The impending slippage of flexible cables, belts, and ropes over sheaves and drums is important in the design

of belt drives
of all types, band brakes, and hoisting rigs.
The free-body diagram of an element of the belt of
length rdθ

• Two belt tensions T1 and T2

• Torque M necessary to prevent rotation.
• Bearing reaction R
• M in the direction shown, T2 > T1

• The tension increases from T at the angle θ to T + dT at the angle θ + dθ.

• The normal force is a differential dN, since it acts on a differential element of area.
• Likewise the friction force, which must act on the belt in a direction to oppose slipping, is a
differential and is µdN for impending motion.

Combining the two equilibrium
relations gives
cosine of a differential quantity
is unity in the limit
sine of a differential angle in the limit equals
the angle and that the product of two
differentials must be neglected in the limit
compared with the first-order differentials
remaining.
Integrating between corresponding
limits yields
• Note that β is the total angle of belt contact and
must be expressed in radians.
• If a rope were wrapped around a drum n times,
the angle β would be 2πn radians.
A flexible cable which supports the 100-kg load is passed over a fixed circular drum and subjected to a force P to
maintain equilibrium. The coefficient of static friction µ, between the cable and the fixed drum is 0.30. (a) For α = 0,
determine the maximum and minimum values which P may have in order not to raise or lower the load. (b) For P =
500 N, determine the minimum value which the angle α may have before the load begins to slip.
A flexible cable which supports the 100-kg load is passed over a fixed circular drum and subjected to a force P to
maintain equilibrium. The coefficient of static friction µ, between the cable and the fixed drum is 0.30. (a) For α = 0,
determine the maximum and minimum values which P may have in order not to raise or lower the load. (b) For P =
500 N, determine the minimum value which the angle α may have before the load begins to slip.
A flexible cable which supports the 100-kg load is passed over a fixed circular drum and subjected to a force P to
maintain equilibrium. The coefficient of static friction µ, between the cable and the fixed drum is 0.30. (a) For α = 0,
determine the maximum and minimum values which P may have in order not to raise or lower the load. (b) For P =
500 N, determine the minimum value which the angle α may have before the load begins to slip.
A hawser (a thick docking rope) thrown from a ship to a pier is wrapped two full turns around a bollard. The
tension in the hawser is 7500 N; by exerting a force of 150 N on its free end, a dockworker can just keep the
hawser from slipping.
(a) Determine the coefficient of friction between the hawser and the bollard.
(b) Determine the tension in the hawser that could be resisted by the 150-N force if the hawser were wrapped
three full turns around the bollard.
A hawser (a thick docking rope) thrown from a ship to a pier is wrapped two full turns around a bollard. The
tension in the hawser is 7500 N; by exerting a force of 150 N on its free end, a dockworker can just keep the
hawser from slipping.
(a) Determine the coefficient of friction between the hawser and the bollard.
(b) Determine the tension in the hawser that could be resisted by the 150-N force if the hawser were wrapped
three full turns around the bollard.

a. Coefficient of Friction. Because slipping of the hawser is

impending

Because the hawser is wrapped two full turns around the bollard
 A hawser (a thick docking rope) thrown from a ship to a pier is wrapped two full turns around a bollard. The
tension in the hawser is 7500 N; by exerting a force of 150 N on its free end, a dockworker can just keep the
hawser from slipping.
(a) Determine the coefficient of friction between the hawser and the bollard.
(b) Determine the tension in the hawser that could be resisted by the 150-N force if the hawser were wrapped
three full turns around the bollard.

Hawser Wrapped Three Turns Around Bollard. Using the

value of μs obtained in part a,

Note: The larger tension occurs at the end of the belt that is in the direction of the motion, or impending motion, of the belt
relative to the drum.