Influence of corrosion pit on the tensile mechanical properties of a multi-layered wire rope strand

Abstract

The influence of corrosion pit on the tensile mechanical properties of a multi-layered wire rope strand is analyzed in the present study. To this end, the spatial parametric equations for wire axes of the strand with a corroded outer-layer wire are deduced. Based on these equations, the geometric model and high-precision mesh model of the strand are established with the considerations of the factors, including the effect of the corrosion pit on the wire surface morphology, the distribution form of the pits, and the elasto-plasticity of the wires. Finite element simulations of the tensile mechanical properties of the strand are carried out, and the influences of the corrosion pit on the stress–strain property, contact behavior and loading capacity of the strand are analyzed. The results show that obvious stress concentration occurs in the corrosion area of the corroded strand, and the existence of the corrosion pit significantly increases the stress, strain and the inter-wire contact pressure, while reduces the axial loading capacity of the strand. The stress concentration factor, maximum stress, maximum plastic deformation, maximum contact pressure and loading capacity of the strand all increase first and then decrease with the direction angle of the corrosion pit, while decrease with the position angle of the corrosion pit. For the multi-layered wire rope strand with a corroded outer-layer wire, the deterioration of the tensile mechanical properties of the strand is the most serious when the corrosion pit is located at the outer contour area of the strand and the major axis of the pit is perpendicular to the axis of the outer-layer wire.