GTC 5061
Cyclic Load Testing at Sea-Wave Frequency of Continuously
Wetted Man-Made Fibre Rope
by H. Crawford and L.M. McTernan, Natl. Engineering Laboratory
IBRITISH CROWN COPYRIGHT
ABSTRACT
Following previous work in comparing the cyclic
endurance performance of continuously wetted man-made
fibre ropes at very low cyclic frequencies, a similar
study has been initiated to evaluate cyclic endurance
at sea wave frequency of 0.16 Hz (6 second period).
Thus far, ropes in nylon 6 fibres have been tested
and exhibit the expected loss in performance at the
higher frequency rate when identical ropes are compared
However, ropes produced from filaments with resistant
finish (so-called "superfinished" filaments) have con-
siderably better endurance performance than those of
otherwise similar ropes without the resistant finish.
Attention is drawn to the probable ineffectiveness
of cyclic testing of man-made fibre ropes at high
cyclic load levels as a guide to their performance in
normal random low cyclic load usage. The results of
tests on ropes made from filaments with resistant
finishes show their performance at high cyclic loads
to be little improved on their non-resistant finished
counterparts, but at low cyclic loads the improvement
in endurance performance is very large indeed.
The results and performance trends will interest
designers and users of mooring systems.
INTRODUCTION
The work presented here is part of a sea-wave fre-
quency study of various rope constructions and
materials, with the major purpose of providing mooring
systems engineers with the data necessary to design
underwater tethers in man-made fibres.
Results have previously been published 1 showing
the endurance behaviour of man-made fibre ropes tested
at low cyclic speeds under continuously wetted condi-
tions. The previous work was largely carried out at
periods of greater than 60 seconds, in order to simu-
late the operation of tethered systems of wave energy
extraction devices. It was considered a logical
development to continue that work at sea wave fre-
quency, hence identical and similar ropes have been
tested at 0.16 Hz (6 second period) in order to
determine rope deterioration at this more generally
~xperienced frequency.
375
The range of ropes intended for this study is
large, and the type of investigation is necessarily
very time consuming, so that it is expected that
several years will pass in covering the projected pro-
gramme. However, results from the ropes investigated
so far have shown such an interesting trend that it waE
felt important to report on these.
TEST PROGRAMME
The major thrust of this programme is to establish
plots of cyclic force vs cycles to failure <Sc/Nf)
for the various rope constructions and materials whilst
operating at 0.16 Hz in continuously wetted conditions.
Co-incident with this it is useful to investigate rope
core temperature and hysteresis effects.
Because the chosen running condition is continu-
ous wet cycling, as for fully submerged tethers at sea,
it has been deemed that fresh water is acceptable as
the wetting medium. Other studies 2 ,3 have dealt
with the effects of wet-dry running of hawser ropes and
it is not intended that NEL include this in the current
test programme.
The ropes tested to date are of eight strand
(square) construction in nylon 6 material, sizes No 3t
and No 9. The No 9 rope was identical to that previ-
ously reported l (from the same batch) and thus
provides a direct comparison of performance deteriora-
tion at the higher cyclic frequency. On the other
hand, the No 3t rope specimens were prepared from a ne~
batch of nylon 6 rope constructed from filaments with
one of the recently introduced resistant finishes.
This series of tests dramatically demonstrates the
improvement in cyclic loading performance possible witb
ropes made from the so-called "superfinished"
filaments. The results include plots for both the
No 3t and No 9 ropes, also information on the No 9 ropE
core temperature increase related to cyclic load and
number of cycles. Hysteresis data are also included
for the No 9 rope.
Some subsidiary testing was considered useful in
the programme, hence the reader will find information
on dry cyclic performance of No 9 rope in nylon 6
material, also rope core temperature increase data for
size No 10 staple-spun polypropylene 8 strand (square)
rope running at various cyclic loads and frequencies.
 OFFSHORE MOORING LINES AND SUPPORT VESSELS CYCLIC LOAD TESTING AT SEA
2 WAVE FREOUENCY OF CONTINUOUSLY WETTED MAN-MADE FIBRE ROPES
TEST SPECIMENS
All test specimens are of the single-leg
configuration shown in Fig. 1. The dimensions shown
permit an undisturbed specimen length of at least 50
diameters for the range of ropes to be studied.
The No 9 nylon 6 test ropes were taken from a
batch supplied complete with urethane coated eye
splices, whilst the No 3t nylon 6 test specimens were
made up by NEL staff from the supplied rope, fashioned
from filaments with resistant finish to the manufac-
turers code (L875). The No 3t ropes were not fitted
with bollard protection of any kind.
Procedures for measurement of specimen length, '
mass, circumference and lay were those established in
ISO 2307.
TEST EQUIPMENT
The NEL designed 1.2 MN (120 tonf) long stroke
test machine has been described in detail in a pre-
vious paper 1 , hence only basic data need be given
here. Fig. 2 shows the machine operating on the No 9
nylon 6 test series. The near-end of the machine is
equipped with a 1 MN (100 tonf) hydraulic actuator of
0.92 m (36 in) stroke and supplied from the general
service ring main of 1865 kW (~50Q HP) operating at
206 bar (3000 Ibf/in 2 ). The far-end of the
machine houses the 1.2 MN (120 tonf) capacity recircu-
lating ball-screw assembly of 2.5 m (8.2 ft) stroke.
Specimens of 4.25 m (14 ft) to 7 m (23 ft) length can
be accommodated dependent on rope extensibility, and
the machine can be operated in cyclic mode over the
full 0.92 m (36 in) hydraulic actuator stroke at
0.16 Hz. Mid-way along the machine can be seen the
rope specimen with water spray gallery installed.
Function, speed and load control are all automatic vi~
load cell and velocity/displacement transducer closed-
loop system.
Smaller ropes, of the order of 100 kN (10 tonf)
breaking force, have been cycled in the quasi-static
facility of the NEL rope impact testing machine. This
155 kJ (114 000 ft Ibf) kinetic energy facility is
shown in Fig. 3. The facility is generally used for
impact testing ropes at up to 17.8 m/s (58.3 ft/s),
through use of a 1000 kg (2200 lb)carriage driven by
60 kN (6 tonf) linear induction motors, and riding
along a 24 m (78 ft) long track on air bearings. The
equipment has a 4 m (13 ft) stroke pretensioning
facility capable of 150 kN (15 tonf) impact force and
had been modified to accommodate the small cyclic rope
test programme by installing a water tank, spray
gallery and water pump. Automatic control of this
machine in cyclic mode is similar to that employed on
the 1.2 MN (120 tonf) test machine above. This
machine is now being withdrawn from cyclic rope
testing and re-dedicated to its primary task of impact
testing of fibre ropes and similar structures.
NEL recently commissioned a 200 kN (20 tonf)
capacity, 1.22 m (48 in) stroke fibre rope test
machine designed for submerged wet rope operation.
The machine, shown in Fig. 4, was intended for testing
the small rope specimen detailed in Fig. 1 and is
controlled in the same way as the 1.2 MN (120 tonf)
machine. This equipment has been employed on testing
of the No 3t nylon 6 ropes at 0.16 Hz.
376
OTC 5061
The Laboratory is also bUiid~ng a 750 kN
(75 tonf) capacity, 0.5 m (20 in) stroke test machine
for submerged wet cyclic testing of high modulus rope
structures, such as parallel laid ropes in nylon,
polyester and Kevlar. This machine is designed for
full stroke speeds of 0.16 Hz on specimen lengths of
4.5 m (14.7 ft) and will be in operation in March
1985. Control of this new machine will be the same as
for the above described equipment.
TEST RESULTS
All wet cyclic tests were carried out following
total immersion of the rope specimens in fresh water
for at least 24 hours. Cyclic testing with water
spray or total immersion was in progress within 15
minutes of the rope's removal from the trough.
The cyclic tests were conducted in tension-
tension with reversal at low force, of the order of 1
per cent of rope breaking force.
Treating the No 9 nylon 6 rope first, the
specimen, test conditions and the test results are
as follows:
Test Series: a
Size: No 9
Material: Nylon 6
Construction: 8 strand
Maker's rated minimum
breaking force dry: 882 kN (88.5 tonf)
Test wet break force
(average of 3): 733.3 kN (73.6 tonf)
Bollard diameter: 150 mm
Water spray: 21 l/min/m length
Cycle period: 6 seconds
Eye protection: urethane, no thimble
Force range % 1.4-47 1.4-28 1.4-19
Cycles to fail 370 2280 10 000
In each case the failure occurred at the tangent
of bollard and eye but considerable damage was evident
throughout the rope from interstrand interaction. The
Sc/Nf curve is as shown in Fig. 5, but this is
probably more meaningful when compared with test
results for series R (of identical material and batch)
presented in a previous paper 1 , as seen in Fig. 6.
Test series R was conducted at a cyclic period of
approximately 200 seconds, and comparison with series
'a' at 6 second period shows the expected shift to the
left for the high frequency tests. The curve for the
previously reported1 series E tests on No 9 nylon
6.6 rope is included in Fig. 6, for interest. It
should be noted that series E tests were conducted at
approximately 180 second period.
Hysteresis loops are shown for the various cyclic
force levels of 1.4 to 47 per cent, 1.4 to 28 per
cent, 1.4 to 19 per cent and these are represented in
Figs 7-9. For reasons of personnel and equipment
safety, it was deemed wise to record this data over
OTC 5061 H. CRAWFORD & L.M. McTERNAN
the the total rope length, pin centre to pin centre,
and operating the X-Y plotter from the machine linear
velocity displacement transducer (LVDT). This facili-
tates the recording of hysteresis throughout the
history of the rope, up to the point of failure, but
introduces the problem of the plot abscissa being
measured in metres instead of the more usual
percentage extension.
Comparative temperature curves for the three
cyclic loading conditions are presented in Fig. 10, as
is also the first 40 minutes of the curve for dry
cyclic running of a No 9 nylon 6 rope at 1.4 to 19 per
cent (see Fig. 16 for trace to 120 min).
In each case four thermocouples were inserted
into the core of the rope (see Fig. 1) and the average
temperature calculated. The small apparent discre-
pancy between the wet running plots of 1.4 to 19 per
cent and 1.4 to 28 per cent is difficult to understand,
and is only partly explained by the slightly higher
ambient laboratory temperature (18C against 16C) for
the former tests.
3
L875 resistant finish) did not reveal the nature of
the coating.
It was thought useful to carry out a few endurancE
tests on No 9 nylon 6 rope in the dry condition at 0.11
Hz for comparison with the wet rope results. The
cyclic force level chosen for the first specimen was
unfortunate at 1.4 to 19 per cent because the specimen
was unbroken after some 1.6 x 10 6 cycles, which is
160 times the cycles to failure of its wet counterpart
(see Fig. 6). We intend running this test to failure
for academic interest. Fig. 14 shows the condition of
the rope at the bollard after 1.5 x 10 6 cycles.
Employing the same thermocouple system described
above it was observed that the core temperature of the
dry rope reached 103C after 2 hours of cyclic running
and continued to rise at a reduced rate until attainin~
120C at 9 hours running, then steadily declined. At
1.2 x 10 6 cycles the core temperature was 70C.
The gradient over the first two hours is seen in Fig.
15 and the general temperature behaviour should be com-
pared with the hysteresis curves shown in Fig. 16.

