Steel wire rope forms an important part of many machines and structures. The mechanical properties of a steel wire rope result from the individual wires and their arrangement or construction. Unlike most other metallic components, rope wires are stressed alternately in tension, compression, torsion, and shear. The wires and strands are designed to slide in relation to each other, distributing the complicated applied stresses more effectively. Therefore, wire ropes require prudent inspection, maintenance, lubrication, and periodic replacement.
This article provides general information on steel wire ropes, guidance on their care and maintenance and the process of determining the limit of degradation for discard of wire ropes.
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Grace Go is a Structural Engineer at Aspec Engineering with 5 years’ experience in technical engineering, civil design and risk-based assessments on port structures. She has been with ASPEC since 2015.
Richard Morgan is a Structural Engineer and Director of Aspec Engineering with extensive experience in bulk materials handling and ports. He is chairman of Australian Standards Committee ME43 for materials handling machines. He is a Chartered Professional Engineer and Registered Professional Engineer, Queensland.
Frank Gatto is a Director and Principal Engineer at ASPEC Engineering. He has over 30 years of experience in civil and structural engineering and is a Chartered Professional Engineer with a PhD in Engineering.