The invention relates to a suspension bridge type self-supporting aerial metal structure, in which the main platform is designed having three levels. The upper level is intended for the passage of motor vehicles. The intermediate level is intended for the transportation, transmission and distribution of all existing public services, and other possible services. The lower level is intended for an urban public transport system. Thanks to its self-supported aerial design, the structure of the present invention can be built within cities following the same layout as existing roads.

The invention relates to a suspension bridge type self-supporting aerial metal structure, in which the main platform is designed having three levels. The upper level is intended for the passage of motor vehicles. The intermediate level is intended for the transportation, transmission and distribution of all existing public services, and other possible services. The lower level is intended for an urban public transport system. Thanks to its self-supported aerial design, the structure of the present invention can be built within cities following the same layout as existing roads.

A transportation system includes a first support tower, a second support tower, a suspension cable extending between the first and second support towers, and a tube defining an interior channel extending between the first and second support towers. A vehicle is configured to travel through the interior channel. A tension support member has a first end coupled to the suspension cable and a second end coupled to the first tube through an actuator. The tension support member exerts tension force to upwardly pull the first tube towards the suspension cable. The actuator adjusts the tension force when the vehicle travels through the interior channel under the tension support member to reduce deflection of the tube.

A transportation system includes a first support tower, a second support tower, a suspension cable extending between the first and second support towers, and a tube defining an interior channel extending between the first and second support towers. A vehicle is configured to travel through the interior channel. A tension support member has a first end coupled to the suspension cable and a second end coupled to the first tube through an actuator. The tension support member exerts tension force to upwardly pull the first tube towards the suspension cable. The actuator adjusts the tension force when the vehicle travels through the interior channel under the tension support member to reduce deflection of the tube.

A sheath of a structural cable of a construction work, the structural cable being destined to comprise a bundle of tendons (20) destined to bear a load of the structural cable and to be received within said sheath, the sheath having an outer surface (30) and the sheath being made of a single layer of material (32) over at least a part of the length of the sheath.

The sheath comprises heating components (34) arranged within said single layer (32), the heating components (34) being configured for receiving electrical energy and, using said electrical energy, heating at least the outer surface (30) of the sheath so as to prevent ice, snow, rime or frost from forming thereon or remove ice, snow, rime or frost from the outer surface (30) of the sheath.

A damping assembly for a structure includes a housing with a first fixed end and a second movable opposite end. A first translatable portion of the housing is slidably movable relative to an adjacent second section of the housing, the former being fixedly secured to a base when the structure is under load. A viscous damper disposed within the housing is engaged only after the first translatable section has first moved beyond an initial predetermined distance indicative of a higher amplitude loading event. At least one biasing feature prevents the viscous damper from operating until the first translatable section has first moved beyond the initial predetermined distance.

Ice mitigation for bridge cables is provided by a system having a plurality of heaters on one or more bridge cables, extending parallel to a longitudinal axis thereof, arranged in a plurality of heater sections, and configured to heat an outer surface of the bridge cables, and a control system including one or more controllers configured to individually activate and regulate heating output of the heater sections to prevent snow or ice from falling from the bridge cables. The heater sections can be arranged radially, about a circumference of the bridge cables, and/or axially, end to end along a length of the bridge cables, so that power can be individually directed to the heater sections to account for differing heating requirements at different radial and/or axial aspects of the bridge cables.

A damping assembly for a structure includes a housing with a first fixed end and a second movable opposite end. A first translatable portion of the housing is slidably movable relative to an adjacent second section of the housing, the former being fixedly secured to a base when the structure is under load. A viscous damper disposed within the housing is engaged only after the first translatable section has first moved beyond an initial predetermined distance indicative of a higher amplitude loading event. At least one biasing feature prevents the viscous damper from operating until the first translatable section has first moved beyond the initial predetermined distance.

The invention relates to a free-standing, overhead metal structure of the suspension bridge type, in which the main platform is designed over three levels. The upper level is intended for the passage of motor vehicles. The intermediate level is intended for the transportation, transmission and distribution of all existing public utilities, as well as other possible services. The lower level is intended for an urban public transport system. Owing to its free-standing overhead design, the system of the invention can be built in cities following the layout of existing roads.

A cable-stayed suspension bridge structure suitable for super long spans by comprising a horizontally arranged main bridge main beam, wherein vertical main towers are arranged at ends of the main bridge main beam, and each main tower is anchored by stay cables; a main bridge vertical support and a longitudinal elastic damping stopper are arranged at positions of the main bridge main beam close to the main tower, and the main beam is kept stable longitudinally by virtue of the geometric stiffness of the cable force of the stay cable and the longitudinal elastic damping stopper.