Considering now the No 31 nylon 6 rope; the Fig. 17 records the temperature increase curves
specimens, test conditions and test results are as for No 10 polypropylene staple spun rope running dry
follows: at various cyclic speeds over two load ranges, 1.4 to
20 per cent and 1.4 to 40 per cent.
Test Series: b
CONCLUSIONS
Size: No 31
Material: Nylon 6 with resistant finish Concurring with the observations of other
L875 researchers 4 ,5 it was to be expected that increase
Construction: 8 strand in cyclic loading frequency,. all other factors being
Maker's rated m~n~mum equal, would lead to more rapid interstrand interaction
breaking force dry: 155 kN (15.6 tonf) damage and hysteresis heating - hence more rapid deter-
Test wet break force: 153.3 kN (15.39 tonf) average ioration of a given rope. This is borne out by the
of 3 - minimum recorded was results shown in Fig. 6 where continuously wetted No 9
146.6 kN (14.72 tonf) nylon 6 ropes from the same batch are compared at 200
Bollard diameter: 100 mm second period (series R) and 6 second period (series
Water application: total immersion 'a'). It should be noted, however, that all of the
Cycle period: 6 seconds failures in this series occurred at the tangent of the
Eye protection: None bollard and rope eye and that no thermocouples had been
inserted at this position.

