Despite a rich heritage of scientific and technical knowledge related to the flashover phenomena of polluted HV insulators, few works deal in detail with the process of dry bands initiation. However, it has been widely demonstrated that dry bands have a great influence on the pre-flashover phenomena of HV insulators. The general objective of this project is therefore to contribute to the advancement of knowledge in this field by developing a Multiphysics numerical model to simulate the process of creation of dry bands present along polluted insulators. We also address the associated pre-flashover phenomena. The aim of this model is to reproduce the tests under pollution of composite insulators and to study the appearance of dry bands up to complete flashover. This could be the starting point for numerical flashover models of conventional HV insulators that take for granted the existence of an established partial arc.
