Effect of Transverse Pressure on Brittle Superconductors

For the design of high field accelerator magnets based on brittle superconductors, it is important to know the dependence of the critical current of a cable as a function of transverse pressure. Several Rutherford-type cables were fabricated at Fermilab using multifilamentary composite strands. A fixture was used to measure the performance of a single strand within a reacted and impregnated cable under pressure. The sensitivity to transverse pressure was measured for a number of strands made with the Powder-in-Tube (PIT) and Restack Rod Process (RRP) technologies. Results are presented and discussed, including the effect of a stainless steel core in the cable.