Numerical and experimental study of a new type of clip for joining cables

This paper details the design of a new metallic cable-joining clip for slope stabilization nets. The main objective of this research paper is to numerically and experimentally analyze the resistance capacity of a new clip model for cables with diameters of 8 and 10 mm. Firstly, laboratory tests are performed on the clip and the cable. Then, the clip performance during opening and displacement tests is simulated through a nonlinear finite element model. In the simulation, the different geometrical shapes are included, taking into account plasticity, large displacements and frictional contacts between cable and clip. Thirdly, an optimization is carried out based on a design-of-experiments (DOEs) statistical technique, with the aim of adjusting the mathematical model to the experimental results and examining the influence of the most important parameters. With this method, good results in terms of deformation and resistance have been obtained with the numerical and experimental models. This analogy helps to extrapolate the results to other non-tested clips that share a basic group of constant parameters. Finally, the most relevant conclusions as well as future lines of research are presented.