<sup> </sup>Failure Analysis of High<sup></sup>-Strength Fiber Ropes

Abstract

Until the present days, in discontinuous conveyor systems, e.g. cranes and elevators, steel wire ropes and steel chains are the exclusively used tension members. Nevertheless, these tension members are exhibiting essential disadvantages, e.g. high dead weight, low bending flexure and high susceptibility to corrosion. For fulfilling the steadily increasing requirements especially in running ropes, alternative tension members have to be developed and approved concerning their series-production readiness by utilization of new technologies and new materials. High-strength fiber ropes are demonstrating promising mechanical properties, regarding tensile strength, vibration behavior and bending fatigue life. Still, the application of such high-strength fiber ropes is limited, due to unavailable systematic investigations and insufficient guidelines for dimensioning and processes for determination of discard criteria. With the help of new technologies and procedures, e.g. multi-zone cyclic bend-over-sheave (CBOS) test machinery and computer-assisted tomography, new knowledge concerning the wear behavior of fiber ropes is to be gained and new discard criteria are to be developed.