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Warning from UIAA about stainless bolt failure (Read 1890 times)

petejh

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Warning from UIAA about stainless bolt failure
November 14, 2015, 09:39:14 pm
It's a topic that's been around for a while - stress corrosion cracking. A report recently released by the UIAA makes sobering reading:

http://www.theuiaa.org/news-316-New-Download-UIAA-Warning-About-Climbing-Anchor-Failures.html

Yikes. It isn't just Thailand/Caribbean.

Going off the risk factors reported I'd assume the Ormes and most other UK coastal sport crags probably sit on the lower end of the risk scale. Ansteys and other south-facing crags on the south coast of Britain could possibly be a higher risk due to higher average temps plus lower average relative humidity.

All recent LPT re-equipping (2009 onward), most of the Diamond handline and a few of the Diamond routes were bolted with HCR stainless 1.4462 duplex. There are a few DMM eco-bolts halfway along on the handline.

All the rest of the bolts on the coast in N.Wales are either DMM eco-bolts from the 90s, 304/316 stainless expansion from the 80s onwards, or 316 twisted leg glue-in from 2009 onwards.
« Last Edit: November 14, 2015, 09:51:43 pm by petejh »

Luke Owens

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Sobering indeed! Cheers for posting it Pete

 

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