Abstract: The load-displacement curve, mechanical parameters and fracture morphology of polypropylene twisted cables and plaited cables during tension were obtained by means of an electronic universal testing machine, a VIC-3D non-contact full-field strain testing system and a digital camera. The mechanical properties of different structural cables were compared and studied by numerical simulation. The results indicated that the test results were basically in agreement with the numerical simulation ones. The twisted cables deformation and stress distribution were uniform, and the cross-braided part of plaited cables showed obvious deformation with a staggered stress distribution. The equivalent stress of the whole structure decreased due to the superposition of the axial stress and shear stress of the cable during the process of axial tension. The outer layer of the strand is found to break neatly under the action of the axial stress, and the fracture surface of inner layer looks rough under the superposition of axial stress and shear stress.

Key words: polypropylene cable, tensile test, numerical simulation, stress distribution, breakage