Wear characteristics of contact area among transmission conductor strands of electrified railway

Taking LGJ150/25 aluminum cable steel reinforced (ACSR) wire as tested wire, aeolian vibrations under dry and acidic conditions were simulated on a self-made test rig.The surface morphology of wear scar of tested wire and its elements were observed by using scanning electron microscope (SEM) and energy dispersive spectrometry (EDS).A finite model of inside and outside wire contact areas was built under the same conditions.The analysis results of the finite model and the surface morphology of wear scar were compared.Comparison result indicates that both the wear scar shapes and the stress distributions of contact area among inner aluminum strands are oval-shaped under two conditions.Oval-shaped major axis and strand axis have a certain angle.The contact stress in the central contact area is significantly higher than other areas.The plastic deformation and a large number of wear debris occur on the surface of wear area because of high stress.The compression of mutated stress from the center area, especial transition area, causes the elastic deformation at the edge of wear area and the phenomena of plastic flow and stacking of surface tissue.The transition area between the center and the edge parts has stress concentration, where fatigue cracks are resulted from the mutation of normal stress and shear stress.