Investigation of GRP Composite Cross Arms Applications in Power Delivery Lines (Persian Edition)

Since application of composites in variety of industries is growing, efforts have been dedicated to replace the traditional materials with new composites. Due to unique properties, reasonable price and various straightforward manufacturing processes, polymer matrix composites are of high usage among new materials in many industries.In this investigation, mechanical properties of pultruded composite profiles with isophetalic polyester matrix and long glass fiber reinforcement along with substitution of the pultruded profiles for metallic or wooden profiles in power delivery lines is studied.Analysis of compressive, tensile, bending and impact mechanical properties revealed that strength in the direction parallel to fibers is higher than that of perpendicular to fibers. Fractography by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) indicated that along fibers, splitting and kinking for compressive test, and debonding and pull-out for other tests and perpendicular to fibers disjoining along fiber/matrix interface were the dominant fracture mechanisms. Simulations of 75×75 and 100×100 mm L profiles in 1.5 and 2 m transverse arms were performed using the obtained mechanical properties and calculated forces and torques applied on transverse arms in delivery lines by ANSYS12.1 software. According to values of Tsai-Wu criterion, application of all studied profiles except 75×75 mm profile in 2 m transverse arm is admissible from the mechanical point of view.