Guided Waves in a Seven-Wire Strand under Vertical Load

Guided waves are expected as an efficient method for nondestructive testing of elongated structures. Recently there have been active research and development in applications of guided waves to pipes used in pipelines or power plants and to wire ropes used in elevators or bridges. However, understanding of wave propagation in wire strands is insufficient to put it to practical use. For example, wire ropes are often used partially under load perpendicular to their longitudinal axes when being embedded underground or contacting joining points, though effect of such boundary conditions on wave propagation is not yet clear. Our research aims to examine effects of such vertical load on propagation of guided waves in a seven-wire strand whose each wire is further composed of nineteen-stranded fine wires.