Prestressed stayed beam-columns: Sensitivity to prestressing levels, pre-cambering and imperfections

• Prestressing levels providing different of pre-cambering are determined. Sensitivity to imperfections in conjunction with studied. Optimal prestressing found maximize structural efficiency for ultimate behaviour. Doubly-symmetric arrangements perform better no pre-cambering. Mono-symmetric upward The behaviour and performance imperfect beam-columns crossarms externally prestressed cable stays studied numerically, where the combination bending compression is assumed be derived from system self-weight acting orthogonally applied axial load. Both doubly-symmetric mono-symmetric systems response varying levels, initial investigated. Different imperfection combinations considered facilitate exploration interactive buckling. optimum force terms resistance two indicators also It that relatively small crossarm lengths, stay diameters length ratios should avoided. Moreover, cases more sensitive level than their counterparts. Considering both load-carrying capacity efficiency, best zero pre-cambering, but As true these recommended significantly above linearly obtained efficiency.