Fatigue reliability theory-based optimal design of wire ropes on test platforms for FAST actuators
Multidiscipline Modeling in Materials and Structures
ISSN: 1573-6105
Article publication date: 12 October 2015
Abstract
Purpose
Three test platforms for long-term continuous loading are adopted to test the actuator prototypes of the 500-meter aperture spherical radio telescope (FAST). However, the wire ropes that are the key components of these platforms often break during testing. The purpose of this paper is to present an effective dimension design method for these wire ropes. This method is based on fatigue reliability theory.
Design/methodology/approach
Three types of stresses are introduced into the total stress model of the wire rope according to the complicated stress conditions. The fatigue strength of the ropes is also discussed in this paper. Then, the total stress model and the results of fatigue strength analysis are applied to set the optimization function for these wire ropes. Subsequently, this optimization function is used to calculate the reliability of previously developed wire ropes in relation to the actuator test platform.
Findings
The wire rope is unreliable, which is a finding that corresponds to those of previous tests. Upon drawing the optimal curve from the optimization function (whose optimal objective is the wire diameter), a wire rope is optimized for the FAST actuator test platforms. Finally, this optimized rope is used on the new actuator test platform. No fracture phenomenon has been detected in tests conducted over the past six months.
Originality/value
The fatigue reliability theory-based optimization function for wire ropes can be adopted for the universal dimension design of other wire ropes.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
This work is partially supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Nos 11173035, 11273036, and 11303059).
Citation
Zhu, M., Wang, Q., Yang, L., Lei, Z., Wang, Y. and Wu, M. (2015), "Fatigue reliability theory-based optimal design of wire ropes on test platforms for FAST actuators", Multidiscipline Modeling in Materials and Structures, Vol. 11 No. 3, pp. 413-423. https://doi.org/10.1108/MMMS-02-2015-0007
Publisher
:Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2015, Emerald Group Publishing Limited