A new element stiffness matrix is derived for straight cable elements subjected to tension and torsion. The cross‐section of a cable, which may consist of many different structural components, is treated in the following as a single composite element. The derivation is quite general; consequently, the results can be used for a broad category of cable configurations. Individual helical armourning wires, for instance, may have unique geometric and material properties. In addition, no limit is placed on the number of wire layers. Furthermore, compressibility of the central core element can also be considered. The equations of equilibrium are first derived to include ‘internal’ geometric non‐linearties produced by large deformations (axial elongation and rotatioin) of a straight cable element. These equations are then linearized in a consistent manner to give a liner stiffness matrix. Linear elasticity is assumed throughout. Excellent agreement with experimental results for two different cables validates the correctness of the analysis. Copyright © 1979 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd
