Cable & Wire Rope Stretch

Loos and Company Technical Information

Technical Information


By   Loos & Co., Inc.

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Wire Rope Stretch

In any cable or wire rope application, stretch may be a concern. There are two forms of stretch in cable and wire rope: Structural Stretch and Elastic Stretch. 

Structural Stretch

Structural stretch is the lengthening of the lay in the construction of cable and wire rope as the individual wires adjust under load. Structural stretch in Loos and Company products is less than 1% of the total cable length. This form of stretch can be completely removed by applying a cable or wire rope prestretching operation prior to shipment.

Elastic Stretch

Elastic stretch is the actual physical elongation of the individual wires under load. The elastic stretch can be calculated by using the following formula*: 

Cable Stretch Calculator (E = (W x G) / D2)

W
D
G
G
E
     

*Values derived from this calculator are an approximation.
**Remember to keep your units of measure constant. The length of your cable must be calculated in inches to correspond with the diameter measurement, also in inches.