Stress and Deformation Analysis of a Twisted Pair of Steel Wires

The mutual twisting of steel wires is widely used in construction, engineering, and everyday applications, as it is relatively easy to perform and imparts new and useful properties to the wires. Since the process involves large deformations and high stress levels, understanding the mechanical behavior of twisted pairs is essential for both their manufacturing and in-service performance. This study provides a detailed analysis of the stresses and deformations that arise during the twisting of two galvanized steel wires with a diameter of 4 mm. Comprehensive information is presented on the development and validation of a suitable finite element model, with emphasis on geometry definition, the selection of appropriate initial and boundary conditions, and the meshing strategy. Special attention is devoted to the material properties, which are obtained and processed based on original tensile and torsion tests. Both the maximum and residual stresses are investigated. It is found that, for small twist pitches, the equivalent stresses during twisting can exceed the material’s yield strength by a factor of two or more, posing a risk of failure. The residual equivalent stresses show complex spatial distributions that vary with pitch, yet their average magnitudes remain within a narrow range, indicating a consistent residual stress level across different twisting configurations.