ABSTRACT
The construction of cable-stayed bridges is characterized by several constructive phases in which geometry, boundaries and loads vary significantly in the time, causing a change in the stresses and deformations, up until the final configuration is reached. This work presents a numerical procedure for the optimal design of the cable pretensioning in cable-stayed bridges, with the aim of obtaining a desired distribution of bending moments along the deck. An optimal pre-tensioning sequence is useful for controlling stress and strain levels during the different construction phases of the examined structures. Two case studies show the potential of the proposed procedure when dealing with technically relevant examples.
