Abstract: Taking 6×36+WS steel wire rope as research object, 3D model of the steel wire rope which was established by SolidWorks software was imported into ABAQUS, and a finite element model of the steel wire rope was established by setting up contact pairs and boundary conditions. Under the same axial load, affection of different friction factors on stress and fatigue life of the steel wire rope was simulated and analyzed. The results show that stress located on steel wire outside strand is large when the steel wire rope in stretch state, and the maximum stress is located on the steel wires where strands contact with each other. With increase of friction factors, stress of the steel wire rope increases and fatigue life decreases gradually, and fatigue life of the steel wire rope with the maximum stress is the minimum.