Theoretical and numerical studies of the slip resistance of main cable clamp composed of an upper and a lower part

Abstract

Cable clamps are important connection members widely used in suspension bridges and cable structure buildings. The clamps are usually tightened on the cable through pre-stressed bolts and resist cable axial component of the external load by friction. Current relevant standards provide slip resistance formulas for anti-slip design of the clamps but are conceptive and simple, lacking explicit and quantitative mechanical derivation. This paper develops an analytical model and proposes a novel slip failure criterion based on the slippage amount, aiming at understanding the force state and estimating the slip resistance of the main cable clamp composed of an upper and a lower part. Finite element analyses then validate that the analytical model can correctly reveal the influences of the multiple factors including hanger tensile force and orthotropic friction on the force state of the cable-clamp system. Moreover, the original Coulomb-friction-law-based slip resistance formula is briefly revised by introducing a partial factor in order to take the nonlinearity of the connection system into account. The revised slip resistance formula implies its promising applicability in obtaining reliable and flexible solution to anti-slip problem of the clamp with different level of safety redundancy.