Question

A steel cable with a radius of 1.5 cm supports a chairlift at a ski area. If the maximum stress is not to exceed 108 N m–2, what is the maximum load the cable can support ?

Answer 1

Radius of the steel cable, r = 1.5 cm = 0.015 m
Maximum allowable stress = 10 8 N m - 2
Maximum stress = $\frac{\text{Maximum force} }{\text{ Area of cross - section}}$
∴ Maximum force = Maximum stress × Area of cross - section
= 108 × π (0.015)2

= 7.065 × 104 N
Hence, the cable can support the maximum load of 7.065 × 10 4 N.