This paper studies the vibration characteristics and damping properties of a newly developed - fiber reinforced polymer (FRP) cable with a self-damping function using a model vibration experiment. To verify the self-damping effect of the designed FRP cable, the scaled model vibration test of the FRP cable was designed according to the real cables of the Su-tong Bridge. The damping properties of the FRP cable with self-damping were studied by exciting with small amplitude, middle amplitude and high amplitude respectively. The experimental results show that the model vibration test, designed based on similarity criteria, could effectively simulate the vibration characteristics of the real cable according to the experimental results of the natural frequencies. The properties of the energy dissipation of the self-damping FRP cable were superior to those of the FRP cable without self-damping based on the comparison of the model damping ratios. Furthermore, the modal damping ratios of the FRP cable with self-damping increase with the vibration amplitude of the cable, indicating that the designed FRP cable can efficiently dissipate vibration energy with respect to the vibration amplitude. 

To overcome the limitations of traditional long-span suspension bridges with steel cables, the mechanical behavior of suspension bridges with various FRP and hybrid FRP cables have been comprehensively investigated. An analysis model of a suspension bridge adopts a prototype of the proposed Messina Bridge with a main span of 3300 m. The static and dynamic behaviors of the entire suspension bridge with steel and different FRP cables were analyzed using the finite element method. The results indicate that the application of FRP cables in long-span suspension bridge benefits the spanning ability, improves the load-carrying efficiency and reduces the axial force of the cable. The modal analysis results show that the long-span suspension bridge with different material cables have similar mode shape although the natural frequencies of the bridges with FRP cables are larger than that of the bridge with steel cable due to lower self-weight. It is also revealed that the adoption of FRP cables decreases the seismic responses of the suspension bridge owing to their better energy dissipation behavior, meanwhile FRP cables improve the flutter critical wind speed and contribute to the overall aerodynamic stability of large-span suspension bridge.