Abstract
Abstract The integrity of conductors is the most essential aspect of the reliable operation of overhead power distribution networks. The corrosion is one of the prime reasons for failure in overhead conductors due environmental and operational factors, such as moisture, pollutants, temperature cycling, and mechanical strain. The corrosion induced reduction in tensile strength capacity increase the risk of catastrophic failures. Although existing health monitoring devices provide corrosion detection at an early stage, an efficient transfer of this data to maintenance activities continues to be a concern for utility suppliers. The current study presents the development of corrosion model and probabilistic failure prediction models for aluminium conductors with steel reinforcement. An artificial corrosion environment was experimentally developed for steel and aluminium strands to simulate various corrosion effect. The tensile strength test was conducted to measure the strength of the conductor. Based on the experimental results, a model was developed to predict the loss of strength capacity of the conductor and a probabilistic failure model was established to calculate the expected life of corroded conductors. The developed models will allow to estimate the reliability and to prepare the maintenance plan for overhead conductors.