Force range % 1.4-47 1.4-38 1.4-28 1.4-19
Cycles to fail 1550 4200 15 470 713 290
Failure in each case occurred 100-150 mm from the
end of the splice.
The Sc/Nf curve is as shown in Fig. 11,
and a comparison with earlier results 1 for
series P ropes in No 3t nylon 6 (without resistant
finish) and series F ropes in No 31 nylon 6.6
(without resistant finish) is given in Fig. 12.
Clearly seen from Fig. 12 is the considerable
improvement in cyclic endurance of the series 'b' rope
with L875 resistant finish: not only is the curve mark-
edly to the right of ropes without resistant finish but
it is apparently asymptotic at around 19 per cent of
the control breaking force. Fig. 13 is a comparison
of force/extension curves for the series 'b' No 31 rope
and the previously reported 1 series R No 9 rope.
Microscopic study of the fibres in rope 'a'
(without resistant finish) and those in rope 'b' (with
Study of Fig. 10 and the temperature increase
curve for the 1.4 to 47 per cent cyclic loading
condition indicates that the specimen did not achieve
equilibrium temperature: it is reasonable to conclude
that the local temperature increase in the eye splice
limbs was somewhat greater due to the considerable
bollard abrasion. The other wetted specimens, 1.4 to
19 per cent and 1.4 to 28 per cent, which did reach
equilibrium temperature, also failed due to bollard
abrasion.
This study draws particular attention to the
effect on wetted cyclic endurance of ropes from
filaments with resistant finish. The No 3t nylon 6
rope produced from the coded L875 filaments showed a
remarkable improvement over its non-resistant finished
predecessor; approximately 60 times the cycles to
failure at 1.4 to 19 per cent cyclic running, see Fig.
12. In addition, the cyclic endurance curve appears
to be asymptotic at 19 per cent of control breaking
force, whereas the non-resistant finish rope was
asymptotic at 5 per cent. Fig. 13 shows the resistant
finished filament rope to have lower extension/
load characteristic but it is felt this was not a
major contributing factor in the improved endurance.

