[TowerTalk] Guyed Tower with Dyneema rope guys

[Bill Coleman]

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 at arrl.net
Quote: "Not within a thousand years will man ever fly!"
             -- Wilbur Wright, 1901