Forces exerted on an anchor point from a falling object

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SUMMARY

The discussion focuses on calculating the forces exerted on an anchor point by a falling object secured with a steel wire rope lanyard. The formula provided, Fmax = mg + sqrt(2mg x E x A x fall factor + (mg)², incorporates the mass (69kg), Young's modulus (193 GPa), cross-sectional area (15.6 x 10-6 m²), and a fall factor of 2, indicating a total drop of 8m with a 4m rope. The participants confirm that the formula accounts for the dynamic forces, including the "whip" effect of the rope, which may influence the load on the anchor point. The discussion seeks to validate the method for estimating the load accurately.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of basic physics principles, particularly forces and motion.
  • Familiarity with Young's modulus and its application in material science.
  • Knowledge of mechanics related to rope dynamics and tension.
  • Ability to perform calculations involving mass, acceleration, and energy.
NEXT STEPS
  • Research the effects of the "whip" effect in dynamic rope systems.
  • Learn about the principles of tension and compression in materials.
  • Explore advanced calculations for dynamic loads in fall protection systems.
  • Investigate the impact of rope linear density on force calculations.
USEFUL FOR

Engineers, safety professionals, and anyone involved in fall protection systems or dynamic load calculations will benefit from this discussion.

adiabatic1234
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Hi,

I'm looking at the forces exerted onto an anchor point when a n object is dropped but is secured to that anchor point witha steel wire rope lanyard.

i can find this but not sure if it is relevant or not to my investigation:
Fmax = mg + sqrt(2mg x E x A x fall factor +(mg)2 )

The mass is 69kg, E is 193GPa, A = 15.6x10-6, fall factor 2 (4m rope 8m total drop)

I know the KE and final velocity but I'm not sure of the stopping distance.

any guidance helps!

Thanks!
 
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You've given a formula. Can you motivate that formula?

At a guess, that is for a massless wire rope which becomes taut and then stretches under the force the falling object. As you've explained, the "fall factor" is the ratio of drop distance to rope length.

I think the formula you mean to write is:$$F_\text{max} = mg + \sqrt{2mg \times E \times A \times \frac{h}{l} + 2mg}$$
At a guess, E is Young's modulus for the rope and A is its cross-sectional area. I've used h for the fall distance and l for the rope length. m is obviously the object's mass and g is the acceleration of gravity.

In reality, I suspect that you will get also get some cushioning from the "whip" effect as a rope that was not straight rapidly becomes straight when it tightens. It will be hard to quantify that and will require at least the rope's linear density as a parameter.
 
Thanks, this what i meant

I've got the theoretical value, what I'm trying to ascertain is if this is the correct method to estimate the load on the anchor point.
 

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