The　condition　of　stay　cables　greatly　affects　the　safety　of　bridges.　Cable　force　is　an　important　health　indicator　of　cables,　but　it　is　difficult　to　directly　assess　the　condition　of　a　stay　cable　by　the　cable　force　because　the　cable　force　is　affected　by　the　operating　environment　including　temperature　and　vehicles.　In　this　paper,　the　condition　of　the　stay　cable　is　assessed　by　constructing　a　normalized　sequence　of　the　vehicle-induced　cable　force　peaks　(VICFPs)　of　the　stay　cables　on　the　same　side.　The　normalized　sequence　of　the　VICFPs　of　the　same　side　cables　is　only　related　to　the　structure　itself,　and　the　damage　to　the　cable　can　cause　an　abnormal　reduction　in　the　sequence.　First,　the　normalized　sequence　of　the　VICFPs　of　the　same　side　cables　is　derived　and　defined,　and　the　change　in　the　normalized　sequence　of　the　VICFPs　with　damage　is　qualitatively　analyzed　by　a　simplified　mechanical　model.　An　indicator　of　the　change　in　the　normalized　sequences　is　constructed,　and　the　condition　assessment　of　the　stay　cables　is　realized　by　building　the　control　chart　of　the　indicator.　Second,　via　a　finite　element　model　of　a　cable-stayed　bridge,　the　sequences　of　different　vehicle　weights,　different　lanes,　and　different　damage　degrees　are　verified　and　analyzed.　Last,　the　proposed　method　is　applied　to　an　actual　bridge,　and　the　results　indicate　that　the　proposed　method　has　sufficient　feasibility　and　accuracy.　©　2024　Elsevier　Ltd