Optimum Analysis of Suspenders Tensioning through Skewed Arch Bridge with Curved Beam

Tongtai Bridge in Zhangjiakou across Qinshui River is a special type of arch bridge with skewed arch and curved beam. Different from general arch bridge, suspenders tensioning of which in construction process are more difficult and complex owing to particularly coupling effects in space. The paper is based on the analysis of traditional tensioning methods and considers the constraint condition of the structure, as well as the permissible capacity of the tensioning devices, to give an optimized suspender tensioning method, i.e. the split method of tensioning force which is developed from the influence matrix of tensioning force and the functional extremum principle. The process of suspender tensioning on the Tongtai Bridge shows that this method greatly decreases tensioning times, resulting that the finished state is reached by adding tension only three times, and hence, shorteningng the construction schedule. Furthermore, the method given here can provide a good reference for the construction of similar bridges in the future.