tbs                  TDC8(5628)P3 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Draft  
Tanzania Standard  
Textiles – Ropes  Specification s: Part 1. Ropes made from n atural 
fibre s  
 
(Second edition)  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
TANZANIA BUREAU OF STANDARDS  
 
i 0. FOREWORD  
0.1 The development of this Draft Tanzania Standard 2nd edition is based on the current practices and 
requirements of the industries and relevant authorities  dealing with fibre twines – natural fibre . This 
Draft Tanzania Standard is the second edition  which has been technically revised, where; its 
foreword , standard title and other portions have been slight ly improved. In the cover page, the title of 
the standard has been changed from ‘‘sisal ropes’’  to read as ‘‘Textiles – Ropes – Specifications: Part 
1. Ropes made from natural fibre ’’, also (Clause 1) has to read ‘‘ This Draft Tanzania Standard  
describes the requirements of the following types of sisal  and manila ropes’’.  
0.2 In the preparation of th is Draft Tanzania Standard, assistance was derived from  
BS EN 1261:1995  Fibre ropes for general service. Hemp  
ISO 1181 :2004 Fibre ropes — Manila and sisal —3-, 4- and 8 -strand ropes  
 
This second edition cancels and replaces the first edition which was developed in year  – 1992  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
  1 Tanzania Bureau o f Standards  
Draft Ta nzania Standard              TDC8 (562 8)P3 
Textiles – Ropes Specification s: Part 1. Ropes made from n atural 
fibres  
 
1. SCOPE  
This Draft Tanzania Standard  describes the requirements of the following types of sisal  and manila 
ropes . 
a) Plain or hawser -laid (3 -strands) ropes of diameter 8 to 96 mm and with a linear density from 
54 to 6400 kilotex,  
b) Plaite d or shroud -laid (4 -strand)  ropes of diameter 8 to 96 mm and with a linear density from 
54 to 6400 kilotex and  
c) Cable -laid (9 -strand)  ropes of diameter 40 to 144mm and with a linear dens ity from 1030 to 
113105 kilotex . 
 
2. NORMATIVE REFERENCES  
The following referenced documents are indispensable for the application of this document. For dated 
references, only the edition cited applies. For undated references, the latest edition of the referenced 
document (including any amendments) applies  
a) TZS 3 : Atmospheric conditions for testing.  
b) TZS 4: Rounding off numerical values.  
 
3. TERM S AND DEFINITIONS  
For the purpose of this Draft Tanzania Standard , the following terms and definitions shall apply:  
3.1hawser -laid rope  – rope in which three strands are twisted together without a central core, it is 
generally of Z -lay. 
3.2 shroud -laid rope – four strand rope s in which the strands are twisted together with a central core 
of the basic yarns of which the strands are made.  
3.3 cable laid rope – nine strand ropes  in which three primaries  (hawser -laid)ropes are twisted 
together without a central core.  
3.4 linear densities  – mass per unit length of textile products such as ropes, lines, cords and twines. 
In the universal count system, it is expressed in ki lotex.  
3.5 rot -proofing  – chemical treatments  given to natural fibre  ropes for protection against 
microbiological attack and destructive agencies  such as sunlight and sea water  
3.6 coil– continuous length of rope  or line arranged in the form of a spiral.  
3.7pitch (of rope ) – distance between two successive spirals of the same strand of  a rope measured 
parallel to the axis of the rope . 
3.8 rope  – cordage with a circumference of 25 mm or more.  
3.9 laying  – twisting of strands to form a rope (S ee Figure 1)  
 
4. MANUFACTURE  
4.1 Sisal fibre  – the fibres used in the manufacture of ropes shall be sisal, true to its type and shall be 
of long staple it shall be una ltered and free from defects and short s. The fibre shall be well hackled 
and of quality, fineness and colour necessary to produce ropes having the characteristics required 
and sp ecified in Tables 1 , 2, 3, 4 and  5.  
2 4.2 M anila fibre – fibres used in the manufacture of ropes shall be from manila, true to its type and 
shall be of long  staple , it shall be unaltered  and free from defects and shorts . 
4.3 Yarn  – the yarn shall be well and evenly spun. To comply with the minimum number of yarns  
specified in this standard, yarn of 4.6 kilotex (216m/kg) shall be used.  
 
