The Effect of Corrosion on the Fatigue Life of Catenary Wire

부식에 의한 가선재 수명특성에 관한 연구

Contact lines are necessary to supply electric locomotives with electric power. As most railways are gradually electrified with modernized electric cars, the demand for catenary wires and their facilities are also increased. Catenary wires made by metallic materials are generally used in the open air. They are exposed to the marine area with air-borne salt or severely polluted industrial area with much corrosive emission gases depending on the railway locations. In urban area, acid rain may cause a degradation of catenary wire system. Corrosion of catenary wires can make their actual lifetime shorter than that originally designed. Thus, the messenger wires, a kind of catenary wire system, were investigated with respect to corrosion, which include new and the used one collected at the field. They are also vibrated with some amplitude everytime the train passes through the railway. The frequent cyclic load on the wire any result in a fatigue damage, Surface damage by corrosion can make fatigue crack initiate with ease. In the present study, the fatigue life of the used wire was measured 40 to 50% shorter than that of new one in average.