MECHANICAL DESIGN OF

OVERHEAD TRANSMISSION LINES

Outlines
Introduction
Types of conductors
Line supports
Spacing between the conductors
Sag-tension calculations
Effect of wind and ice
 Introduction
 Electric power can be transmitted or distributed either by underground cables or
by overhead lines.

 The underground cables are rarely used for power transmission due to two main
reasons.

ʌ very high installation costs

ʌ It is very difficult to provide proper insulation to the cables to withstand

higher voltages.
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An overhead line comprises mainly
i ) conductors

ii ) support structures

iii ) insulators and pole fittings

iV) Cross arms

V) Shield wires

Vi) Miscellaneous items such as phase plates, danger plates, lightning arrestors,
anti-climbing wires etc.

 The continuity of operation in the overhead line depends upon the judicious choice
of above components.
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 Conductor Material
The conductor material used for transmission and distribution of electric
power should have the following properties :

i. high electrical conductivity.

ii. high tensile strength in order to withstand mechanical stresses.

iii. low cost so that it can be used for long distances.

iv. low specific gravity so that weight per unit volume is small.
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 Commonly used conductor materials.
 The most commonly used conductor materials for overhead lines are:

o Copper

o Aluminum

o steel-cored Aluminum

o galvanized steel

o cadmium copper.

 The choice of a particular material will depend upon the cost, the required
electrical and mechanical, properties and the local conditions.

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 Line supports
The line supports are poles and the chief requirements for such supports are:
i) They must be mechanically strong

ii ) They must be light in weight without the loss of strength.

iii ) They must have least number of parts.

iv ) They must be cheap.
v) Their maintenance cost should be minimum.

vi ) They must be easily accessible for point and erection of line conductors.

vii ) They must have longer life.

viii ) They must be of pleasing shape.

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 Classifications of Line Supports
Depending on the materials from which they are made from, line supports can be
classified in to

i. wooden poles,

ii. steel poles,

Poles
iii. R.C.C. poles and

iv. lattice steel towers

Towers
 Wooden Poles
 Shorter span (up to 50m)

 Less cost & used for

distribution purpose in rural
areas.

 Used for voltage upto 20 kv

 Smaller life(20-25 years)

 Less mechanical strength

 Steel Poles
 Greater mechanical strength

 Longer life

 Larger spans

 Used for distribution purpose

in cities

 Three types:
 Rail poles
 Tubular poles
 Rolled steel joints
 Reinforced Concrete Poles
 Greater mechanical strength

 Longer life

 Longer spans

 Good outlook

 Little maintenance

 Good insulating properties

 Two Types:-
 Single pole
 Double poles
 Types of Transmission line Towers
 Depending on their purpose (functions) overhead towers can be classified in to four.

1- Suspension Tower

2- Tension Tower

3- Angle Tower

4- End Tower

5- Transposition Tower

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 Suspension Tower Tension Tower
Suspension Tower (Span ≈ 1000 m)
Used for River crossing,
Railway/ Highway crossing tower, Mountain crossing etc.
Angle Tower End Tower
 Sag and Tension Calculation
 based on the fact that when a wire of uniform cross-section is suspended
between two points at the same level, the wire sags down and assumes the shape
of a parabolic or catenary shape.

 Sag (s) is the vertical difference in level between the point of hanging points
(support) and the shallowest point of the conductor.

 Clearance (C) is the vertical difference between the shallowest point of the
conductor and the ground.

 As sag increase clearance decreases & vice versa.

 Span length (L) is the horizontal distance between two consequentive poles
.
The main factors in the design and stringing of conductors on the supports:

 Conductor load per unit length

 Conductor tension
 Span(distance between supports )
 Temperature

For determining the conductor load .the factors need to be considered are:

 Weight of conductors it self

 Weight of ice or snow clinging to conductors
 Wind blowing against conductors
From practical point of view economic design dictates the following

 Sag of conductor should be minimum to refrain from extra pole height

 Sufficient clearance above the ground level
 To avoid providing excessive horizontal spacing b/n conductors to prevent them from swinging
together in mid span
 Elastic property of the wire is measured by its modulus of elasticity
 𝜎= kg/m2
 Where, 𝜎 = 𝑠𝑡𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑠 𝑝𝑒𝑟 𝑢𝑛𝑖𝑡 𝑎𝑟𝑒𝑎(kg/m2)
• T=conductor tension (kg)
• A= actual cross section of conductor(m2)
• Elongation e of the conductor due to the tension is
• E=
Sag and stress in conductor are dependent on the following things

i. Initial tension put on them when they are clamped in place

ii. Weight of the conductors themselves
iii. Ice or sleet changing to them
iv. Wind pressure
Effect of temperature change
 Sag and tension vary with temperature
 If the conductor stress is constant while the temperature changes ,the changes in length of the
conductor is:

