A Probabilistic Approach to Account for the “wear-in” Scatter of a Hybrid Composite Material

1 General Introduction Recently, transmitting greater amounts of electric energy has become a global issue that has arisen due to the fact that current transmission line designs (based upon steel cores) are thermally limited, which restricts the amount of power that can be delivered. Utilities are faced with the difficult task of increasing power delivery under severe constraints [1]. To solve this problem the use of a hybrid polymer matrix composite (PMC) material has been proposed as the load bearing member of a new higher temperature, more efficient design. The Aluminum Conducting Composite Core Trapezoidal Wire (ACCC/TW) design is based upon unidirectional high strength carbon fibers reinforcing a high temperature epoxy (CFC). Electrically isolating the carbon fiber composite from the conductive aluminum strands is a sheath of unidirectional Electric Corrosion Resistant (ECR) glass fibers embedded in the same high temperature epoxy (GFC) (Fig. 1).