MARLOW ROPES DEFINITIVE ROPE GUIDE, ISSUE 8

GRAND PRIX SERIES

These graphs show the relative elongation of Dyneema ® SK78 and SK99 to Vectran ® and Zylon ® (PBO). When elongation is measured as a % of break load (fig. 4), it is shown that whilst Zylon ® offers the lowest elongation followed by Dyneema ® in D12 Max and then D12, there is no differential between SK78 and SK99. However, when elongation is measured at a given load (for example 4,000kg), which is more relevant to specifying rope for on board applications (fig.5), it can be seen that the advantages of SK99 over SK78 in terms of elongation are clear. This is because the rope is working at a lower percentage of the its break load. However, as Dyneema ® exhibits creep, it is important to understand how this affects Dyneema’s elongation characteristics. MATERIAL ELONGATION COMPARISON GRAPHS

LOAD EXTENSION (%/%) - FIG. 4

• Initial loading will result in elastic extension. This is immediate upon loading and is immediately recoverable upon release of the load (elastic contraction) • After the elastic extension of the initial loading, the rope will experience what is known as viscoelastic extension. This is further extension over time and is fairly limited. Unlike elastic stretch that is immediately recoverable, viscoelastic stretch will recover slowly over time once the load is released. • Finally there is creep, which is permanent, non- recoverable and time dependent. Creep occurs at the yarn molecular level when the rope is under constant load. • Once the load is released and elastic and viscoelastic extension recovered, the rope will ultimately have experienced an element of permanent extension. This is a factor of both creep and “bedding in” which is when individual fibre components in the rope and / or splice settle into their preferred position when under load. Vectran ® and Zylon ® (PBO) exhibit virtually zero creep and Zylon also has lower elastic elongation than Dyneema ® .

100

90

80

70

D12 (SK78 & SK99) D12 MAX (SK78 & SK99) V12 (VECTRAN) Z12 (HM PBO)

60

50

D12 MAX DM20

40

LOAD (% OF ABI)

30

20

10

The extension over time graph (Fig. 6) shows how Dyneema ® ropes behave over a period of time.

0

3.5

4

4.5

0

0.5

1

1.5

2

2.5

3

ELONGATION (%)

LOAD EXTENSION OF 9 mm CORES (%/ kg ) - FIG. 5

EXTENSION OVER TIME GRAPH - FIG. 6

14000

12000

EXTENSION DUE TO CREEP

10000

VISCO-ELASTIC EXTENSION

LOAD (kg )

8000

ELASTIC CONTRACTION

6000

D12 MAX SK99 V12 (VECTRAN) Z12 (HM PBO) D12 SK99 D12 SK78 D12 MAX SK78 D12 MAX DM20

EXTENSION (%)

ELASTIC EXTENSION

4000

VISCO-ELASTIC CONTRACTION

2000

PERMENENT EXTENSION

0

3.5

4

4.5

0

0.5

1

1.5

2

2.5

3

SK75

SK99

TIME (MINUTES)

SK78

ELONGATION (%)

9