Rotationalforcesinwirerope&besthandlingpractices

Duetoarecentspateoftorsionrelatedeventsonwireropeithasbecomenecessarytorevisitthesubjectof
rotationalforcesandthedamagingeffectofthistorqueonfleetworkandtowwires.Withtheassistanceofa
majorglobalwiremanufacturesomenewaspectsofrotationalforcehavebeenbetterunderstoodanditisthe
intentofthisdocumenttoexplainthisprinciple.

Developmentofrotationalforce:

Wherewireropeiswoundbackandforwardonawinchunder tension,rotationalforcesaredevelopedifa
fleetangleisproducedacrossthesternroller.

Rotationalforcevariesdependingonthewiretensionexperiencedattimeofwiremovementandtheextent
offleetangleapplied.Thepartoftheropebetweenthewinchandthesternrolleraccumulatesturnswhilethe
ropeoutfromthesternlosesturnsinthedirectionoftheswivelinstalledatropeend.Whenropetensionis
releasedthetorqueduetofrictionwillbereleasedaswellandtheturnsstoredintheropewillmovetothe
sterncreatingtheconditionsofkinksandorbirdcage.

Preventingandminimisingrotationalforce:

Where possible, wire rope should be wound out or in directly over the vessel stern roller in line with the
winch.Wherethisisnotpossible,theextentofrotationalforceshouldbeconsideredwithregardtotension
and all attempts should be made to keep tensions as low as possible as torsion will be applied to the wire
throughoutwiremovement.

Handlingrotationalforceinwirerope:

Torsioncanaccumulateandbuildifawireisrestrictedinfreedomtocontrollablyrelease.Wheneverwirerests
againstasurface(seeexamplesbelow)thistorsioncanbecometrappedandbuildquickly.Itisimportantto
fullyunderstandtheseinstanceswherethismayoccurminimisewherepossibleandeliminateriskoftorsion
developing:

Wiregroundedontheseafloor.

Swivelgroundedontheseafloor.

Wiremovementagainsttowpin.

Wireleadingoversteelworkonshipsquarter.

Sternrollernotrotatingfreely.

Often, rotational force is unknowingly stored in wire rope as it returns to the vessel drum. As wire rope is
payingoutfromawinchwherethewirehasbeenstoredunderrotationalforcearopewillneedtorotateto
relievethisstoredtorsion.

Storedtorsionmustbewellunderstoodpriortothenextwirehandlingoperationtoavoidriskofpersonnel
safety and equipment damage. Between connections, where possible, a friction swivel is incorporated to
allowforcontrolledtorsionreleasewhenwiretensionisdropped.

Appreciate water depth for wire handling operations, shallow depths often restrict freedom of
rotation.

Relievestoredenergy/torsionbyrunningoutwireindeepwatertoallowfreecontrolledrotation.

Maintainconstanttensionthroughoutoperationiftensionisrequiredandallowwiretorotatefreely
inacontrolledmanneruponcompletionofhandlingthroughswivel.

Alignvesselaxiswiththeropeaxiswherepossible.

Releasetension/loadcarefully,avoidsuddendropsintension.

Appreciatethewirelengthbeingsubjectedtorotationalforceandtheaccumulationoftheseforces.At
somepointwireresistancetotorsionwillbeovercomewithdamageoccurring.Historicallythistypeof
wirefailurehasoccurredaroundthe800m1200mmark.

Duringwireropehandling,ifrotationforceisobservedorexpectedduetofleetangleworked,ensure
thistorsionisremovedpriortothenexthandlingoperation.