The discussion focuses on calculating the tensions in the cables of a suspension bridge, specifically in the context of a problem involving a uniform rectangular roadway supported by vertical cables. The tension in cable CD is established as Mg/4, where M is the mass of the roadway and g is the acceleration due to gravity. Participants suggest using equilibrium equations to derive the tensions in segments AB, BC, DE, and EF, while addressing the missing height information for points B and E. The consensus is that the problem can be solved with the provided data, despite initial confusion regarding the relevance of certain dimensions.
PREREQUISITESCivil engineers, structural analysts, and students studying mechanics of materials or structural engineering will benefit from this discussion, particularly those focusing on cable-stayed and suspension bridge design.
True.insightful said:I'd love to see how the textbook got their answers. Doubling doesn't appear to explain my discrepancy.
These are also the answers I arrived at. (No saying I haven't blundered somewhere, though.)[/color][/size][/color]insightful said:Yes, it would be fun to see if they match mine [(mg/4)sqrt(2) for AB and EF, and (mg/8)sqrt(5) for BC and DE].