What's Next?

The most immediate task is to test the modified 3mm compression fittings to see if the addition of a second slot to the cone improves performance as is thought. As part of this investigation a special test rig will be constructed to carry out a program of experiments into the forces required to deform different cone designs.

6mm cable from the same batch as used during previous tests will be pull tested with spelter sockets or around drums to get a true breaking load. This will allow the degree of weakening due to the fittings to be calculated.

A set of swaging dies will be fabricated to allow an investigation of the forces involved in the swaging process. Comparisons can then be made between the static stress due to a swage fitting and that due to a compression fitting. The dies will also be used to swage wires into special short studs. Analysis of the pattern of the cable pulling out will give some insight into the cohesion between the outer wires and the swage material.

Electron micrographs will be taken of swage fittings before and after testing to investigate diffusion between the wires and the swage material and to investigate the mechanism by which slip is arrested under high loads.

The next milestone for the project is to use the new Lloyds 10kN Servo-Pnumatic fatigue testing machine to fatigue test swage and compression fittings to see which performs better and why.

The findings of the investigations into swage and compression fittings will form the basis of a paper to be submitted for publication.