3M 300 kcmil, Type 16 ACCR Conductor

Stress Strain and Tensile Tests

NEETRAC Project Number: 06-162, Rev. 1
August, 2010
Requested by:
Colin McCullough
3M
Principal Investigator:
Paul Springer, PE
Reviewed by:
John Forrest
A Research Center in the School of
Electrical and Computer Engineering
at the Georgia Institute of Technology


NEETRAC Project Number 06-162, Final Report, Rev. 1 August, 2010 Page 2 of 13
3M 300 kcmil, Type 16 ACCR Conductor
Stress Strain and Tensile Tests

NEETRAC Project Number: 06-162, Rev. 1

August, 2010

SUMMARY

Stress-strain tests were performed in accordance with the Aluminum Associations 1999 guide to
measure the elastic and short-term creep properties. Subsequent to the test, 3M raised the rated
strength of the conductor, and therefore the load targets are slightly below the requirement of the
guide. The small change in load targets is expected to have minimal effect on the coefficients
describing the conductor sag and tension properties.

Tensile tests were performed on three (3) conductor samples. All conductor samples exceeded the
conductor rated breaking strength (RBS). Upon completion of the stress-strain test, the conductor
and core samples were pulled to destruction to determine the residual strength. The conductor
residual strength exceeded the RBS. Core residual strength is indeterminate because the lab fitting
failed. Load was 99% of the core nominal rating when the failure occurred.


TEST SAMPLES

1) Wood reel of 300-T16 ACCR conductor for tensile and stress-strain tests.


PROCEDURE

I) Stress-strain: Screw clamps were installed on the conductor on both sides of each cut to
prevent any component from shifting. Cast-resin terminations were applied to the sample
ends using a procedure designed to preserve the conductor manufacturing pre-stress, and
therefore ensure that test samples behave as similarly as practical to in-service conductor.
The 1999 Aluminum Association guide for conductor stress-strain testing was followed.

II) Post stress-strain residual strength test: Following the stress-strain test, both the
composite and core samples were tensile tested to determine their residual strength.

III) Tensile test: Screw clamps were installed onto the conductor reel prior to cutting
samples. Cast resin terminations were installed at each end of the sample. Samples were
pulled to destruction at 5,500 lb/min.



NEETRAC Project Number 06-162, Final Report, Rev. 1 August, 2010 Page 3 of 13
RESULTS

Stress-strain

Detailed Procedure

Composite conductor (RBS 11,420 lb, subsequently increased to 12,100 lb)

1) Apply load of 8% RBS (914 lb). Remove sag with a mid-span support.
2) Install extensometer, and set to zero.
3) Pull to 30% of RBS (3,426 lb), and hold for 30 minutes.
4) Relax load to 914 lb.
5) Pull to 50% RBS (5,710 lb), and hold for one hour.
6) Relax load to 914 lb.
7) Pull to 70% RBS (7,994 lb), and hold for one hour.
8) Relax load to 914 lb.
9) Pull to 75% RBS (8,565 lb).
10) Relax load to 914 lb, and remove the extensometer (for its own protection).
11) Pull sample to destruction at 5,500 lb/min.


Core strands (nominal rating is 6,968 lb)

1) Pull to calculated initial tension (in this case, 358 lb). Remove sag with a mid-span
support.
2) Install extensometer, and set to zero.
3) Pull to 1,057 lb, calculated to provide the same strain as conductor at start of 30% of
RBS test (0.0836%), and hold for 30 minutes.
4) Relax load to 358 lb.
5) Pull to 2,226 lb, calculated to provide the same strain as conductor at start of 50% of
RBS test (0.1761%), and hold for one hour
6) Relax load to 358 lb
7) Pull to 3,803 lb, calculated to provide the same strain as conductor at start of 70% of
RBS test (0.3009%), and hold for one hour
8) Relax load to 358 lb
9) Pull to 75% of the core rating (5,226 lb)
10) Relax load to 358 lb, and remove the extensometer (for its own protection)
11) Pull sample to destruction at 3,500 lb/min

The goal for the core test is to expose the bare core to the identical strains and hold times as the core
of the composite experienced during the composite conductor test.


