Cable bracing grade 1

[NewbieInSE]

Dear Engineers,
What's the commonly used Cable bracing grade in steel structures? Are they as same as tendons used in Prestressed RC members?

Thanks.

 

[canwesteng]

What kind of structure is this? Cable bracing is rarely used in buildings, normally it's rod bracing. If you're using actual cables as bracing, and this isn't a bridge or guying for a tower, you're probably looking at a bespoke solution anyway so spec whatever is available (probably aircraft cable?).

 

[jayrod12]

I've used aircraft cables and turnbuckles for minor bracing of equipment (non-vibratory) platforms. It was a retrofit because they were getting too much lateral movement anytime someone touched the platform.

Worked like a charm.

 

[dhengr]

NewbieInSE:
Cable (wire rope) is generally not used to brace more rigid bldgs. and structures because it stretches too much. It has both an elastic stretch, the std. strain times length which we normally think of; and a mechanical stretch due to its methods of manufacture, the various wires tightening w.r.t. each other within the cable strands, and the strands within the whole cable doing the same. Thus, for a given load it elongates more than a solid rod or bar of the same area, and allows too much bldg. movement. Furthermore, the wires used generally have a higher yield strength than the steel rods which would be used, so the tenancy is to use smaller area cables, based on stress alone. Threaded steel rods, turnbuckles, nuts and washers, and various other common end hardware are a fairly std. detail for bldg. bracing.

 

[NewbieInSE]

Thanks all. I was absent here last few months.
dhengr, thanks for your eloquent response. It was helpful.

 

[JLNJ]

I have seen cable bracing in PEMBs and wondered to myself why they would choose wire rope over a solid rod (or simple single angles).

I have only used wire rope when the member is too long for a rod, such as a guy wire for a tall bucket elevator.