Why HMPE Ropes Should be Considered in Offshore Use as well as Towing and Mooring Applications

Jon Miller, Application Engineer, Samson Rope John Morton, Sales Director, Pacific Rim, Samson Rope Justin Gilmore, Technical Manager, Samson Rope Chia-Te (Rafael) Chou, Vice President R&D, Samson Rope Abstract High Modulus PolyEthylene (HMPE) fiber ropes replace wire cables in many working line application because of the following three main core benefits: 1. Safer to use due to their high strength and light weight 2. The most cost effective lines to purchase due to lower labor requirements, decreased towing times, and longer rope life 3. Provide superior towing performance high strength to diameter ratio and superior winch performance. This paper compares the differences between wire and HMPE rope in both physical properties and working practice. We will analyze the advantage, considerations and long term behavior of HMPE lines, including impact of abrasion, twist, drum compression and other possible variables affecting rope performance and life. Options for protecting the rope from chafe will also be surveyed. Introduction Since HMPE ropes were first introduced into the market, its usage has become widespread in many applications. HMPE ropes have not only replaced wire ropes, but have also replaced many traditional fiber ropes. The main reasons for this have been safety and long term cost savings. Although the initial cost of using HMPE is higher, the long term savings on maintenance, environmental costs, and safety make HMPE a worthwhile investment. HMPE offers many advantages; such as, light weight, high strength, floats, excellent abrasion resistance, and resistance to UV. HMPE ropes are also destined to find a home in the ever growing offshore market. As exploration continues to move into deeper water, the need for strong, light weight ropes is inevitable. HMPE rope is an excellent choice for most applications within the offshore market. The characteristics of HMPE ropes make it a logical alternative in offshore mooring, towing, and lifting applications. In this paper we will discuss the physical properties of HMPE and wire, and the usage behavior of HMPE lines. HMPE vs Wire Rope Diameter for diameter, HMPE can provide comparable strength and elongation characteristics but with a better strength to weight ratio than wire rope. A comparison of 3 HMPE lines and 6x36 wire rope is shown in table 1.

Table 1. Strength and size comparison of 68mm diameter wire rope and HMPE lines Weight MBS Breaking Breaking length (kg/100m) (tons) Length compared to wire rope AmSteel Blue 333 300 90,090 5.74 Neutron 8 253 358 107,508 6.85 Quantum 8 259 237 71,171 4.53 6x36 IWRC XIP [1] 2,083 327 15,698 1 HMPE lines typically break around 3% elongation, very comparable to the extension characteristics of wire rope.

Tension-tension fatigue
10,000,000 1,000,000
Cycles to failure

100,000 10,000 1,000 100 10 1

Wire Dyneema

20

40

60

80

100

Peak Load [%MBL]

Figure 1. Tension-tension fatigue of Dyneema and Wire Ropes. With significant weight advantage while maintaining comparable strength and elongation as compared to wire, HMPE ropes show superior tension-tension fatigue characteristics. Tension-tension fatigue is the mechanical break down of a material due to repetitive loading, which is common in many applications. Figure 1 compares the tension-tension fatigue of wire and synthetic ropes, illustrating significant advantage of HMPE ropes over wire. Abrasion resistance is another critical attribute sought by most users. HMPE rope has outstanding resistance to both external and internal abrasion. HMPE ropes are typically more susceptible to cutting and crushing than wire rope; however, in similar applications in which normal wear is experienced, HMPE ropes have proven to outlast wire ropes.

We have examined the wear characteristics of HMPE ropes and concluded that abrasion was the dominant factor contributing to strength loss in working lines[2]. To further understand the relationship between surface roughness and abrasion wear of synthetic fiber ropes, we wore HMPE ropes on various roughness surfaces. Metal surfaces with different degree of roughness were used, as shown in Figure 2. The results are presented in Figure 3, showing the importance of a smooth surface in reducing rope wear.

I Figure 2. Various roughness metal surfaces for testing abrasion resistance of HMPE ropes

Figure 3. Remaining fiber as a percent after 5000 cycles with various roughness bar halves.

Figure 4. Abrasion noted after 5000 cycles on smooth surface (~32 roughness)

Beside the hardware surface conditions, it is important to consider the amount of fiber in the rope as this will significantly impact abrasion resistance of the rope. Figure 5 compares the strength, weight, and abrasion of 1 inch diameter HMPE rope with different fiber contents. Though Rope 1 has only 2% more weight per unit lengths, it survived 46% more abrasion cycles in laboratory testing.

COMPARISON OF HMPE ROPE CONSTRUCTIONS 150% 125% 100% 75% 50% 25% 0%
Strength

HMPE Rope 1 HMPE Rope 2

Weight

Abrasion

Figure 5. Comparison of HMPE Rope with different fiber contents.

