1. DRY TREATMENT STANDARD
Short overview:
Suitable test for water spraying was agreed – so called “Run off table test“
Decision that worn ropes must be tested
New method for rope wearing was agreed
Degree of wearing will be shown
The whole testing method will be shown

2. Computer connected balance 30° inclined zinc surface table
RUN OFF TABLE TEST
Previous method
Weighing plate
Computer connected balance
Water column
Aspersion pipe made with 10 x 0,5 mm holes
30° inclined zinc surface table
80 cm rope sample

3. RUN OFF TABLE TEST Simplified method
For the reason of simplifying for other labs the test method was modified:
Flow meter is used – easy adjust water flow
Only plastic pipeline 16x22 is used, no additional devices
Sample must be fixed in 3 points
Pipeline 16x22
Sample 0,5 m
3 points fixation

4. The rope sample is fixed in the angle of 30° on the inclined zinc plate and the water pipeline too.
It is not necessary to have the same shape as on the picture but angles must be the same.
30°
Pipeline
Sample

5. The orifice of the pipeline is fixed parallel with the rope end in the distance of 10 mm

6. End of rope must be cut with hot knife and welded well

7. Drainage – previous method
Step 1: We put the rope on a hard clean horizontal surface.
Step 2: One extremity is maintained on the surface while the other is raised until the rope forms a 45°angle with the surface.
Step 3: Then we let it fall without initial speed.
Step 4: Turning the rope of 45°around the rope axe
We repeat steps 1 to 4 two times for each extremity moving the rope to a new clean area between two releases.
45°
Drainage – previous method
For the drainage we adapted for ropes the AATCC drainage method:

8. Drainage – modified method
Fix by fingers one end of the rope to the plate and put the rope in horizontal position forming an angle of 30° with the plate
Release it and let it fall by gravity
Turn the rope by 45° around the rope axe and repeat steps 1 and 2
Turn the rope by 45°again and repeat steps 1 and 2 (thus 3 releases were made)
Then fix by fingers the other end of the rope to the plate and repeat steps 1 to 4.
At each step move the rope to a clean area.

9. Modified device for sheath slippage, here used for rope abrasion
WEARING OF ROPE SAMPLE
Modified device for sheath slippage, here used for rope abrasion
5kg
5 kg

10. for testing sheath slippage
Classical profile
for testing sheath slippage
The same piece with hexagonal hole for the zinc surface nut M14, steel 8.8, according ISO 4032

11. These parts (3 pcs of each) are necessary for the testing device
because of thickness of the M14 nut

12. Comparison of the sheath abrasion depending on used cycles
There are three axis of pulling, the wearing is good around the whole perimeter
For sure 30 cycles represents “a few days“ of climbing
10x
20x
30x

13. Water absorption after 15 min of 2l/min water flow with different
level of abrasion
No treatment
Surface treatment
Full treatment
No abrasion
44%
1,6%
0,6%
10 cycles -
2,3%
0,9%
20 cycles
23,7%
1,2%
30 cycles
46,8%
38,7%
We suggest 30 cycles for the standard. In case of full-treatment ropes there is not difference between 20 and 30 cycles. But in case of surface treatment there is still obvious difference and we want to determinate it clearly.

14. In these graphs you can see running of the test:
(Shown on worn ropes only because it is important for us)
Well visible difference between full treatment, sheath treatment and not treated rope in the speed of the curve increasing (speed of water absorption)
This measuring was done with previous Run of table test with on-line connection balance to the computer

15. Whole testing proposal:
Take a 1,5 m of rope sample
Make marks 25 cm from ends
Pull the rope in modified apparatus for the sheath slippage between these marks 30 times (the weight is the same as EN 892 requirement: 3 x 5 kg)
Make new marks 25 cm to the center from previous marks
Cut the rope in new marks with hot knife (In other words: first marks are to control approx. 1m of wearing the rope and second marks are to cut out about 0,5 m worn sample from the middle. The exact length of the rope is not important.)
Weld both ends well by hot knife
Weigh the sample with the accuracy of 0,1 g
Fix the sample on the testing table in three points and control if adhere to the surface well for the whole length. Surface must be clean and dry before testing.
Adjust water flow 2+-0,2 l/min within 15 seconds and start to measure testing time of 15 min
Drainage as described
Points 10 – 11 within 1 minute
Calculate water absorption
Repeat test with 2 more samples
Calculate average value from 3 results in percents with accuracy 0,1 %

16. Final results Total water absorption in ropes after drainage
Water flow
Rope
Full treatment
Sheath treatment
No treatment
2 l/min for 10 minutes
Weight increasing
0,6%
38,7%
46,8% -
3 l/min for 10 minutes
0,9%
4 l/min for 10 minutes
2 l/min for 15 minutes
1,3%
1,2%
2 l/min for 20 minutes
1,4%
Comparison to previous testing with connected balance
Water flow
Rope
Full treatment
Sheath treatment
No treatment
0,25 l/min for 15 minutes but with breaks - 30 min of testing total
Weight increasing
1,2%
39,2%
47,5%

17. Conclusion, Repeatability
Max. difference was 0,1% only in our test for proposed conditions
Water flow
Rope
Full treatment
Sheath treatment
No treatment
2 l/min for 10 minutes
Weight increasing
0,6%
38,7%
46,8% -
3 l/min for 10 minutes
0,9%
4 l/min for 10 minutes
2 l/min for 15 minutes
1,3%
1,2%
2 l/min for 20 minutes
1,4%
We suggest testing conditions 2l/min for 15 minutes. Results with these conditions are similar to previous “Run off table method.
As shown in the table with increasing water flow
the change of water absorption is not so high. The time of the test has bigger influence but after 15 min results converge to the same value.

18. It remains to do: We suggest max. 5%
Define maximal value of water absorption to fulfill that rope is “DRY“ according EN standard
We suggest max. 5%