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09/2014
SE 110.18
Forces on a Suspension Bridge
The picture shows SE 110.18 in the frame SE 112.
* Supporting cable forces of a suspension bridge1

* Central hinge to demonstrate bending moments in
the roadway1
* Different load cases possible: point or distributed
load
Technical Description
Suspension bridges are among the oldest of all bridge designs. Their
main supporting element is a flexible cable. Since cables are able to
absorb high tensile forces while themselves having little dead-weight,
they enable wide-span suspension bridges to be constructed. This
makes it possible to bridge longer distances with no supporting pillars,
such as over wide gorges. The sag of suspension bridge supporting
cables is parabolic in shape, as the load is attached at relatively short,
constant intervals by way of vertical cables to the main supporting
cables.
The experimental set-up SE 110.18 represents a suspension bridge.
The bridge consists of two parallel supporting cables with a roadway
suspended between them. U-shaped hangers serve as vertical cables.
They are attached to the main supporting cables at regular intervals, and
hold the roadway. Deflection rollers act as pylons. The roadway acts
upon the supporting cables as a distributed load, and can be loaded by
additional weights. It has a hinge in the middle. The hinge permits
internal moments in the roadway occurring in response to uneven
loading to be visualised - the roadway buckles.
The tensile forces in the supporting cables are determined with the aid
of weight sets. With two supports it is possible to simulate fixed roadway
supports. The supports include force gauges. With the force gauges the
load distribution between the supports and the supporting cable is
investigated.
All the component elements of the experiment are
clearly laid-out and housed securely in a storage
system. The complete experimental set-up is arranged
in the frame SE 112.
The well-structured instructional material sets out the
fundamentals and provides a step-by-step guide
through the experiments.
Learning Objectives / Experiments
- familiarisation with a suspension bridge
* under dead-weight
* under additional load
* under evenly distributed load
* under unevenly distributed point loads
- calculation of the supporting cable force
- comparison between calculated and measured
values of the supporting cable force
- observation of the effect of internal moments in the
roadway under uneven load
- load distribution between roadway support and
supporting cable
G.U.N.T Gertebau GmbH, Hanskampring 15-17, D-22885 Barsbttel, Phone +49 (40) 67 08 54-0, Fax +49 (40) 67 08 54-42, E-mail [email protected], Web http://www.gunt.de
We reserve the right to modify our products without any notifications.
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09/2014
SE 110.18
Forces on a Suspension Bridge

Specification
[1] investigation of a suspension bridge in various load
cases
[2] suspension bridge with 2 supporting cables and
roadway
[3] supporting cables with parabolic sag
[4] hangers (vertical supporting cables) in the form of
U-shaped shackles in graduated lengths
[5] two-section roadway with central hinge
[6] roadway can be loaded by additional weights
[7] hinge in roadway indicates internal moments of
roadway under uneven loading
[8] 4 graduated weight sets to measure the cable force
in both supporting cables
[9] 2 supports with force gauge for the roadway
[10] storage system to house the components
[11] experimental set-up in frame SE 112
1 supporting cable, 2 hanger, 3 roadway with central hinge, 4 support with force
gauge, 5 weight, 6 deflection roller with fixture, 7 frame SE 112
Technical Data
Suspension bridge
- span: approx. 1050mm
- supporting cable sag: approx. 325mm
- number of supporting cables: 2
- shackles: 12, graduated lengths
- dead-weight of roadway: 6N
Support force measuring range: -50...+50N
Weight set
- 4x 1N (hangers), 16x 1N
- 16x 5N
Dimensions and Weight
Weight: approx. 19kg
LxWxH: 1170x480x178mm (storage system)
Weight: approx. 12kg (storage system)
Substitute model for a suspension bridge: "suspended cable with uniformly

distributed load" with free body diagram (bottom);
F cable force, q0 distributed load; f maximum sag, L span
Forces on a suspension bridge: red: tensile forces (acting in the supporting

cables, the hangers and the anchorages of the supporting cables),
blue: compressive force (acting in the pylons)
Scope of Delivery
1 suspension bridge, consisting of 2 supporting cables,
12 shackles, 1 roadway
2 deflection roller with fixture
2 supports with force gauge
4 sets of weights
1 storage system with foam inlay
1 set of instructional material
Order Details
022.11018 SE 110.18 Forces on a Suspension
Bridge
G.U.N.T Gertebau GmbH, Hanskampring 15-17, D-22885 Barsbttel, Phone +49 (40) 67 08 54-0, Fax +49 (40) 67 08 54-42, E-mail [email protected], Web http://www.gunt.de
We reserve the right to modify our products without any notifications.

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Forces on a Suspension Bridge

The picture shows SE 110.18 in the frame SE 112.

* Supporting cable forces of a suspension bridge1

Forces on a Suspension Bridge

Substitute model for a suspension bridge: "suspended cable with uniformly

Forces on a suspension bridge: red: tensile forces (acting in the supporting

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