Word Count 2948

Previous research into ropes and the factors which affect their performance within many applications has been both wide and varied. However despite the essential use of knots in many scenarios within the popular sport of climbing, limited research has been conducted into how the presence of knots affect the performance of the dynamic climbing ropes. The aim of this study was to quantitatively assess through laboratory experiments how the tensile strength of dynamic climbing rope is affected by different knots and how this strength varies with the differing structure of these knots. The tensile testing machine was specially developed in order to allow each test sample to be analysed accurately. Throughout the course of this investigation over 60 break tests were conducted resulting in a wide range of data being obtained. During the experiments the strength of the rope was the primary interest and this was assessed with various test specimens that incorporated different knots with and without their radii of curvature having being altered. From these tests the strength of the rope was found to vary greatly with values between 40 and 85 % of the maximum strength of the rope depending upon the knot and the radius of curvature.