A Comparison between Continuous and Discrete Modelling of Cables with Bending Stiffness

in Applied Mathematical Modelling, Volume 23 (1999), pages 527-541
by TP Dreyer¹ & JH van Vuuren²

Abstract

The static configuration in space of an inflexible two-dimensional cable anchored at its endpoints is obtained by the numerical solution of both continuous and discrete models. The results are compared and validated by experiment. It is shown that although the continuous model yields more accurate results than the discrete model, as expected, the effort and cost of numerically integrating the continuous model do not compare favourably with the relative ease and efficiency of solving the discrete model, which yields perhaps surprisingly accurate results.

An electronic version of the complete paper may be obtained here: [ps] [pdf].

Affiliations

¹ Department of Applied Mathematics, Stellenbosch University, Private Bag X1, Matieland, 7602, Republic of South Africa, fax: +27 21 8083778.
² Department of Applied Mathematics, Stellenbosch University, Private Bag X1, Matieland, 7602, Republic of South Africa, fax: +27 21 8083778, email: vuuren@sun.ac.za