the tensile force in the suspension cable. Construction of
suspension bridges with larges span is possible by using cables, since lightweight cables
can take large tensile loads. The bridges with large spans are not exceptional suspension
bridges. This concept made it possible to bridge the ravines (valleys), wide rivers and straits
without supporting piles (buttress).The cable is susceptible to bending (hanging) and can
take only tensile loads. The cable loaded with a uniformly distributed load serves as model
for a suspension bridge. At load 15N, the reading of measured tension at support 1 is 5.30 N
while at support 2 is 5.5 N. So the load influence the tension in the suspension table. Based
on the result that we get, we had archived the objective of the experiment which is to
determine the relationship between applied load and the tensile force in the suspension
cable.

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INTRODUCTION

The objective of the experiment is:

W= weight per unit length over the span (N/m);

Experiment 1: A point load at centre

Experiment 2: A moving point load

1) Follow steps 1 to 3 as in Experiment 1 if you have not done so.

Initial reading for Support 1 :0N

Initial reading for Support 2 : 8.5 N

Measured Tension (N)

Position across the deck (mm)

Measured Tension (N) Support 1 Measured Tension (N) Support 2

Cable is a tensile structure carrying only tension and no compression or bending.

In experiment 2, it is different than experiment 1 which applied on 9 different point

In conclusion, the objective of this experiment is to determine the relationship

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