On Jan 7, 2006, at 6:36 AM, Geoff Eaton : Tenergy wrote:
> My company based in New Zealand is looking at designing a guyed
> tower for
> New Zealand conditions and using Dyneema ropes, with are made from
> "superstrong" polyethylene fibers.
Polyethylene is certainly strong, although a rope capable of holding
4000 lbs would be pretty thick.
One problem with Polyethylene is that it degrades under UV radiation
from the sun. The UV breaks the polymer chains and the rope loses
much strength and becomes brittle. Not the sort of behavior you want
in a guy.
You'd need to protect the rope with an impenetrable UV jacket. And if
the jacket were damaged, you'd risk failure at that point.
Bill Coleman, AA4LR, PP-ASEL Mail: aa4lr@arrl.net
Quote: "Not within a thousand years will man ever fly!"
-- Wilbur Wright, 1901
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