NEETRAC Project Number 06-162, Final Report, Rev. 1 August, 2010 Page 4 of 13

Figure 1: Core stress-strain setup. Extensometer is suspended
next to the sample. Elongation between knife-edges is measured
to nearest 0.0001 inch (<0.5 ppm), using a digital sensor.


NEETRAC Project Number 06-162, Final Report, Rev. 1 August, 2010 Page 5 of 13
300 kcmil, Type 16 ACCR 3M Composite Conductor
Load vs. Time for Composite Stress-Strain Test
0
1000
2000
3000
4000
5000
6000
7000
8000
9000
10000
0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140 160 180 200
Time (minutes)
C
o
n
d
u
c
t
o
r

T
e
n
s
i
o
n

(
l
b
)
Recorded Data
75%
70%
50%
30%

Figure 2: Load profile for composite stress-strain test (RBS of 11,420 lb was the basis for the load
targets. 3M subsequently raised the rating to 12,100 lb)


3M 300 kcmil, Type 16 ACCR Composite Conductor
Stress-Strain Raw Test Data
0
5000
10000
15000
20000
25000
30000
35000
0.00 0.05 0.10 0.15 0.20 0.25 0.30 0.35
Strain %
S
t
r
e
s
s

(
p
s
i
)

Figure 3: Plot of composite stress-strain data


NEETRAC Project Number 06-162, Final Report, Rev. 1 August, 2010 Page 6 of 13
3M 300 kcmil, Type 16 ACCR Core
Stress-Strain Raw Test Data
0
1000
2000
3000
4000
5000
6000
0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140 160 180 200
Time (min)
L
o
a
d

(
l
b
)

Figure 4: Load profile for core stress-strain test



3M 300 kcmil, Type 16 ACCR Core
Stress-Strain Raw Test Data
0
20000
40000
60000
80000
100000
120000
140000
160000
0.00 0.05 0.10 0.15 0.20 0.25 0.30 0.35 0.40 0.45
Strain %
S
t
r
e
s
s

(
p
s
i
)

Figure 5: Plot of core stress-strain data


NEETRAC Project Number 06-162, Final Report, Rev. 1 August, 2010 Page 7 of 13
300 kcmil, Type 16 ACCR 3M Composite Conductor
Stress-Strain Initial and Final Modulus Results
y = 125356x - 8771
0
5000
10000
15000
20000
25000
30000
35000
0.00 0.05 0.10 0.15 0.20 0.25 0.30 0.35 0.40
Strain (%)
S
t
r
e
s
s

(
p
s
i
)
Stress-strain data
Initial modulus data
Final modulus data
Poly. (Initial modulus data)
Linear (Final modulus data)
y = -126776x
4
+ 201935x
3
- 173690x
2
+ 123940x + 3325

Figure 6: Construction of composite conductor initial and final moduli on stress-strain data

3M 300 kcmil, Type 16 ACCR Core
Stress-Strain Initial and Final Modulus Results
y = -551914x
4
+ 569537x
3
- 209888x
2
+ 342153x + 9393.3
y = 336170x + 2440.3
0
20000
40000
60000
80000
100000
120000
140000
160000
0.00 0.05 0.10 0.15 0.20 0.25 0.30 0.35 0.40 0.45
Strain (%)
S
t
r
e
s
s

(
p
s
i
)
Stress-strain data
Initial modulus data
Final modulus data
Poly. (Initial modulus data)
Linear (Final modulus data)

Figure 7: Construction of core initial and final moduli on stress-strain data


NEETRAC Project Number 06-162, Final Report, Rev. 1 August, 2010 Page 8 of 13
300 kcmil, Type 16 ACCR 3M Composite Conductor
Stress-strain, Moduli Translated Along the Strain Axis
y = 125356x - 12013
0
5000
10000
15000
20000
25000
30000
35000
0.00 0.05 0.10 0.15 0.20 0.25 0.30 0.35 0.40
Strain (%)
S
t
r
e
s
s

