Suspension Bridges: What is the Shape Called?

[ehrenfest]

What is the name for the shape that the suspensions on a suspension bridge make? I think it is something like canary?

 

[Doc Al]

Are you thinking of catenary?

 

[ehrenfest]

Yes. Thanks.

 

[Loren Booda]

Not a trivial geometry to derive. I believe Newton was unable to solve this catenary problem, that it required near-18th century mathematics to undertake.

 

[bel]

A suspension bridge cable actually makes a parabola, a hanging cable by itself makes a catenary.