A three-node cable element ensuring the continuity of the horizontal tension; a clamp-cable element

The horizontal tension of cables must be continuous at certain junctions, for instance at the clamps fixing overhead electric cables to the insulator suspension strings. The clamp-cable element, whose intermediate node can shift along the cable, models these junctions. This element is designed for large displacements and small strains. We give the expressions of the internal forces at the nodes, of the horizontal tension continuity at the intermediate one and, by deriving them with respect to the degrees of freedom, we get the tangent stiffness matrix. We present the application to the stringing of a nonplanar electric line section. (C) 1999 Published by Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.