Can water cause brittle fracture failures of non-ceramic insulators in the absence of electric field

Abstract

For original article by M. Kumosa, L. Kumosa and D. Armentrout see ibid., vol.11, no.3, p.523-33, June 2004. The authors of the Discussion point out, by considering referenced documents, that the process of degradation of E-glass composites with certain flaws under high humidity conditions has been thoroughly documented. Flexural test is perhaps the most common test conducted for a variety of materials including ceramics, composites, and both ductile and brittle materials. This is a simple test to set up and present the basic material property data. They believe that their test methodology for stress corrosion cracking (SCC) using a flexural set up is a viable, economical, and easily conducted test to ascertain the response of rods subjected to sustained loading. The original authors reply, agreeing that the test mentioned in the Discussion is "simple, economical, and easy to conduct". At the same time, they entirely disagree that the test is accurate and suitable for the stress corrosion testing of composite insulators.