Failure analysis of steel wire rope used in overhead crane system

• Published in: Engineering failure analysis 2020-12, Vol.118, p.104893, Article 104893
• Main Authors: Guerra-Fuentes, L., Torres-López, M., Hernandez-Rodriguez, M.A.L., Garcia-Sanchez, E.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Damage; Failure analysis; Steel; Wire rope
• ISSN: 1350-6307; 1873-1961
• DOI: 10.1016/j.engfailanal.2020.104893

•A steel wire rope failed while lifted an industrial paper roll of 10 tons.•The failure mechanism started with a wear-deformation of the outer wires.•Deterioration in the core was accelerated by the degradation of the lubricant used. After 53 days of service of a steel wire rope in a 12-ton overhead crane system a catastrophic failure has occurred during operation. The wire rope was inspected and sectioned in both sides of the failure. To determine the reason of the failure, samples from the damaged rope were analyzed using visual inspection, stereoscopic analysis, scanning electron microscopy and microhardness tests. Information was collected from worksheets to correlate operation conditions and possible failure causes. After first inspections of the failure zones in the steel wire rope, damage was apparently not caused by fatigue. After stereoscopic and microscopic observations, a mechanism of failure was determinate and proposed. In the initial stage, there was a localized plastic deformation and wear of individual wires accelerating stress concentration and finally fatigue. All these events were correlated with the hoist system operation and installation conditions.