Wire Ropes, Elements and Definitions - Wire Ropes: Tension, Endurance, Reliability - page 2

Table 1.1 Non-alloy steel rod for drawing (excerpt of EN 10 016-2)

Steel name Steel number Heat analysis carbon

content (%)

C 42 D 1.0541 0.40-0.45

C 48 D 1.0517 0.45-0.50

C 50 D 1.0586 0.48-0.53

C 82 D 1.0626 0.80-0.85

C 86 D 1.0616 0.83-0.88

C 88 D 1.0628 0.85-0.90

C 92 D 1.0618 0.90-0.95

round full-locked (Z) half-locked (H) trapezoidial (T)

triangular (V) rectangular (R) oval (Q)

Fig. 1.1 Wire cross-sections for wire ropes

Carbon steels only contain small quantities of other elements. EN 10016-2
gives the following limits for the chemical ingredients of carbon steel rods used for
rope wires: Si 0.1-0.3 %, Mn 0.5-0.8 %, P and S \ 0.035 %, Cr \ 0.15 %,
Ni \ 0.20 %, Mo \ 0.05 %, Cu \ 0.25 % and Al \ 0.01 %. The strength
increases with an increasing carbon content and the breaking extension decreases
if all other influences are constant. Higher contents of sulphur S, phosphorus P,
chrome Cr and copper Cu reduce the steel's ductility, Schneider and Lang ( 1973 ).
Usually, wires for wire ropes have a round cross-section. In special cases,
however, wires with other cross-sections—called profile wires—are used. The
different cross-sections are to be seen in Fig. 1.1 . The profile wires in the upper
row are inserted in locked coil ropes. The wires below are used for triangular and
oval strands.
In wires with a high carbon content which had been aged artificially, Unterberg
( 1967 ) and Apel and Nünninghoff ( 1983 ) found a distinct decrease in the breaking
extension and the number of turns from the torsion test. The number of test
bendings is slightly reduced and the strength slightly increased. The finite life
fatigue strength is partly increased or decreased.
Bending tests were repeated with three wire ropes after they had been in storage
for 22 years. The original tests were well documented and the new tests were done