The mechanics of a climbing fall with a belayer who can be lifted

Abstract

In sport climbing, a common method of belaying is to use a static rope brake attached to the belayer’s harness, but the belayer can move freely. This paper investigates the dynamics of a climbing fall with such a belayer. The dynamics are nontrivial because of the belayer’s constraint to be always at or above his initial position. An exact solution for a linear elastic rope is presented. Compared to a fix-point belay, one obtains a considerable force reduction on the belay-chain. However, there is a trade-off of a longer stopping distance of both climber and belayer. In order to calculate the stopping distance, friction between rope and the top carabiner has been taken into account. Closed-form formulas allow for calculating the maximum impact force, as well as the minimum mass of the belayer which is necessary to hold a fall from a certain height.