Experimental Investigation of Torsion in Stranded Mining Wire Ropes

Abstract

In this paper an account is given of some investigations into the torsional properties of mining wire ropes, carried out at a gold mine in India by some members of the engineering staff of the mine. An attempt is made to connect some interesting facts which emerged, in such a manner as to make them useful in practice.

The work was necessarily confined to four small sizes and only two different constructions, but the results obtained suggest that experiments on larger sizes and other constructions would greatly aid the users of very long, large ropes. Light is thrown on the difference of torsional properties between Lang's lay and ordinary lay, between long and short lay-pitch, and between few and many wires, and a contribution is made to the arguments against deliberately unlaying a new Lang's lay rope.