Gradual Deterioration Behavior of the Load-Bearing Strength of Main Cable Wires in a Suspension Bridge

The main cable is the primary load-bearing component of a long-span multi-tower suspension bridge. interaction between dead load, vehicle wind and corrosion environment leads wire to exhibit tribo-corrosion-fatigue behaviors. This behavior causes wear deterioration, as well reduction in effective cross-sectional area. gradual deterioration wire’s strength seriously affects safety cable. In order ensure bridges, it critical investigate strength. A test rig was established under different friction pairs (saddle groove or parallel wires). failure area with obtained by super-depth electron microscopy calculation. damage degree evolution model were combining theory mechanics finite element method. results show that, contact fatigue loads increase, so does steel wire. has good quadratic function relationship cycles. increases decreases increasing load load. changes little at beginning have fundamental significance for life prediction wires bridges.