Fill factor: The ratio between the sum of the nominal cross-sectional areas of all the load bearing wires in the rope and the circumscribed area of the rope based on its nominal diameter.

Spinning loss factor: The ratio between the calculated minimum breaking force of the rope and the calculated minimum aggregate breaking force of the rope.

Minimum breaking force (Fmin): Specified value, in tons or kN, below which the measured breaking force is not allowed to fall in a prescribed test.

Rope torque: Value, usually expressed in ft pounds or N.m, resulting from either test or calculation, relating to the torque generated when both ends of the rope are fixed and the rope is subjected to tensile loading.

Rope turn: Value, usually expressed in degrees per foot/meter, resulting from either test or calculation, relating to the amount of rotation when one end of the rope is free to rotate and the rope is subjected to tensile loading.

Initial extension: Amount of extension which is attributed to the initial bedding down of the wires within the strands and the strands within the rope due to tensile loading.

Note: This is sometimes referred to as constructional stretch.

Elastic extension: Amount of extension which follows Hooke’s Law within certain limits due to application of a tensile load.

Permanent rope extension: Non-elastic extension.