High-speed passenger rail service often requires using an electrified catenary wire to provide power to the tranin engine. The catenary wire consists of a copper alloy material, approximately 5/8 inch (15.8 mm) in diameter, held above the rail track with various types of clamps. The train engine uses a pantograph to mechanically couple to the catenary wire. This coupling process casues wear on the catenary wire and produces fatigue in the regions of the clamps. the fatigue process can cause cracking that could ultimately head to wire filure. Presently, eriodic visual inspections of the wire are conducted, but volumetric fatigue cracks cannot be detected visually.
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