Adviser

ii High voltage insulators are essential for the reliable performance of electric power systems. All insulators, regardless of their material, are exposed to various electrical, mechanical and environmental stresses. The electrical stresses are the consequences of regular voltages and overvoltages. The mechanical stresses are related to the presence of various loads, e.g., the weight of conductors and hardware, wind load, ice load, etc. The environmental stresses of prime importance are the many forms of precipitation, UV radiation, and pollution. Since an increasing number of non-ceramic insulators are employed by electric utility companies for their new or updated power transmission lines, the analysis of their performance is relevant. The performance of these high voltage non-ceramic insulators is important for both dry and wet conditions. Long-term problems with them are related to the degradation of polymer materials used for the insulator, corona phenomena on the insulator surface, and pollution flashover. Most of these problems are related to th