4.4 Strand  – the strand of ropes shall be well formed and free from grooves and sunken yarns, and 
each strand shall contain an equal number of yarns. The number of yarns in each strand shall be as 
specified in the table 1, 2,  3, 4 and 5 . The strand shall have S -lay. 
 
4.5 Ropes  – The ropes shall be well laid and free from defects and each package  shall be continuous 
throughout its length and shall not contain loose ends, splices or joins in the strands or in the ropes.  
The number of strands in the rope and the lay of ro pe and the lay of rope, unless otherwi se specified, 
shall be as under:  
 
Type o f rope                         No of s trands                      lay of rope  
a) Plain or hawser -laid                    3            Z (See figure 2 ) 
    Manila and sisal rope 
b) Plaited or shroud -laid                 4             Z (See figure 3)  
    Manila and sisal rope 
c) Cable -laid sisal rope   9 (with 3 primary           Z – lay for primary  rope   
   ropes twisted together)   and S -lay for final rope  
   (see Figure 4)  
 
 
4.6 Lubrication  – Loading materials shall not be used. For the purpose of dressing the fibre or for the 
preservation of the rope , a lubricant shall be added. The quantity of dressing applied to the fibre shall, 
when determined by extraction with petroleum either or other suitable solvent, be not less than 10%, 
nor more than 15% calculated on the mass of the finished rope.  
 
4.7 Rot-proofing treatment – If so ordered, ropes shall be rot -proofed by application of rot -proofing 
agent in appropriate quantity as agreed to between the buyer and the seller. The rot -proofing agent 
may be used in places of, or in conjunction with, the lubricant (see 4.5) normally  used for the purpose 
of dressing the fibre. Ropes which have been so treated shall otherwise comply, in all respects, with 
the requirements of this  2nd edition  Draft Tanzania Standard.  
 
5.  GENERAL REQUIREMENTS  
 
5.1 Manila  and sisal ropes shall be made in one of the following constructions  as illustrated in the 
figures 1, 2, 3 and 4 : 
 
 
 
Figure 1 –  Shape of a 3 -strand hawser -laid rope (type A)  
 
 
  3  
Figure 2 – Shape of a 4-strand shroud -laid rope (type B)  
 
 
Figure 3 – Shape of an 8 -strand braided rope (type C)  
 
 
Figure 4 – Cable -laid sisal (9 -strands) rope  
 
5.2 The direction of the rope shall be made in on e of the following direction lay : 
                                                                  
5A Z – lay or right – hand lay    5B S – lay or left – hand lay  
Figure 5 – Direction of lay  
 
6. OTHER REQUIREMENTS  
6.1 Mass  – The gross mass of a lot of ropes when determined  according to the method given in A -1 
shall be as agreed to betwee n the buyer and the seller, or as entered in the dispatch  note subject to a 
tolerance of ±3.5%. The mass of the packing material should not be more than 1.5% of the gross 
mass of ropes.  
 
4 6.2 Pitch  – The pitch of rope, when determined by the method given in A.2, shall conform to the 
following requirements:  
 Type of rope                                                            Pitch  
a. Plain or hawser -laid rope  Shall be between 2.5 D and 3.3 D  
b. Plaited or shroud -laid rope  Shall be between 2.7 and 3.5 D  
c. Cable -laid rope    Shall be between 2.2 D and 3.2 D  
Where  
D is the diameter of the rope concerned.  
 
6.3 Length of  packages  – The l ength of each package  shall be 220 m unless otherwise agreed to 
between the buyer and the seller and the length of package  shall be determined by the method given 
in A-3.1. 
 
