A wedge fitting reduces the strength of wire rope by how much?

A wedge fitting reduces the strength of wire rope by how much?

• A. 2% or less
• B. 4% or more
• C. 10%
• D. 20%

Answer: (B)

When a wedge is used to terminate a wire rope, the fitting crushes and deforms the outer strands at the contact point. This creates local stress concentrations and effectively reduces the rope’s load-caring cross-section. Because of this weakening, the rope’s strength is diminished by a noticeable amount, and the conservative guideline is that the reduction is at least four percent or more. The exact value depends on rope size, material, wedge design, and installation, but the commonly cited minimum is around 4%, making the option “4% or more” the best fit. A smaller loss would underestimate the weakening, while much larger percentages are not typical for standard wedge fittings.

When a wedge is used to terminate a wire rope, the fitting crushes and deforms the outer strands at the contact point. This creates local stress concentrations and effectively reduces the rope’s load-caring cross-section. Because of this weakening, the rope’s strength is diminished by a noticeable amount, and the conservative guideline is that the reduction is at least four percent or more. The exact value depends on rope size, material, wedge design, and installation, but the commonly cited minimum is around 4%, making the option “4% or more” the best fit. A smaller loss would underestimate the weakening, while much larger percentages are not typical for standard wedge fittings.