Fatigue fracture of composite insulator sheds utilized in strong wind areas

This paper presents the fracture failure mechanism of composite insulators that have been deployed for only one year on 750 kV transmission lines in strong wind areas. Investigations indicate that the flexible shed structure was vulnerable to flow-induced oscillation, which further brought cracking to the shed root. The interactive process of fatigue and fracture was reviewed by inspecting the failed samples to gain insight into the cracking mechanism. The fatigue theory of silicone rubber was introduced to illustrate the fatigue resistance of the material. Simulations of wind load and stress distribution were performed to demonstrate the load condition and stress concentration at the root area on sheds. Wind tunnel tests show the oscillation of two types of 750 kV insulators under strong winds of up to 60 m/s. Four samples of silicone rubber from major insulator manufacturers were tested to investigate the fatigue resistance property, and withstand limit of high- and low-performance silicone rubbers. Results indicate that, composite insulators without specific design and wind tunnel tests were risky to apply on transmission lines in strong wind areas, which is common type of climate in northwestern China.