The Reduction Factor of Pultrude Glass Fibre-Reinforced Polyester Composite Cross-Arm: A Comparative Study on Mathematical Modelling for Life-Span Prediction

Abstract

This paper presents an experimental and numerical investigation of pultruded composite glass fibre-reinforced polymer (pGFRP) cross-arms subjected to flexural creep behaviour to assess their performance and sustainability in composite cross-arm structure applications. The primary objective of this study was to investigate the failure creep behaviour of pGFRP cross-arms with different stacking sequences. Specifically, the study aimed to understand the variations in strain rate exhibited during different stages of the creep process. Therefore, this study emphasizes a simplified approach within the experiment, numerical analysis, and mathematical modelling of three different pGFRP composites to estimate the stiffness reduction factors that determine the prediction of failure. The findings show that Findley’s power law and the Burger model projected very different strains and diverged noticeably outside the testing period. Findley’s model estimated a minimal increase in total strain over 50 years, while the Burger model anticipated PS-1 and PS-2 composites would fail within about 11 and 33 years, respectively. The Burger model’s forecasts might be more reasonable due to the harsh environment the cross-arms are expected to withstand. The endurance and long-term performance of composite materials used in overhead power transmission lines may be predicted mathematically, and this insight into material property factors can help with design and maintenance.