Abstract:In the analysis of cable structures, the static equilibrium method of cable segments and the virtual work increment equation method are currently the main theoretical foundations of finite element analysis. However, the two methods have limitations in terms of mathematical complexity and universality. Based on the principle of complementary energy and variational calculation, a new finite element analysis method for cable structures is proposed. Compared with the traditional methods, the proposed method avoids the complex mathematical derivations and has better generality for the structures of bar system. The analysis of examples show that this method is comparable to the existing methods in terms of computational accuracy and convergence efficiency with good accuracy and reliability, providing a concise and effective analysis method for the nonlinear finite element analysis of cable structures and other structures of bar system.