Abstract
This paper presents the formulas to compare the cost of cable-stayed and suspension bridges. Three types of cable-stayed bridges with full, self and partial anchorages and two types of suspension bridges with full and self anchorages are considered. With the cable-stayed bridges, fan, harp and semi-harp types are treated. The structural components counted in cost comparisons are superstructures (cables, hanger ropes and steel in main girders), towers and anchorages.
The numerical calculations are conducted varying the number of hangers and stays, span sag ratio, the locations of expansion joints in partially anchored cable-stayed bridges and the cost of anchorages. The numerical results in this paper show that partially anchored fan type bridges are the most suitable for long spans.
