Experimental tests have been conducted on the mechanical behavior of a CFRP 1×7 strand cable with a central core subjected to torsional loading. The failure process of each helical string and the core has been probed independently by means of an electrical resistance method. Unloadingreloading torsion test has also been done to investigate the effects of cyclic loading. It has been found that the torsional failure of the CFRP strand cable has two stages. The first is a compressive failure of core, which does not immediately result in a loss of load-carrying capacity, but it later induces a tensile fracture of all spiral strings, i.e. the final failure of the cable. Although the tensile strength of the CFRP strand cable is almost the same as that of the steel strand cable of the same diameter, its torsional properties are far lower than those of the steel cable. Cyclic loading causes more damage to the core than to the spiral strings and it reduces the torsional strength significantly. The electrical resistance method, which requires no external sensor, works successfully for the sensitive detection of the fiber breakage in core and spiral strings and hence, the present CFRP strand cable can be regarded as a smart structural element with health-monitoring capability.
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