Finite Element Model to Study the Deformations of Nb3Sn Wires for the Next European Dipole (NED)

The next European dipole (NED) activity is aimed at the development of a large-aperture, high-field superconducting magnet relying on high-performances Nb₃Sn conductors. Part of the NED program is devoted to the mechanical study of a new generation of Nb₃Sn wires and to predict and describe their behavior under the severe loading conditions of the cabling process. The deformation resulting from the cabling process was simulated through mechanical analyses by finite elements (FE). The ensuing results of FE analyses are presented, allowing the wire behavior under simple uni-axial loads to be described. They are compared to cross section micrographs of deformed wires.