Abstract: The approximate eigenfrequencies for the in-plane vibrations of a cable structure consisting of inclined cables, together with point masses at various points were computed. It was discovered that the classical transfer matrix method was inadequate for this task, and hence the larger exterior matrices were used to determine the eigenfrequency equation. Then predictions of the dynamics of the general cable structure based on the asymptotic estimates of the exterior matrices were made.

Key words: eigenfrequencies, transfer matrices, exterior matrices, cable structures