Analytical modelling of the varying bending stiffness inside the boundary layer of cables

In the present paper, a novel model for a shallow cable with small bending stiffness subjected to transverse loading conditions is presented. The proposed model is based on a simple yet accurate phenomenological description of the non-linear moment-curvature law of stranded cables. Numerical solutions are first compared to experimental results of the literature, to assess the validity of the proposed formulation. Parametric analyses are then carried out to investigate the effect of different non-dimensional groups controlling the bending stiffness variation within the boundary layers.