Experimental study on fatigue behaviour of wire ropes

This study was planned to verify the usefulness of the Latin Square Design Method in the fatigue tests of cables and to evaluate the axial fatigue behaviour of wire ropes being used as hangers in suspension bridges. Three parameters, mean stress, stress range, and specimen length, were adopted for verification. The effects of these parameters are in dispute with the exception of stress range. These three chosen parameters were proven to be significant. The effect of the stress range met with our expectations, but the effect of specimen length was contrary to what was expected. It was also observed that the effect of mean stress depended upon its chosen level. Therefore, the Latin Square Design Method is effective for verifying the parameters that affect fatigue behaviour under orthogonality conditions.