7. FINISH  
Unless specially required by the purchaser, no colouring agent, except of the rot -proofing agent shall 
be used. All end s shall be securely whipped or marled (secured).  
 
8. GRADES OF ROPE  
Manila and Sisal rope s complying with the requirements of this Draft Tanzania Standard (2nd edition ) 
shall be of the standard quality . 
 
9.  PHYSICAL PROPERTIES  
Linear density and minimum breaking force shall conform to Tables 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5.  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
  5 TABLE 1 – Requirements of sisal ropes – Plain  or Hawser – laid (3 -strands)  
Angle of lay 37°C  
Diameter  
(mm)  Minimum 
No. of yarns 
per strand  Linear density  Tensile  force to be 
applied for the 
measurement of linear 
density  
(daN)  Minimum 
breaking  
Load  
(kN) (Ktex) Tolerance  % 
8 3 54  11 4.71 
10 4 68  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
±5 14 6.23 
12 6 105 21 9.32 
14 8 140 28 12.56 
16 10 190 40 17.46 
18 13 220 48 20.89 
20 16 275 64 27.86 
22 19 330 75 33.35 
24 23 400 89 39.83 
26 27 470 105 46.30 
28 31 532 120 52.29 
30 36 625 134 59.84 
32 41 700 154 67.30 
36 52 890 189 84.76 
40 64 1100  234 102.02 
44 77 1340  279 124.59 
48 92 1585  329 144.21 
52 108 1870  383 169.47 
56 125 2150  438 194.38 
60 144 2480  498 221.75 
64 164 2880  569 252.12 
68 185 3180  622 279.58 
72 207 3620  696 320.79 
76 231 4000  755 343.35 
80 253 4400  822 37965  
88 306 5350  971 459.11 
96 364 6400  1101  524.83 
Method of 
test - A-3 - A -4  
6 TABLE 2 – Requirements of sisal ropes – plaited or shroud – laid (4 -strands)  
Diameter  
(mm)  Minimum No. 
of yarns per 
strand  Linear density  
 Tensile force to be 
applied for the 
measurement of linear 
density  
(daN)  Minimum breaking  
Load  
 
(kN) (Ktex) Tolerance %  
8 2 54  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
±5 10 4.27 
10 3 68 13 5.59 
12 4 105 19 8.44 
14 5 140 25 11.33 
16 7 190 35 15.94 
18 9 220 42 18.83 
20 11 275 57 25.11 
22 13 330 68 30.07 
24 15 400 80 35.98 
26 18 470 94 41.79 
28 21 532 108 46.99 
30 24 625 121 53.81 
32 28 700 139 60.58 
36 35 890 171 86.03 
40 43 1100  211 91.97 
44 52 1340  251 112.13 
48 62 1585  305 130.08 
52 73 1870  345 152.54 
56 84 2150  394 174.96 
60 97 2480  448 199.58 
64 111 2880  512 226.90 
68 125 3180  565 251.63 
72 140 3620  632 288.71 
76 156 4000  697 309.01 
80 171 4400  768 341.68 
88 206 5350  900 41320  
96 246 6400  1059  472.35 
Method 
of test  - A-3 - A-4 
 
 
 
  
  7 TABLE 3 – Requirements of cable - laid sisal ropes ( 9-strands) . 
Angle of lay 37°  Length of coil: 220m  
Diameter  
 
 
(mm)  Minimum 
No. of  
yarns per 
strands  Linear density  
 
 Tensile force  to 
be applied for 
measurement of 
linear density  
(daN)  Minimum breaking load  
 
 
(kN) (Ktex) Tolerance %  
40 17 1030   
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
±5 129 64.75  
44 20 1215  153 76.71 
48 24 1455  179 89.66 
52 28 1695  206 103.00 
56 33 2005  235 117.72 
64 43 2605  298 149.11 
72 54 3230  369 184.43 
80 67 4065  447 223.67 
88 81 4915  534 266.83 
96 96 5825  628 313.92 
104 113 6860  730 364.93 
112 131 7900  844 421.83 
120 150 9105  961 480.69 
128 171 10375  1091  545.44 
136 193 11705  1226  613.12 
144 216 13105  1375  687.68 
Method of 
test - A-3 - A-4 
 
