EXTENT AND CAUSE OF DETERIORATION OF NYLON MOUNTAIN CLIMBING ROPE

Abstract

An analysis was made of 20 nylon mountain climbing ropes which had been in use for periods up to 18 years, to discover the extent and cause of deterioration in strength and energy-absorbing ability and changes in hardness and stiffness. It was found that loss in strength and energy-absorbing ability arise primarily from fiber abrasion which occurs at the surface of the rope. The nature of the rope construction is such that surface abrasion affects each of the three strands of the rope and all of the yarns in each strand except the few which constitute the so called 'inner-core.' There is no evidence that sunlight damage occurred to any significant extent in these ropes. The amount of abrasion, and loss of strength were directly related to the amount of use (not age), for those ropes that had more quantitative use histories. A Use Index (computed from the number of days of use) may be used to estimate rope deterioration. The extent of hardening and stiffening of the ropes was found to vary over a wide spectrum, but the causal factors were not determined.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Mar 01, 1966
Accession Number
AD0631428

Entities

People

  • Leo J. Sheehan
  • Louis I. Weiner

Organizations

  • United States Army Soldier Systems Center

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Energy and Power Technologies
  • Ground and Sea Platforms

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Abrasion
  • Classification
  • Climate Change
  • Computers
  • Construction
  • Diffraction
  • Foot
  • Hardening
  • Hardness
  • Materials Laboratories
  • Mechanical Properties
  • Organic Materials
  • Physical Properties
  • Security
  • Stiffness
  • Sunlight
  • Test Methods

Readers

  • Exercise and Sports Science.
  • Reinforced Composite Materials
  • Theoretical Analysis.