(
p
s
i
)
Translated Initial modulus data
Translated final modulus
Poly. (Translated Initial modulus data)
Linear (Translated final modulus)
y = -126775x
4
+ 215050x
3
- 189867x
2
+ 133339x

Figure 8: Composite moduli data from Figure 6 translated along strain axis for correct zero intercept

3M 300 kcmil, Type 16 ACCR Core
Stress-strain, Moduli Translated Along the Strain Axis
y = -594069x
4
+ 681995x
3
- 280190x
2
+ 358014x
y = 336170x - 6493.4
0
20000
40000
60000
80000
100000
120000
140000
160000
0.00 0.05 0.10 0.15 0.20 0.25 0.30 0.35 0.40 0.45
Strain (%)
S
t
r
e
s
s

(
p
s
i
)
Translated Initial modulus data
Translated final modulus
Poly. (Translated Initial modulus data)
Linear (Translated final modulus)

Figure 9: Core moduli data from Figure 7 translated along strain axis for correct zero intercept
National Electric Energy Testing, Research & Applications Center

NEETRAC Project Number 06-162, Final Report, Rev. 1, August, 2010 Page 9 of 13
300 kcmil Type 16 ACCR 3M Composite Conductor, Combined Stress-Strain Diagram
0
5000
10000
15000
20000
25000
30000
35000
0.00 0.05 0.10 0.15 0.20 0.25 0.30 0.35 0.40
Strain (%)
S
t
r
e
s
s
*
a
r
e
a

r
a
t
i
o
Initial Composite Final Composite
Initial Core Final Core
Initial Aluminum Final Aluminum
Poly. (Initial Aluminum) Linear (Final Aluminum)
Poly. (Initial Composite) Linear (Final Composite)
Poly. (Initial Core) Linear (Final Core)
Initial Composite y =-126775x
4
+215050x
3
- 189867x
2
+133339x
Final Composite y =125356x - 11605
Initial Core y =-83131x
4
+95434x
3
- 39208x
2
+50098x
Final Core y =47042x - 805.6
Initial Aluminum y =-43644x
4
+119616x
3
- 150659x
2
+83241x
Final Aluminum y =78314x - 10800
Ratio Aluminum: 0.86007
Ratio Core: 0.13993

Figure 10: Combined stress-strain model

NEETRAC Project Number 06-162, Final Report, Rev. 1 August 2010 Page 10 of 13
Equations for Stress-Strain Properties. Coefficients below are with respect to actual area. Figure 10
contains the equations normalized for area ratio of core and aluminum constituents:

Composite Conductor Properties, direct test values:

Initial Modulus for Stress Strain Curve:
Stress (psi) =-126776*Strain
4
+201935*Strain
3
- 173690*Strain
2
+123940*Strain +3325

Final Modulus for Stress Strain Curve:
Stress (psi) =125356*Strain - 8771

Tensile Test, Composite Sample: 12,714 lb (111% RBS)

Composite Conductor, data shifted along strain axis to provide correct zero strain reference:

Initial Modulus for Stress Strain Curve:
Stress (psi) =-126775*Strain
4
+215050*Strain
3
- 189867*Strain
2
+133339*Strain

Final Modulus for Stress Strain Curve:
Stress (psi) =125356*Strain - 12013

Core Strand Properties, direct test values:

Initial Modulus for Stress Strain Curve:
Stress (psi) =-551914*Strain
4
+569537*Strain
3
- 209888*Strain
2
+342153*Strain +9393.3

Final Modulus for Stress Strain Curve:
Stress (psi) =336170*Strain +2440.3

Tensile Test, Core Sample: 6,882 lb (99% of nominal rating, failure was in the lab termination)

Core Properties, data shifted along strain axis to provide correct zero strain reference:

Initial Modulus for Stress Strain Curve:
Stress (psi) =-594069*Strain
4
+681995*Strain
3
- 280190*Strain
2
+358014*Strain

