A simplified approach for the wind response analysis of cable-stayed masts

The standard approach for the equivalent static analysis of line-like structures, based on the gust factor, is reviewed, with special reference to the case of systems with intermediate elastic supports, like cable-stayed masts. For this class of structures the first modal shape exhibits an inversion point and the effect of the upper modes cannot be neglected. A new analysis method, based on the definition of a gust function variable along the height is proposed and applied to a case study. The results are compared with those obtained using the patch load method and the direct integration of the equations of motion which accounts for geometric nonlinearity.