In this paper a model for the fatigue strength prediction of rope wires is
presented and discussed. Within this method the fatigue process of wires is
described in terms of propagation of the surface defects caused by cold dr
awing. In particular, the fatigue limit is related to the population of ext
reme defects and to the material properties expressed by cyclic yield stren
gth and by crack propagation thresholds.
The model has been successfully applied for the prediction of fatigue stren
gth of two different eutectoid steel wires, one of them being zinc coated,
used in ropeway applications. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Ltd. Ail rights res
erved.