Wire Strand Fabrication for Suspension Bridge Main Cables

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Solution Overview

Problem

The conventional air spinning method for fabricating suspension bridge main cables is labor-intensive, time-consuming, and prone to errors due to large anchoring tonnage and weather sensitivity, with low precision in wire strand length and shape maintenance during installation.

Innovation Solution

A method involving prefabrication of regular hexagon wire strands with marked and standard steel wires, preforming for precise length control, using high-strength wrapping bandages and steel wire hoops to maintain shape, and hot-casting anchors for efficient transportation and installation, reducing human error and improving precision.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If air spinning method is used to fabricate wire strands, then flexibility and adaptability are improved, but manufacturing precision and length control deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:

ImproveflexibilityVSAvoidlength control

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by pre-assembling wire strands in a controlled factory environment before transportation. Wire strands are pre-formed with precise length control using automated equipment, then transported as complete units to the construction site. This preliminary assembly resolves the contradiction by achieving high manufacturing precision during factory production while maintaining the flexibility to adapt to different bridge configurations during installation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Strength

If air spinning method is used with large anchoring tonnage, then strength is improved, but device complexity and anchoring space requirements worsen

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveanchoring strengthVSAvoidanchoring complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies segmentation by dividing the main cable into multiple separate wire strands that are assembled together. Each individual wire strand requires smaller anchoring tonnage and simpler anchoring devices compared to a single large-cable air-spun system. The segmentation reduces anchoring complexity and space requirements while maintaining the overall strength through the combined arrangement of multiple strands.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

3Adaptability or versatility

If air spinning method is used for main cable installation, then adaptability to different configurations is improved, but productivity and installation time worsen

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveconfiguration adaptabilityVSAvoidinstallation speed

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

4Ease of operation

If manual air spinning method is used, then ease of operation is improved, but manufacturing precision and error rate worsen

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveoperational simplicityVSAvoidprecision

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies mechanics substitution by replacing manual air spinning operations with automated welding and assembly equipment. Factory-based automated systems precisely control wire strand assembly, length, and configuration, eliminating the precision errors inherent in manual operations. The automated systems maintain ease of operation through standardized procedures while achieving significantly higher manufacturing precision.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The method enhances fabrication precision from 1/12000 to 1/20000, reduces manual mistakes, and facilitates faster, more efficient installation by preforming wire strands in a plant and anchoring them before on-site assembly, improving working efficiency and maintaining wire strand shape integrity.

Implementation Method 1

anchoring two ends of the wire strand by hot-casting anchors

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectMelting: Melting

Data Source

PatentUS10584453B2Method for fabricating wire strand for main cable of suspension bridge

Publication Date: 2020.03.10 JIANGSU FASTEN STEEL CABLE CO LTD

AI summary

A method for fabricating a wire strand from parallel steel wires for a main cable of a suspension bridge, the method including: 1) selecting and coloring a steel wire as a marking steel wire which is to be positioned at a vertex of a wire strand including a plurality of parallel steel wires and having an equilateral polygon section; 2) drawing position markers at positions of the standard steel wire corresponding to control points of splay cable saddles, center points of main cable saddles, middle points of side spans, a middle point of a middle span, and starting points of anchor heads of anchor spans of a suspension bridge; 3) relaxing and shaping coils of the steel wires to yield a prefabricated wire strand; 4) preforming the positions of the cable saddles; 5) coiling the wire strand including; and 6) casting anchor of the wire strand.