 
 
 
  
8 Table 4  – Requirements of 3-strand hawser laid and 4 -strand shroud laid M anila ropes, type A 
and B.  
 
Nominal diameter  
(mm)  Linear density  Minimum breaking load  
(kN) 
(Ktex) Tolerance %  
4 10  
 
±10 1.15 
4.5 12 1.45 
5 15 1.89 
6 20 2.40 
8 38 4.50 
10 64  
±8 6.75 
12 90 9.60 
14 130 12.5 
16 165  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
±5 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 17.6 
18 218 22.0 
20 260 27.0 
22 320 33.8 
24 380 39.6 
26 445 46.6 
28 515 55.0 
30 600 63.4 
32 680 71.0 
36 850 90.5 
40 1050  110 
44 1200  131 
48 1400  158 
52 1720  184 
56 2050  205 
60 2250  245 
64 2750  270 
68 3000  300 
Method of test  A-3 A-4  
  9 Table 5  – Requirements of 8 - strand braided Manila ropes, type C.  
 
Nominal diameter  
(mm)  Linear density  
 Minimum breaking load  
 
(kN) (Ktex) Tolerance %  
16 165  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
±5 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 17.4 
18 219 21.9 
20 265 25.7 
22 327 31.5 
24 380 38,8 
26 450 45.9 
28 520 53.6 
30 600 61.3 
32 685 70.0 
36 880 88.9 
40 1000  104 
44 1150  128 
48 1480  145 
52 1700  175 
56 2000  202 
60 2200  240 
64 2650  260 
68 3000  300 
72 3400  329 
76 3800  383 
80 4200  407 
84 4600  445 
88 5000  500 
92 5600  564 
96 6000  599 
Method of test  A-3 A-4  
10 10. PACKING  
10.1 All ropes shall be neatly coiled. Each package  shall be tied with four or more lashings, strong 
enough to ensure safe transport, apart from slinging, and shall be suitably protected to prevent 
damage in transit. The mass of the lashings and packing material shall not exceed 1.5% of the gross 
mass.  
10.2 A standard method of coiling should be adopted so that the inner end of the package  can be 
taken out without first it passing though the eye.  
11. MARKING  
11.1 Each package  shall have a label securely attached on which shall be clearly and legibly marked 
the following:  
a. Manufacture r’s name or trade mark  
b. Material  
c. Length and size of the rope in the coil and  
d. Any other marking required by the buyer  
 The markings shall be protected against obliteration.  
11.2 The coils may also be marked with the tbs Certification Mark.  
NOTE – The tbs Certification Mark may be used by manufactures only under license  from TBS. 
Particulars of conditions under which the licenses  are gra nted may be obtained from TBS.  
12. SAMPLING  
Sampling shall be as representative as pos sible of the batch that is to be subjected to the 
measurements and tests, and samples shall be selected away from the ends of the packages at 
points where they are in true lay.  
12.1 Lot – A quantity of packages  of the same linear density, same type, and same  dimensions, 
manufactured under similar conditions and delivered to a buyer against a dispatch  note shall 
constitute a lot.  
12.2 The conformity of the lot shall be determined on the basis of test carried out on the same sample 
selected from it.  
12.3 The number of packages  to be selected at random from a lot shall be as given in Table 6 : 
Table 6 – Sampling plan  
Lot size                                           Sample size  
0 to 10 packages  1 
11 to 100 packages  10 
101 and above  100 
 
