The breaking load of the 19' 7 non-rotating wire rope under swivel condition

The 19' 7 non-rotating rope, is frequently used in tower crane applications where high hoisting levels and loading spectrum are common. The mechanical performance and the fatigue life of this type of rope are strongly dependent on the end attachment. In this study the influence of the end attachment is experimentally and analytically investigated. Simulation by means of the double helix model and tensile tests show a reduction in the breaking load under free-end conditions with respect to the breaking load under fixed-end conditions. Moreover, some severe failure modes were observed during tensile tests. This study may provide safety and operational recommendations with regard to the inspection procedures.

Author(s): R. Ashkenazi, D. Elata and M.P. Weiss