Experimental Validation of Energy Balance Approach for Design of Horizontal Lifeline Systems.

The energy balance approach is one of the design approaches approved in fall protection standards Z359.6, Z259.16 and SS607 to ensure that horizontal lifeline systems (HLLSs) are adequately designed. However, this study found that theoretical calculations predicting total fall distance and maximum arrest load using an energy balance approach need to be corrected before they can be used safely. Based on the data from 48 drop tests, the authors determined that energy balance calculations differ significantly from empirical total fall distance (hTFD) and maximum arrest load (MAL) of HLLSs. As a result, further correction factors are introduced in the theoretical calculations to estimate hTFD and MAL conservatively. These correction factors are estimated from a regression equation derived based on experimental results and theoretical calculations.