Advantages of using CFRP cables in orthogonally loaded cable structures

Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polymer (CFRP) is an advanced composite material with advantages of high strength and light weight, giving it great potential to be a new, reliable cable material. Ideal structures for CFRP cables are orthogonally loaded cable structures, where cables are loaded orthogonally or approximately orthogonally by external loads. Using CFRP cables in such structures, e.g. cable roofs and cable facades, has advantages over traditional steel cable structures. In order to demonstrate this point, two typical orthogonally loaded cable structures, i.e. a CFRP spoked wheel cable roof and a CFRP cable net facade, were investigated in a case study. Their mechanical properties and economies are compared with that of the steel counterparts. Results show that CFRP cables can effectively improve the mechanical and economical performances of orthogonally loaded cable structures; furthermore, the advantages of applying CFRP cables for cable net facade are more obvious than that for spoked wheel cable roof.