Synthetic pulling and tie-off devices for subsea pipes and umbilicals

This paper explores the design, study, and implementation of a novel application of advanced fiber technology specifically, the utilization of braided textiles to terminate dissimilar materials such as steel pipes, urethane coated umbilicals, and power cables. Many times, it becomes necessary to affix a temporary or permanent termination to the middle of such items. Traditional techniques for “burdening-off” (transferring tensile load to a temporary termination) can be time consuming, labour intensive, and difficult to make permanent or removable depending on the application at hand. The zip grip, a unique assembly of load bearing synthetic ropes, has been designed to significantly reduce the time, length of material, and space needed to terminate a wide range of materials. Extensive research has been done to demonstrate the zip grip’s effective load holding ability up to capacities of 40 tonnes, while also minimizing the likelihood of damaging the surface of the material on which it has been applied.

Author(s): A. Moser and M. Hume