A nonlinear FE formulation for elastic buckling and post-buckling analysis of pre-stressed stayed columns with bonded/un-bonded cable stays

This study intends to investigate elastic buckling and post-buckling behaviors of pre-stressed (PS) stayed columns with single and triple cross-arms using a nonlinear FEM. To achieve this, a two-node shear-rigid/shear-flexible beam element considering second-order effects and multi-node stay cable elements under bonded/un-bonded conditions with consistent consideration of their unstrained lengths are formulated using an energy method. After validity and accuracy of the present formulation under the bonded condition is demonstrated through comparison of analysis results by Abaqus, elastic buckling and post-buckling characteristics of two PS stayed column models with single and triple cross arms is rigorously examined, considering the stays under the bonded or un-bonded conditions.