Final Modulus for Stress Strain Curve:
Stress (psi) =336170*Strain - 6493.4

Aluminum Properties (computed, as direct measurement is not possible):

Initial Modulus for Stress Strain Curve:
Stress (psi) =-50745*Strain
4
+139078*Strain
3
- 175171*Strain
2
+96784*Strain

Final Modulus for Stress Strain Curve:
Stress (psi) =91056*Strain - 12557

NEETRAC Project Number 06-162, Final Report, Rev. 1 August 2010 Page 11 of 13
Tensile Tests

Following stress-strain testing, both samples were tested for ultimate tensile strength. The results are
summarized in the following table.

Table 1
Tensile and Post Stress-Strain Tensile Tests
Sample RBS/Rating* Failure Load %RBS/Rating Failure Mode
T-1 12,100 13,100 108
Gage section, all
strands
T-2 12,100 12,810 106
Gage section, all
strands
T-3 12,100 13,070 108
Gage section, all
strands
Composite Stress-
Strain
N/A** 12,714 105
Gage section, all
strands
Core Stress-Strain N/A** 6,882 99
Failed at end
fitting
* Values in this table are based on revised RBS of 12,100.
** There is no residual strength requirement following the stress-strain test. The data are provided
as bonus material since there is little extra time needed for the tensile test.


All conductor samples and the post stress-strain composite sample exceeded their RBS. The residual
strength of the core post stress-strain sample was not determined because the laboratory grip failed at
99% of the nominal rating.




NEETRAC Project Number 06-162, Final Report, Rev. 1 August 2010 Page 12 of 13
3M 300 kcmil, Type 16 ACCR
Conductor Tensile Tests
0
2500
5000
7500
10000
12500
15000
0.00 0.25 0.50 0.75 1.00 1.25 1.50 1.75 2.00
Crosshead Position (in)
L
o
a
d

(
l
b
)
Tensile 1
Tensile 2
Tensile 3
RBS (12,100 lb)

Figure 11: Conductor tensile tests

3M 300 kcmil, Type 16 ACCR
Conductor Tensile Tests
0
2500
5000
7500
10000
12500
15000
0.00 0.25 0.50 0.75 1.00 1.25 1.50 1.75 2.00
Crosshead Position (in)
L
o
a
d

(
l
b
)
RBS (12,100 lb)
Conductor Tensile Data
Core Rating
Core Tensile Data

Figure 12: Post stress-strain composite conductor and core tensile tests


NEETRAC Project Number 06-162, Final Report, Rev. 1 August 2010 Page 13 of 13
DISCUSSION / CONCLUSION

Stress-strain data provides coefficients for line designs (no acceptance criteria are applicable). All
tensile samples exceeded their respective ratings.


EQUIPMENT

1) MTS Servo-hydraulic tensile machine, Control #CQ 0195 (load and crosshead data)
2) Dynamics Research Corporation (DRC)/NEETRAC cable extensometer, Control #CQ 3002
(strain data).
3) Yokogawa DC100 data acquisition system, Control #CN 3022 (temperature data)
4) HBM linear position indicator for crosshead displacement (for reference only)


REFERENCES AND STANDARDS

1) ASTM E4, (Calibration of Load Testing Machines)
2) Aluminum Association Guide for Stress-Strain Testing, 1999



Notice

The information contained herein is, to our knowledge, accurate and reliable at the date of publication.

Neither GTRC nor The Georgia Institute of Technology nor NEETRAC will be responsible for any injury to or
death of persons or damage to or destruction of property or for any other loss, damage or injury of any kind
whatsoever resulting from the use of the project results and/or data.

GTRC, GIT and NEETRAC disclaim any and all warranties, both express and implied, with respect to analysis or
research or results contained in this report.

It is the user's responsibility to conduct the necessary assessments in order to satisfy themselves as to the suitability of the
products or recommendations for the user's particular purpose.

No statement herein shall be construed as an endorsement of any product, process or provider.