ANALYSIS OF AXIAL FATIGUE DATA FOR WIRE ROPES

Length, termination, and statistical effects in the axial fatigue test ing of wire ropes are discussed. Considering experimental results in t he light of theoretical estimates of the recovery length of broken wir es in spiral strands and ropes, a specimen length of ten lay lengths i s suggested as a desirable lower limit. Terminations similar to those to be used in practice should also be tested to identify the end effec ts. By analysing a statistically significant population of test data o btained under nominally identical conditions, a Gumbel distribution is proposed as the most accurate representation of the distribution of t he fatigue life for steel wire rope.