DMSUS, Shape-Finding Program for Irregular Suspension Bridge

DMSUS, the 3-dimensional irregular suspension bridge analysis program, which can perform the shape-finding analysis and geometric nonlinear analysis, has been developed. In this program, TCUD (Target Configuration Under Dead loads) method which can overcome the drawbacks of the trial-and-error approach and the successive substitution method is adopted at cable-only system analysis and the initial force method which can control displacements of pylons and girders is adopted at total system analysis. Using this program, the designers can easily analyze the various types of suspension bridge like a single-pylon suspension bridge, an asymmetric-pylon suspension bridge, a multi-span suspension bridge and a suspension bridge including inclined pylons and hangers, etc. The accuracy and applicability of the developed program are demonstrated through numerical examples.