Abstract-The correct definition and measurement of the thermomechanical properties of the superconducting cable used in high-field magnets is crucial to study and model the behavior of the magnet coil from assembly to the operational conditions. In this paper, the authors analyze the superconducting coil of the main dipoles for the Large Hadron Collider. They describe an experimental setup for measuring the elastic modulus at room and at liquid nitrogen temperature and for evaluating the thermal contraction coefficient. The coils exhibit strong nonlinear stressstrain behavior characterized by hysteresis phenomena, which decreases from warm to cold temperature, and a thermal contraction coefficient, which depends on the stress applied to the cable during cooldown.

We present measurements of the stress-displacement relation for the superconducting coils used in the Large Hadron Collider main magnets (dipoles and quadrupoles). This mechanical property is relevant to determine the correct amount of azimuthal pre-stress to be imposed on the coil. The hysteresis pattern in the loading and unloading curves is discussed. The stress-displacement curves are used to compute the corresponding elastic moduli and deformations. Measurements are also carried out at liquid nitrogen temperature, using the same framework to interpret experimental data. ABSTRACTWe present measurements of the stress-displacement relation for the superconducting coils used in the Large Hadron Collider main magnets (dipoles and quadrupoles). This mechanical property is relevant to determine the correct amount of azimuthal pre-stress to be imposed on the coil. The hysteresis pattern in the loading and unloading curves is discussed. The stress-displacement curves are used to compute the corresponding elastic moduli and deformations. Measurements are also carried out at liquid nitrogen temperature, using the same framework to interpret experimental data.