Effect of friction on the mechanical behavior of wire rope with hierarchical helical structures

The effect of friction on the mechanical behavior of wire rope with hierarchical helical structures under tensile and bending loads is studied. A typical 7x7 wire rope with an independent wire rope core is considered. It is assumed that friction only occurs between adjacent helical wires in the core strand, and between the core wire and the double-helix wires in the outer strands. Based on Love's thin rod theory, the mechanical responses of the rope under tensile and bending loads are analyzed, as well as the contact force. The effects of the chirality of rope and the initial helix angle of the wire on the distribution of the contact force are analyzed. It is shown that the effect of the chirality on the contact force of wires and stresses in the rope is insignificant. The global stiffness of the rope can be enhanced by the friction effect. The contact force of wires changes periodically with the winding angle of the centerline around the axis of the strand. The current model provides an effective method to assess the local deformation and stresses of the wire rope with consideration of the inter-wire friction.