RR434 - Axial fatigue tests on wire rope slings used for offshore containers
The offshore industry uses a wide variety of containers for the transportation of equipment. These containers are permanently fitted with their own lifting sets. Different offshore sectors use different types of lifting sets. In the UK sector, 5 legged wire rope sling sets are used. However, elsewhere chain lifting sets are prevalent. These lifting sets are subject to repeated dynamic loading in a hostile corrosive environment.
At present, the selection and use of wire rope lifting sets is covered by BS EN 13414 "Steel wire rope slings - Safety - Part 1: slings for general lifting service" (2003). This superseded BS1290 "Specification for wire rope slings and sling legs for general lifting purposes" (1983), which was the current specification during this programme of work.
Following a proposal to increase the safety factors for these lifting sets. Field Engineering Section of the Health and Safety Laboratory (HSL), measured the dynamic loads resulting from various lifting operations between a semi-submersible installation and a supply vessel. Measurements were deliberately taken in heavy seas to identify the worst loading conditions which could occur. This work was reported in FE/96/06 "Measurement of Dynamic Loads in the Sling legs of offshore container lifting sets" by P Kerry and P McCann.
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