Super element approach to cable passing through multiple pulleys

A parametric super element model for cable passing through multiple pulleys is presented in this study for the static analysis of structures. The amounts of cable passages over pulleys are introduced as additional degrees-of-freedoms in the finite element model and the relationship between cable tensions at the two sides of each pulley is imposed based on the friction law or empirical data. The proposed finite element model is firstly verified by a simple pulley cable system and then applied to the analysis of real complex engineering structures. The verification results satisfy the static equilibrium and deformation compatibility conditions of the structural system and basic engineering principles. With the application of the proposed super element model, the global deformation and stress distribution for structures with multiple-pulley cable systems can be effectively and accurately computed. Numerical results for structural analysis show that the effect of friction of pulleys on the cable tensions is significant and the friction-free and fixed models both give unrealistic and incorrect results in cable tensions in some cases.