ES.255 | Spring 2006 | Undergraduate

Physics of Rock Climbing

Related Resources

Available on the Web

UIAA (Union Internationale Des Associations D’Alpinisme) Standards

Cam Shape

Attaway, Steve. “Rope System Analysis.” (PDF)

Li, et al. “Use of ‘chalk’ in rock climbing.” (PDF - 1.5 MB)

Pavier, Martyn. “Experimental and Theoretical Simulations of Climbing Falls.”

Soles, Clyde. “Climbing Ropes - UIAA Sharp Edge Certification.”

“Equipment and its Applications.” UIAA Journal. (PDF - 2.8 MB)

Journal of Sports Science and Medicine

Panorama - The German Alpine Club’s bi-monthly publication. July, 2004 and June, 2004 are about gym safety. (No English translation.)

BergUndSteigen - A German language publication on managing risk in mountains, archives available without subscription. (No English translation.)

Current Mountain Rescue Association Grant Awards - A number of relevant papers including:

  • Failure Modes of Snow Anchors, Part III (PDF - 1.0 MB)
  • What Climbers Think (PDF)
  • Using Low Stretch Ropes (PDF)
  • How Far can you Trust your Belay Device? (PDF)

Available in Print

Schubert, Pit, and Helmut Maegdefrau, eds. “Sicherheit in Firn und Eis.” DAV Taetigkeitsbericht 1980-1983. German Alpine Club, Munich, Germany: The German Alpine Club Safety Committee, 1985.

———. DAV Taetigkeitsbericht 1974-1979. German Alpine Club, Munich, Germany: The German Alpine Club Safety Committee, 1979. (Includes English summaries.)

Schubert, Pit. Sicherheit und Risiko in Fels und Eis. Vol. 1. German Alpine Club/Bergverlag Rother GmbH, Munich, Germany: The German Alpine Club Safety Committee, 2001. (German language.)

———. Sicherheit und Risiko in Fels und Eis. Vol. II. German Alpine Club/Bergverlag Rother GmbH, Munich, Germany: The German Alpine Club Safety Committee, 2002. (German language.)

McKenna, H. A., John W. S. Hearle, and N. O’Hear. Handbook of Rope Fibre Technology. Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press, 2004.

Hubbard, M., R. D. Mehta, and J. M. Pallis, eds. The Engineering of Sport 5. Vols. 1 and 2. Springer, NY. ISEA, 2004. (Especially grip strength and chalk.)

Moritz, E. F., and S. Haake, eds. The Engineering of Sport 6. Vols. 1, 2, and 3. Springer, NY. ISEA, 2006. (Especially finger tendon strength, forces on climbing holds, fatigue in ice ax picks, and belay device models.)

Available on CD

“American Alpine Club - especially Wexler (1950), Siri (1955), and Microys (1977).” The American Alpine Journal (1921-2001).

“Nylon and Ropes for Mountaineering and Caving Torino.” Conference Proceedings (March 8-9, 2002).

Course Info

Instructor
As Taught In
Spring 2006
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Lecture Notes
Projects with Examples