SEM images: cut resistance of climbing ropes

The dataset consists of over 1500 raw images from scanning electron microscopy of broken nylon 6 fibers. Fibers were taken from climbing ropes after undergoing laboratory cut resistance tests and an accident simulation. The images are divided into folders by: 1) test type: Accident simulation, Edelrid test, Elmenzwick test, and UIAA 101 Sharp Edge test 2) the type of rope and the location in its cross-section from which the images were taken. The fiber fractography revealed four main failure modes. These failure modes included lateral pressure with high-stress concentration, lateral pressure with low-stress concentration, high-speed tensile break, and molten and fused fiber ends. In isolated cases, ductile breaks were found. None of the laboratory test methods could comprehensively mimic the overall breaking mechanism of the accident simulation.