How would putting a blanket over a rope or chain under tension (i.e. pulling a truck out of sand/mud) work to reduce the risk of it flying out and hurting someone should it snap?

Question

Awhile back I helped pull a couple of guys who’d gotten their truck stuck in the sand out using a couple of heavy cargo straps that I had in my truck.

One of the guys put a blanket over the straps and said it would dissipate the energy should the straps snap. It sounded plausible to me, but curious if it’s a legit claim.

In: 72

Answer 1

I have read a few responses and most aren’t covering the true details or are wrong. So here goes..

This problem can be reduced down to a simple [“spring, mass & damper” system](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vLaFAKnaRJU).

When one car pulls the chain, it stores potential energy inside the chain. Upon a quick breaking of the chain. That energy is released in the form of a “force vector”. Which is a concentrated release of energy in a specific direction.

By adding a blanket, we are introducing a non-rigid body into the equation. This blanket disperses the concentrated force vector into every other possible direction. Essentially diffusing the energy.