Understanding creep on UHMWPE

Understanding creep on UHMWPE

Synthetic fibers will elongate when loaded over longer periods of time. This phenomenon is known as creep. Creep is an irreversible process in which the long molecular chains slide along each other.

UHMWPE fibers creep is influenced by the ambient temperature, the applied load and the time.

Reading the graphic: in general more black dots are more creep and higher risk of breaks.

applied to bowstrings :

SUPPORTED LOAD FORCE BY BOWSTRINGS Compound bowstrings and cables, specialy the cables, support more load than recurve/lonbgows. So compound bowstrings and cables are more critical to creep.
TIME APPLIED on compound bows are high, because the bowstrings and cables are always fitted to the bow. On recurve/lonbows are low-medium rates as usually the bow is unstrung when not in use.
TEMPERATURE . This is a key factor, as UHWMPE fibers are very sensible to high temperatures. Keep your bowstring out of direct sun or high temperatures when bow is strung.