Measurement and Computation of Nb3Sn Rutherford Cables Strength Under Multi-Axial Loading Conditions

Superconducting magnet coils are subject to large thermo-mechanical loads applied during magnet assembly, cooldown and operation. These loads can cause the reduction of their critical current due to mechanical strains or local filament failures. Measurements on longitudinally stretched strands and Rutherford cables under transverse pressure have allowed exploration of material limits in two directions. However, no systematic study of the effect of multi-axial loading conditions has been done. Finite Element (FE) models show that, indeed, the actual limits of the material are strongly dependent on the nature of the applied load and that the strength under multi-axial loading can be significantly higher with respect to uniaxial loading conditions. In this paper, we try, for the first time, to measure the effect of multi-direction loading conditions on Nb3Sn Rutherford cables. The experiments are performed on impregnated cable stacks under transverse, lateral, and longitudinal constraints. The integrity of the cables is verified by destructive metallography inspection, evaluating the damage as a function of the applied loading condition.