A First Approach to Optimum Design of Cable-Supported Bridges Using Load Path Method

Born as a method to design strut-and-tie models in reinforced concrete structures, the load path method (LPM) shows its effectiveness in the easy perception of the physical behaviour of a structure, from its global behaviour to the most accurate details. In this paper, starting from the interpretation of cable-supported bridge behaviour using LPM, two different approaches are proposed for the shape optimum design of this particular type of bridges.