Rigging and Operations Guide: Use of Synthetic Ropes as Alternatives to Steel Wire Ropes in Logging Applications Prepared by Mr. Steve Pilkerton, PE Dr. John J. Garland, PE Oregon State University for Oregon Occupational Safety and Health Worksite Redesign Grant Occupational Safety and Health Administration July 2004 Acknowledgements The entire team of researchers working on the Synthetic Rope Research Project would like to thank the Cooperators (loggers and truckers) for their field trials and sharing their ideas in an effort to make their jobs easier. We also thank Samson Rope Technologies, Inc. for their support and cooperation on many parts of the projects. Without funding support from the Oregon Occupational Safety and Health Worksite Redesign Grant Program, we could not have undertaken the project. We thank the many people who have expressed interest in the projects and helped us make the potentials known. TABLE OF CONTENTS Introduction .................................................................................................................................... 1 Straps............................................................................................................................................. 3 End Connectors ............................................................................................................................. 4 Adjustable Line Lengths................................................................................................................ 14 Guylines ........................................................................................................................................ 19 Intermediate Supports and Tail Trees...........................................................................................25 Connections to Winches and Drums............................................................................................. 29 Winch Lines on Skidding Machines .............................................................................................. 33 Chokers......................................................................................................................................... 38 Handling of Synthetic Rope .......................................................................................................... 39 Wear and Damage Evaluations ....................................................................................................42 Splicing Instructions ...................................................................................................................... 55 References.................................................................................................................................... 56 List of Tables and Figures: Figure 1. Potential synthetic rope applications .............................................................................. 2 Figure 2. View of rigged tailtree with synthetic rope ...................................................................... 3 Figure 3. Synthetic rope strap........................................................................................................ 4 Figure 4. Buried eye splice ............................................................................................................ 6 Figure 5. Whoopie sling ................................................................................................................. 7 Figure 6. Long splice taper procedure ...........................................................................................8 Figure 7. Finished long splice (diagram)........................................................................................8 Figure 8. Finished long splice (photo)............................................................................................ 8 Figure 9. Y splice ........................................................................................................................... 9 Figure 10. Wire rope clamps.......................................................................................................... 9 Figure 11. Pinned nubbin construction ......................................................................................... 10 Figure 12. Pinned nubbin ............................................................................................................. 10 Figure 13. Knuckle link.................................................................................................................. 11 Figure 14. Pressed nubbin............................................................................................................ 12 Figure 15. Synthetic rope twister (hand tightening) ...................................................................... 13 Figure 16. Truck wrapper.............................................................................................................. 13 Figure 17. Adjustable guyline extension (slack)............................................................................ 15 Figure 18. Adjustable guyline extension (tightened) ..................................................................... 16 Figure 19. Rigging chain tightening synthetic rope guyline........................................................... 17 Figure 20. Synthetic rope twister (in place)...................................................................................18 Figure 21. Tailtree rigged with synthetic rope ............................................................................... 19 Figure 22. Guyline anchoring........................................................................................................ 20 Figure 23. Securing of guyline end ............................................................................................... 21 Figure 24. Shackle end connection for guyline ............................................................................. 22 Figure 25. Notched guyline stump ................................................................................................ 23 Figure 26. Guyline with fire hose sheathing.................................................................................. 24 Figure 27. Single tree intermediate support (diagram) ................................................................. 26 Figure 28. Rigged intermediate support tree ................................................................................ 27 Figure 29. Intermediate support lift line and stump anchor........................................................... 28 Figure 30. Packed butt splice nubbin............................................................................................ 29 Figure 31. Attaching packed butt splice nubbin to winch drum..................................................... 29 Figure 32. Short buried eye splice connection to winch drum ...................................................... 30 Figure 33. Tension spooling of winch line..................................................................................... 31 Figure 34. Dimensions for spooling capacity equations................................................................ 32 Figure 35. Winch line termination hardware and splice ................................................................ 34 Figure 36. Operator pulling synthetic winch line ........................................................................... 35 Figure 37. New and old winch lines spliced together.................................................................... 36 Figure 38. Repaired synthetic winch line ...................................................................................... 36 Figure 39. Diving of synthetic rope winch line............................................................................... 37 Figure 40. Prototype synthetic choker ..........................................................................................38 Figure 41. Steel rod addition to prototype synthetic choker.......................................................... 39 Figure 42. Synthetic rope guyline coiled for ease of carrying ....................................................... 40 Figure 43. Gradation of synthetic rope color under normal use.................................................... 43 Figure 44. Rope appearance with wear ........................................................................................ 46 Figure 45. Rope appearance with less wear................................................................................. 47 Figure 46. Rope showing accumulation of cut filaments............................................................... 48 Figure 47. Severe abrasion of synthetic rope strand .................................................................... 50 Figure 48. Synthetic guyline with partial cuts in non-adjacent strands ......................................... 51 Figure 49. Pulled yarn in a strand of synthetic rope...................................................................... 52 Figure 50. Fiber set and glazing due to compressive loading....................................................... 53 Figure 51. Photo of pre-existing abrasive surfaces....................................................................... 54 Table 1. Summary of end connectors evaluated ........................................................................... 5 Table 2. Comparison of spool capacity (formula and actual)........................................................ 32 Table 3. Breaking