SEDL / STP / STP1159-EB / STP25840S

ACSR Electrical Conductor Fretting Fatigue at Spacer Clamps

Cardou, A
Professors and Graduate Student, Laval University, Ste-Foy, Quebec

Cloutier, L
Professors and Graduate Student, Laval University, Ste-Foy, Quebec

St-Louis, M
Engineer, Hydro-Quebec, Montreal, Quebec

Leblond, A
Professors and Graduate Student, Laval University, Ste-Foy, Quebec

Pages: 12    Published: Jan 1992

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Abstract

Overhead electrical conductors are subjected to aeolian vibrations which may induce aluminum wire fatigue breaks at line suspension points and spacer clamps. Such wire failures are essentially due to fretting fatigue occurring at interwire and clamp-wire contact points. Tests have been performed on a typical ACSR (aluminum conductor steel reinforced) conductor. The test benches are based on a new design in which a cyclic deflexion amplitude is imposed at the center of the test specimen through an eccentric shaft. Tests have been conducted with two types of spacer clamps. Individual wire breaks have been recorded, including those occurring at inner layers. Analysis of each specimen has shown that almost all wire breaks initiated at fretting marks. A careful location analysis (both in the conductor cross section and axial direction) has yielded some new results on the cyclic bending behavior of a conductor-clamp system.