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ECCM 2010

IV European Conference on Computational Mechanics


Palais des Congrès, Paris, France, May 16-21, 2010

Characterizing the finite element analysis of nested helical geometry


and test procedure for wire ropes
C. Erdönmez1, Ö. Salman2, C.E. İmrak3,
1
Istanbul Technical University, Turkey, cerdonmez@gmail.com, cengiz.erdonmez@be.itu.edu.tr
2
Istanbul Technical University, Turkey, ozlemsalman@itu.edu.tr
3
Istanbul Technical University, Turkey, imrak@itu.edu.tr

ABSTRACT

Wire ropes are used in many application areas such as bridges, cranes, elevators etc. To learn the
characteristics of wire ropes forces to make empirical tests. However, this is not so practical and
expensive task to conduct empirical tests over wire ropes. Instead of this numerical analysis can be
done using the three dimensional solid model of wire ropes. A simple straight strand is one of the
basic components of wire ropes. Strands are wrapped around a simple straight strand to produce a
more complicated wire rope and named as independent wire rope core (IWRC). IWRC is used as the
core strand of Seale and Warrington type wire ropes. In this paper first modeling of wire strand and
IWRC using helical and nested helical geometry is done. Then a finite element analysis using the
nested helical structure is developed using the 3-D solid model of IWRC. At the end of this paper
empirical test procedure is described with the fundamental components of materials designed for this
purpose and the test results of IWRC is presented.

Keywords: Wire rope, Independent wire rope core, finite element analysis, wire rope test procedure.

INTRODUCTION

On the analysis of wire rope theory one of the fundamental research starts with the study of Love in
1944. Love introduced the basic equilibrium equations used to solve the axial loading and bending
problems over helical wires. Numbers of analytical studies are carried over the theory of wire rope by
Costello and he gathered his studies in a reference book [1]. During the literature search there are a lot
of numerical study are present on wire ropes. A concise finite element model takeing full
advantage of the helical symmetry features is developed by Jiang et al [2]. A finite element model
of a simple straight strand based on a Cartesian isoparametric formulation is presented by
Nawrocki [3]. The mechanical response of a wire rope with an IWRC (independent wire rope
core) a new model which fully considers the double-helix configuration of individual wires is
given in [4]. Lately İmrak and Erdönmez are presented a three-dimensional wire rope modeling
procedure and analysis results in [5]. The aim of this paper is to describe the general modeling
and finite element analysis issue of IWRC and conducting a correct test procedure over wire
ropes.

MODELING AND FINITE ELEMENT ANALYSIS OF AN IWRC

Designing and modeling the wire rope is a difficult issue due to the complex nature of the wire
ropes. Independent wire rope core (IWRC) is used as a core strand for some special kind of ropes such
as Seale and Warrington IWRC’s. It is composed by a straight core strand, which is helically wrapped
by six outer strands. Center strand and outer strand of an IWRC comprise totally four different
diameters of wires. Meanwhile the design of IWRC’s includes three different types of wire

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centerlines. A straight wire with radius R1 which is the center wire of the core strand, single helical
wires with helix radiuses R2 and R3 which are located as the outer wires of the center straight strand
and the center wire of the outer strands respectively, and the third type of wires with radius R4 are the
nested helical wires wrapped around the center single helical core wire of the outer strands as shown
in Figure 1. Modeling procedure of IWRC by using nested (double) helical geometry is investigated
and presented in [5].

Figure 1: Cross sectional view of an IWRC with different wire centerlines


Outer wires over the outer strands of the IWRC’s are double or nested helical structures and make
the solid model of the wire rope structure more difficult than a simple straight strand. To find the solid
model of the IWRC a new scheme is proposed based on the parametric equations of both single and
the nested helical geometries. Therefore, a code is implemented to find the centerline of each type of
the wires presented in Figure 1. The proposed method developed to construct an accurate meshed
model of a wire rope, which is independent of length. Comparison of the analysis results for the
present model is done with the theory of Costello [1] and available test results of Utting and Jones
[6,7]. It has been seen that the proposed modeling scheme gives accurate results when compared with
the literature as in [8].

In addition, surface-to-surface contact is defined over the proposed scheme and it has been seen
that a helical line of contact is established between the core and outer wires as shown in Figure 2.

