On the optimal design of the pre-tensioning of cable-stayed bridges

This paper studies cable-stayed bridges (CSBs), with special focus on the initial force distribu-tions in cables during construction phases. A code for the computing of optimal pre-tensioning sequence of cables is presented. A procedure for the optimization of cable forces is developed, according to a given objective function. Particular attention is given to the choice of the parame-ters to be optimized, and numeric examples are provided. The proposed method is employed to study the At Tannumah bridge in Basrah, Iraq; and is suitable for the optimization of the pre-tensioning sequence of arbitrary cable-stayed bridges.