377
 OFFSHORE MOORING LINES AND SUPPORT VESSELS CYCLIC LOAD TESTING AT SEA
4 WAVE FREQUENCY OF CONTINUOUS
It should be remembered, however, that all of the
cyclic running was under continuous wetting with fresh
water. At no time did any of the ropes dry out. Wet
ropes (particularly with salt water) that are allowed
to dry out on cyclic running can be expected to
perform differently. Similarly, we have no measure,
as yet, of the continuous wetted cyclic performance of
such a resistant finished filament rope when abrasive
agents are introduced.
Other filaments with resistant finish remain to
be teated in full scale ropes. In another paper6
to be presented at OTC 85, it will be shown from yarn
tests that some of these finishes are superior to L875
under continuously wetted cyclic running.
Further work included in the NEL programme is the
requirement to study the effect that similar resistant
finishes have on polyester rope.
Study of Fig. 12 also raises a cautionary note.
In our previous workl , now reinforced by this
paper, it is seen to be inadvisable to extrapolate the
probable long-term low cyclic force endurance of ropes
from any comparative tests carried out at high cyclic
forces. There is a growing trend by major fibre rope
users toward testing at cyclic forces in excess of 50
per cent of new rope breaking force as a guide to
acceptability for long-term moorings or tethers. The
work at NEL, past and present, is showing that ropes
of similar basic fibre, but different construction and
finish, may indicate an order of preference when
tested above 50 per cent cyclic loading which is
completely reveraed at cyclic loadings below 30 per
cent.
WETTED MAN-MADE FIBRE ROPES OTC 5
ACXNOWLEDGEMRNT
This paper is presented by permission of the
Director, National Engineering Laboratory, UX
Department of Trade and Industry. It is British Crowr
copyright. The work was supported by the Mechanical
and Electrical Engineering Requirements Board of the
Department of Trade and Industry.
REFERENCES
1 Crawford, H. and McTernan, L.M.: Cyclic
Testing of Continuously Wetted Synthetic Fibre Ropes,
1983 Offshore Technology Conference, Houston, TX,
Paper OTC 4635 (May 1983).
2 Werth, J.: An Evaluation of Materiala and Rope
Construction for Mooring Hawser Design, 1980 Offshore
Technology Conference, Houston, TX, Paper OTC 3851
(May 1980).
3 Flory, J.F.: New and Used Strength of Large
Marine Hawsers, 1982 Offshore Technology Conference,
Houston, TX, Paper OTC 4304 (May 1982).
4 Leeuwen, J.H.V.: Dynamic Behaviour of Synthetic
Ropes, 1981 Offshore Technology Conference, Houston,
TX, Paper OTC 4003 (Msy 1981).
5 Parsey, M.R.: The Fatigue Resistance and
Hysteresis of Man-made Fibre Ropes, Offshore Europe
83 Conference, Aberdeen, Paper SPE 11908/11 (Septembex
1983).
6 Parsey, M.R., Street, A. and Banfield, S.J.:
Dynamic Behaviour of Marine Hawsers, 1985 Offshore
Technology Conference, Houston, TX, Paper OTC 5009
(May 1985).

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Fig. lTest specimens.

Fig. 2Nel 1.2-inn fibre rope test machine.

Fig. 4Nel 200.kN fibre rope test machine.

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Fig. 9Hysteresis loops for No. 9 nylon 6 rope cycling to 190/n.
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Fig. I&Bollard abradon damage on No. 9 nylon 6 rope after 1.5x TOGcycles dry.

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Fig. 16Hysteresis looPs for No. 9 nylon 6 rope cycling dry to 190/0.