PRELIMINARY ASSESSMENT OF THE CHANGE IN THE MECHANICAL BEHAVIOR OF SYNTHETIC YARNS SUBMITTED TO CONSECUTIVE STIFFNESS TESTS

Abstract

Anchoring systems of offshore platforms are designed to work uninterruptedly for 20 to 30 years, and despite the increasing number of studies concerning these systems’ mechanical behavior in working conditions, most of them are conducted in speeding environments, due to the necessity of results in the short term. There are standardized stiffness tests, such as ISO 18692, based on quantities like Dynamic Stiffness and Quasi-static Stiffness, through which one can compare, quantitatively, two different ropes. However, there is a lack of research aiming to assess the change in the mechanical behavior of these ropes after certain number of consecutive loading cycles (or stiffness tests). This study aims to assess, at the yarn level, the change in the quasi-static and dynamic stiffness parameters of two materials when submitted to repeated stiffness tests. Results in terms of qualitative assessment of the mechanical behavior, as well as quantitative changes in the parameters are presented.