THEORETICAL ANALYSIS METHOD FOR ARCH STRING STRUCTURE WITH ELASTIC SUPPORT IN THE HORIZONTAL DIRECTION

Force method equations adapt for an arch string structure with elastic support boundary are obtained by Castigliano theorem. Computing expressions for the internal force under a symmetrical distributed load and the pre- stressing force of the arch string structure are achieved through a symbol solution. These expressions reflect the relationship between the mechanical behavior of the arch string structure and structural parameters, such as vector high, cable-vertical distance, member stiffness and support stiffness. The expressions indicate that various structural parameters are not isolated, but they influence the structural mechanical properties by the ratio of each other. A practical arch string structure is analyzed by the theoretical method and finite element method, the accuracy of the theoretical method proposed is proved.