Figure 2: A helical line of contact between core and outer wires

A GENERAL TEST PROCEDURE FOR WIRE ROPES


There are limited test results available in the literature. On of the fundamental work on
experimental tests are carried out by Utting and Jones [6,7]. It is necessary to build a test procedure to
conduct experimental test over the wire ropes. Using the European Standards of EN 12385 2002 + A1
a test set is established.
Steel wire strands/ropes have complex cross sections from the normal test materials. Regardless to
this different material composition it is not possible to apply conventional test procedures to these
materials. Different test methods are available and explained briefly.

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• Test samples are compressed with the guides of the test machine without making any
changes to the wire ropes and axially loaded. It has been seen that the samples are broke
through the guides where the wire ropes are compressed which is not the case preferred
during the test and tests will be failed in this procedure.
• Aluminum panels are put between wire rope and the guides to prevent break of the rope at
guide position. Wire rope is sliding between guide and aluminum panels and test is failed
again.
• Another test sample is prepared by using the lead alloy bracelet shown in Figure 3. Rope
is wrapped around a metal ring and then fixed with a lead alloy to the rope body and
compressed with the press. This application is done for the two edge of the rope. After
axial load is applied to this test sample it has been observed that the ropes are broken at
the lead bracelet due to the deformation of the compression at these sections and the test
results are not acceptable at this procedure also.

Figure 3: Test sample with lead bracelet and metal ring


• As a last method zinc cast is applied to the edges of the rope which is widely used in the
literature. To prepare test ropes first of all each wire is separated and designed as in Figure
4. These wires are put in a casting-mold and zinc cast is applied. The complete model
after this strengthening application can be seen in Figure 5.

Figure 4: Wires in a rope separated before casting.


Wire ropes are strengthened with zinc coating, which is applied to the edges of the rope. To
prepare test samples first each wire is separated and wires are put in a casting-mold and zinc casting is
done. An 300mm wire sample with the diameter of 0.83mm is tested with the test procedure
defined in European Standards EN 12385 2002 + A1. Strengthened wire rope is presented in
Figure 4.

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Figure 5: Strengthened wire rope test samples
During the test procedure a MTS322 test frame with 100kN capacity is used for the axial loading.
The picture of the MTS322 test frame is presented in Figure 6. When the axial loading is applied
to IWRC. Using the test procedure defined in European Standards EN 12385 2002 + A1, wire
rope is broken from the middle region of the sample as expected for a successful procedure and
shown in Figure 7. Force-displacement graphics of the test result is presented in Figure 8. Other
tests procedure such as bending tests are currently under process.

Figure 6: MTS322 test frame with 100kN capacity wire rope test machine.

Figure 7: An IWRC picture showing a correct failure of the rope after axial loading test.

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Figure 8: Test result for a 0.83mm wire

CONCLUSION
During this study, a procedure for creating a meshed solid model of a wire rope is proposed.
This model-generating scheme is created using the parametric equations of the single and helical
wires within a wire rope. It gives opportunity to obtain wire-by-wire based analysis results. The
analysis results show good agreement with both theory and available test results. A test procedure
is currently developed to conduct experimental tests. In this way, it will be possible to have test
results for different type of problems, such as bending over scheme, to compare with the proposed
finite element analysis in the future.

References

[1] Costello GA., 1990, Theory of wire rope. Berlin: Springer.


[2] Jiang W.G. et.al., 2000, A concise finite element model for three-layered straight wire rope
strand. International Journal of Mechanical Sciences 42:63-86.
[3] Nawrocki A., Labrosse M., 2000, A finite element model for simple straight wire rope
strands. Computers and Structures 77:345-359.
[4] Elata D. et.al., 2004, The mechanical behavior of a wire rope with an independent wire rope
core. International Journal of Solids and Structures 41:1157–1172.
[5] İmrak C. E., Erdönmez C., 2010, On the problem of wire rope model generation with axial
loading, Mathematical and Computational Applications, 15(2):259-268.
[6] Utting WS, Jones N., 1987, The response of wire rope strands to axial tensile loads: Part I.
International Journal of Mechanical Science;29(9):605-19.
[7] Utting WS, Jones N., 1987, The response of wire rope strands to axial tensile loads: Part II.
International Journal of Mechanical Science;29(9):621-36.
[8] Erdönmez C., İmrak C. E., 2009, Modeling and numerical analysis of the wire strand, Journal
of Naval Science and Engineering, 5(1):30-38

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