  The transport properties of the superconducting Nb3Sn layers in the strands
strongly depend on the strain state. Knowledge of the influence of axial
strain, periodic bending and contact stress on the critical current (Ic) of the
used Nb3Sn strands is inevitable to gain sufficient confidence in an economic
design and stable operation of ITER CICCs. In the past years we have measured
the Ic and n-value of various ITER Nb3Sn strands with different layout in the
TARSIS facility, when subjected to spatial periodic contact stress at a
temperature of 4.2 K and in a magnet field of 12 T. Recently we have made the
setup suitable for application of homogeneous load along the length of the wire
(125 mm) in order to evaluate possible differences related to spatial stress
and possible current distribution. We present an overview of the results
obtained so far on an ITER TF bronze and internal tin strand.

Materials Science