Abrasion Resistance Of High-idensity Polyethylene Jackets Useid On Submarine Cables

polyethylene jackets used on submarine electro-optical cables abrade and wear. The mechanisms involved in this process are complex, and current theories of abrasion and wear of polymers are not reliable for predicting wear rates and jaclket lifetimes. The Applied Physics Laboratory at the University of Washington is conducting experiments to quantify wear rates on high-density polyethylene (HDPE) cable jackets. In these experiments, cable samples are positioned in a raft on a modified Tabor Abraser and subjected to wear by abrasive wheels. Past attempts to use a Tabor Abrascr with a raft of cable specimens were hampered because of the complex effects the raft geometry has on the wear mechanisms. Also, how the coefficient of friction and the rate of energy cxpended affect the rate of abrasion (in terms of volume of abraded material) was not adequately determined. As part of the AI'L study, the input of purely abrasive energy and the effective coefficient of friction for the cable jacket are being correlated with the rate of material removal to quantify the material's abrasion characteristics. With this information, a manufacturing abrasion test will be designed, and attempts will be made to predict service life. This paper discusses the relationship between the coefficient of friction and the energy density required to produce specific wear rates under dry and wet conditions. Also discussed are the relationships between the wear of specimen cable jackets and the wear of flat sheets of HDPE.