Upper Bound to Mechanical Power Transmission Losses in Wire Rope

Abstract

An upper bound to the mechanical power loss in wire ropes bent over a sheave is determined by considering the geometry of a deformed helical wire and using results from the linear theory of wire rope. Results are presented for a wire strand in which the outer wires contact the center wire and in which the outer wires contact each other. The results indicate that the former type of strand exhibits a smaller power loss and that this loss can be reduced by appropriate choice of wire diameters. The variation of the ratio of power loss due to friction to transmitted power, with pertinent design variables, is presented.