For cable-stayed bridges that are being built or built, the frequency method is currently the most common method of testing cable forces, but its stability and accuracy still have some problems. In this paper, from the perspective of traveling wave, the dynamic characteristics of the cable structure are studied by the axial tension correction Timoshenko beam model. The bending wave propagation characteristics in the beam structure are studied. The least-square method is adopted by the frequency domain response of three measuring points. The wave component coefficients are obtained, and the cable force and bending stiffness are identified by fitting the minimum residual. The accuracy of the method is verified by numerical simulation of hammering. Compared with the traditional frequency method, this method is It is the cable force identification of the cable section, which is not affected by the shock absorber. Moreover, the cable force of each position of the cable can be reversed by static analysis through the cable force of the identified cable section, which breaks the concept that the cable force is a single value. At the same time, the corresponding cable force can be identified at each frequency sampling point, which reduces the impact of external interference on cable force identification.