Abstract: The control of cable tension is a critical issue during the construction of pre-stressed spatial steel structures. The theory of inverse analysis method based on controlling the initial cable length is discussed. Existing theories of tension control do not consider unpredictable factors like temperature changes. The effect of temperature changes on cable, link and beam element is analyzed. A procedure to adjust the cable tension according to temperature changes is proposed. Taking the construction process of a pre-stressed cylindrical latticed shell structure as an example to be investigated, it is found the adjusted cable tension varies linearly when temperature changes within ±18. It is indicated that the tension construction process could achieve the design goal when the cable tension is adjusted according to the proposed method.