Numerical investigation of the modal sensitivity of suspended cables with localized damage

This paper examines the effect of damage location and size on the modal sensitivity of suspended cables. A numerical finite difference approach that takes account of sag-extensibility and bending stiffness is programmed and adapted to investigate the modal behaviour of suspended cables with induced damage. The finite difference program developed is used to conduct an extensive parametric study on 12 cables with different combinations of sag-extensibility and bending stiffness parameters. A systematic study of the dynamic behaviour of the cables under various damage cases is carried out and original findings are thoroughly discussed. It is shown that despite the complexity of the relationship between damage and the dynamic properties of the cables, definite trends could be identified, especially for out-of-plane vibrations.