Effect of the axial stress and the magnetic field on the critical current and the electric resistance of the joints between HTS coated conductors.

High temperature superconducting (HTS) wires require a detailed characterization of the possible degradation of their properties by handling at room temperature as well as during their service life, establishing the limits for associated functional devices and systems. In this paper, we study the mechanical behavior of spliced joints between commercial HTS coated conductors based on YBCO at room (300 K) and service temperatures (77 K). Single lap shear tests were performed and the evolution of the critical current and electric resistivity of the joints were measured. The complete strain field for the tape and joints was also obtained by digital image correlation. In addition, tensile tests under an external magnetic field were performed, and the effect of the applied field on the critical current and electric resistivity of the joints were studied. Finally, finite element simulations were employed to reproduce the distribution of the stress field developed in the spliced joint samples during axial loading. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]