Deck Hardware Not only the surface condition and fiber content affect the rope abrasion, the choice of chock also plays a role. Field experience has shown that typically synthetic rope performs better on a closed panama chock than on a roller chock. Theoretically roller chocks would be advantageous. However, in practice, even with a good preventative

maintenance program where they are serviced monthly; many roller chocks seize up and are no longer roll freely because of the tough marine environment. General Guides To Reduce Abrasion Of Synthetic Lines Synthetic rope provides some advantages over wire in the way it interfaces with deck equipment. Wire rope will eventually cut through the deck hardware and expose the core subjecting it to rust and other damage. The sharp edges created by the metal on metal contact can damage synthetic ropes as well as personal injury. While synthetic rope will not cause these negative effects, should the end user want to convert the vessel from wire to synthetic rope, surface preparation may be needed prior to installing synthetic rope. Samson recommends the surface of the hardware be prepared to at least a 300 micro-inch finish. In general, synthetic rope abrades quite easily making abrasion protection required prevent premature wear. There are several options available including those made from HMPE, Polyester, and Nylon. These may also provide the benefits of protecting the line from heat damage. A summary of chafe protection options are listed in table 2.

Table 2. Chafe options offered by Samson.

Item Description Application Pros and Cons
Moderate cost Moderate durability Fixed to rope or hardware Install pre-splicing

Image

ProMoor

Sewn Woven HMPE

Working lines body

ProGard

Velcro Woven HMPE

Working lines eye or body

Moderate cost Moderate durability Easy to install on spliced rope

Dynalene

32 strand braided Chafe sleeve

Tug/Mooring eye and body

Higher cost Better durability Fixed to rope Install during splicing

DC Gard

32 strand braided jacket (trawlsteel construction)

Tug--body up to apex of eye

Highest cost Best durability Fixed to rope or hardware Install during splicing

Inverted firehose

inverted hose-Rubber and polyester or nylon fiber

Mooring lines body

Low cost Good durability Fix to hardware Install pre-splicing

Cordura

Nylon

Mooring lines eye

Lowest cost Least durable Fix to rope Install pre-splicing

Some Other Considerations Using A Synthetic Rope In using synthetic ropes on a winch, there are many things to consider including the ropes coefficient of friction (COF) and how the line stacks on the drum. The COF is important especially when used on a split drum winch system because it impacts the number of wraps needed to prevent slippage from the working side to the storage side of the drum and the subsequent compression and damage to the line. With any HMPE line, at least 8 wraps are recommended on the working side of the drum. In addition, the flange between the working and storage side of the drum should have fairings that are rounded to prevent acute bending[3].

When installing the line on the winch it is also necessary to apply adequate back tension (100-200lbs) so that the line stacks properly on the drum. This will aid in preventing the line from diving or knifingthat is passing from the outermost layer of the drum between underlying layers, thus causing compression and cutting damage to the lower rope layers. For this reason, some prefer to use jacketed ropes as they tend to stack more neatly on the drum. The forces from diving can become great enough to force the flanges to bow outward. Drum compression can cause strength reduction in the line strength depending on the extent of the damage [4]. In some applications it is desirable to have a torque-balanced construction. This is available in wire rope, however torque balanced wire is not balanced over the full spectrum of loads. Synthetic ropes are torque balanced because they have an equal number of S and Z direction strands. Only a 3, 4, or 6 strand synthetic rope are not torque-balanced constructions. In torque-balanced constructions, twisting the rope will reduce strength by as much as 30% depending on the amount of twist in the line [3]. If used properly by reducing twist and minimizing abrasion, HMPE lines can provide up to double the service life of wire ropes. We have seen lines on two vessels in the 124 DWT range with very good service life for nearly 10 years [5].

Line Selection Not all HMPE ropes are the same. There are several options of HMPE available in market place, including both generation one and generation 2 products. Data comparing major HMPE fibers in bending, tension-tension fatigue, strength, and abrasion are available. It is important to consider which fiber and the amount of fiber in the rope as this will impact the cost and the abrasion characteristics of the rope. It is also critically important to select the proper rope for the application. Some applications are better suited for 8-strand (such as working on H-bitts) and others are better matched to a jacketed or 12 strand line (such as working from a winch).

Conclusions HMPE lines have the following significant advantage over wire: 1. Faster docking and undocking times 2. Fewer injuries/increased safety 3. Reduced maintenance 4. More environmentally friendly They can be used in a variety of tug and mooring applications and will provide considerable benefits in terms of reduced overall costs, faster operations, and fewer injuries. Giving proper attention and protection to wear and heat issues with these lines, significant service life can be achieved.

References:
[1] WRCA Wire Rope Corporation of America website http://www.wrca.com/wr_619_636.html [2] Eric McCorkle et. al Abrasion and Residual Strength of Fibre Tuglines ITS 2004 [3] Guidelines on the Use of High-Modulus Synthetic Fibre Ropes as Mooring Lines on Large Tankers. 1st Edition, OCIMF, 2002 [4] Phil Roberts et. al Residual Strength Testing of Dyneema Fiber Tuglines ITS 2004 [5] Chevron Altair Voyager and CANSHIP Kometic case histories.

WRCA Wire Rope Corporation of America website http://www.wrca.com/wr_619_636.html Eric McCorkle et. al Abrasion and Residual Strength of Fibre Tuglines ITS 2004 3 Guidelines on the Use of High-Modulus Synthetic Fibre Ropes as Mooring Lines on Large Tankers. 1st Edition, OCIMF, 2002 4 Phil Roberts et. al Residual Strength Testing of Dyneema Fiber Tuglines ITS 2002 5 Chevron Altair Voyager and CANSHIP Kometic case histories.
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