A Non-contact approach for cable tension evaluation based on 3D laser scanning data and nonlinear finite element analysis

This study proposes a non-contact approach for tension evaluation of a large-scale cable-stayed roof. Three-dimensional (3D) laser scanning data based on a terrestrial laser scanner are utilized to explore the current cable configuration in 3D. Subsequent analysis of the exact current cable configuration indicates that the cable tension can be evaluated by minimizing the cable configuration error. The precise cable tension, which correlates with the actual cable configuration, is determined using nonlinear finite element analysis which is based on a model formulation that considers the effect of bending rigidity. The proposed method is verified by experimental studies. A case study is performed of the long-span roof cable of a large exhibition center in Thailand to demonstrate the effectiveness of this approach in comparison with the natural frequency measurement-based method. The results show that the proposed method is an alternative non-contact approach for evaluating cable tension with reasonable accuracy.