12.4 For evaluating the length, linear density breaking load and pitch, the number o f package s 
selected according to 12 .3 shall constitute the test sample.  
For evaluating the gross mass of the lot all the package s in the lot shall constitute the test sample.  
12.5 Criteria for conformity – The lot shall be declared as conforming to this 2nd edition D raft 
Tanzania Standard if the condition s below are satisfied:  
a. The length of each package  is not less than the specified length and  
b. The average values of the test results in respect of other requirements conform to the  
requirements specified in the Draft Tanzania S tandard   
  11 ANNEX  
A – 1 Mass 
A – 1.1 Without removing the wrapping material, weigh each package  in the lot to the nearest 0.5 kg 
and determ ine the total gross mass of the entire  package  in the lot.  
A – 1.2 For the purposes of determining the length of the package , calculate the net mass of each coil 
constituting the te st sample, (for purposes of 12 .4) by removing the wrapping material and then 
weighing the coil.  
A – 2 Pitches of rope  
Take each package  in the sample and apply an appropria te tension as specified in the T able 1 , 2 and 
3. In plane parallel to the axis of the rope, place two ―pitch  marks" on two successive spirals of the 
same strand of the rope and measure the distance between the two points. While the ropes are still 
under tension, measure the diameter with the help of a Vernier  caliper  to the following accuracy.  
                   Diameter of rope                           Measurement accuracy  
                       Up to 96 mm                                            1mm 
                       Above 96 mm                                          5mm 
A – 3 Linear density  
A - 3.1 Length of coil – From one end of one of the coils in the sample, cut off a test specimen 
exactly 2m (l) in the length after applying tension by hand. Weigh the specimen in grams (m). Mark a 
length of 1m ( d1) in the center  of the specimen. Apply an appropriate tension as specified in Tables 1 , 
2 and 3. While rope is still under tension, measure to the nearest mm the distance d2 between the 
marks.  
A – 3.2 Calculate the length the linear density T by the following formula:  
                                         
       
                     Where  
                     T – linear density in kilotex  or g/m  
                    m – mass of the test piece in g  
                    d1– distance between the marks (1m)  
                     l – length of the test specimen (2m) and  
                    d2 –distance between the marks under tension in meters  
A - 3.3 Calculate the length of the coil by dividing the net weight of the coil as obtained in A - 1.2 by 
the linear density of the corresponding coil obtained in A - 3.2.  
12 A - 4 Breaking load  
A – 4.1 Apparatus – Rope tensile testing machine of appropriate capacity with constant rate of 
traverse of the straining head of not less than 150mm/ minute.  
A-4.2.1  With ordinary grips - Mount each specimen with an initial length of not less than one metre 
between the grips of the testing machine. Apply gradually and continuously increasing load until the 
specimen breaks. If fractures occur at or near the grip s at less than the specified breaking load, 
disregard the test and take a further test. Accept the test results corresponding to any specimen 
without fractures through causes attributable to grip damage as meeting the requirements of the 
specification prov ided that the load recorded is not less than 95% of the minimum specified breaking 
load.  
NOTE – When agreed to between the buyer and seller, ropes with the ends "eye – spliced" may be 
used  for the tests in which case the rope will be deemed to comply with the requirements of this 
specification provided that the breaking load obtained from the specimen is a minimum of 90 percent of 
the specified breaking load given in Tables 1, 2 and 3 and provided that the fractures occurs at the 
splice.  
A-4.2.2 With bollard grips – small size ropes may be tested on testing machine with bollard grips. In 
such cases mount the test specimen with an initial length of not less than 250mm between the 
bollards of the testing machine ensuring that the rate of transverse of th e straining load for constant 
rate of transverse machine is as near as possible numerically equal in mm per minute to the length of 
specimen. Apply gradually and continuously increasing load until the specimen breaks. If fracture 
occurs at or near the grip s at less than the specified breaking load, disregard the test and take a 
further test. Accept the test results corresponding to any specimen that fractures through causes 
attributable to grip damage as meeting the requirements of this specification provid ed that the load 
recorded is not less than 95 percent of the minimum specified breaking load (see also N ote under A -
4.2.1)