∆𝑙=loα∆t
∆t=t1-to=l1-lo
to= initial temperature
lo=conductor length at initial temperature
l1=conductor length at t1
α = cofficient of linear expansion of conductor per degree centograde
∆t= change in temperature in C0
∆𝑙=change in conductor length in meter
If the temperature is constant while the conductor stress changes(loading) ,the changes in length of
the conductor is:
∆𝑙=lo∆

∆𝑇=T1-To
Where
To= initial tension of conductor (kg)

∆𝑇=change in conductor tension

M=modulus of elasticity of conductor (kg-m)

A= actual metal cross section of conductor (m2)

 Calculation Of Line of Sag And Tension
Catenary method: support at the same level
L :horizontal distance
O: lowest point
l: length of conductor b/n two support
W: weight of conductor per unit length(kg/m)
T: tension on the conductor (kg) at point P
H: tension(kg) at the origin

Conductor suspended between supports at same level

 Tension T can be resolved into two components ,TX, the horizontal components
and Ty the vertical component then, for equilibrium
Tx=H
Ty=ws
 OP portion of conductor in equilibrium
The triangle shows that:
 ds: very short portion of the conductor in the region of point P

 s: increase by ds the corresponding x and y are increase by ds and dy

 tanɵ= = =

 (ds)2=(dx)2+(dy)2

 2 = 1 +( )2

( )=1+( )

 dx=  
 Integrating both side
 
 x=∫   
 x= sinh-1( )+K

Where K is constant of integration

 When x=0,s=0 and k=0

 x= sinh−1( )+K

 s= sinh( )

 x= , s=

 = sinh( )

 l= []( )+K

 Approximately

 l=L(1+ ) = ( )=sinh( )=dy=sinh( )dx

 Integrated both sides
 
 y=∫  𝑠𝑖𝑛ℎ ( )dx
 y= 𝑐𝑜𝑠ℎ( )+K1

 If the lowest point of the curve is taken as the origin ,when x=0,y=0 then K1= , 𝑠𝑖𝑛𝑐𝑒 𝑏𝑦 𝑠𝑒𝑟𝑖𝑒𝑠
cosh(0)=1,
y= [𝑐𝑜𝑠ℎ( )-1], catenary equation

y= [{1 + ( )2+…}-1]
!
 Approximate ,y=

 
 from the curve, T = 𝐻2 + 𝑉2

 
= 𝐻 1 + ( )2
  
1 + ( )2

=sinh( )

T=Hcosh( )

 Where as the total tension in the conductor at the support (at x= ) is

T=Hcosh( )

T=H[{1 + ( )2 + ( )4+…]
! !
 The sag or deflection of the conductor for span length L b/n support on the same level is [at
x= ,y=d]

or
d= [𝑐𝑜𝑠ℎ( )-1
approximately
T= [ ( ) 2+ ! ( ) 3+ ! ( )5+…] d=
 Parabolic method
 Short span and small sag considered as parabolic
Assumption
 Through out the span tension is considered as uniform

 The change in conductor length due to elastic or temperature expansion is equal to change of the
length of conductor in length to horizontal distance b/n the supports

 Let P be any point on the parabolic curve

 OP=x, equilibrium
Under the action of T,H and wx

 Tx=H and Ty=wx equilibrium

At P, H.y=wx
 y=

For short span with small sag ,Tmax-Tmin can be considered as small

 Therefore, Tmax=Tmin=H or T=Tmax=Tmin=H

 y=
 x= , 𝐲 = 𝐝

 y=

 Since T=H, also d= , l=L(1+ )

 Effect of ice covering and wind over the line
 Under the severest conditions of ice covering and wind, the stress over the line is
increased to the maximum.

 The ice covering over the conductor increase the weight of the conductor per
unit length.

 Let, (d cm) be the diameter of the conductor and (r cm) be the radial thickness of
ice.

Representation of conductor covered with ice 28

 Cross-sectional area of the conductor
 d 2

4
 Overall cross-sectional area when covered with ice

 (d  2 r )2
4
 Sectional area of the ice
  d2
= (d  2 r )2 
4 4

= [ (d  2 r )2  d 2 ]
4

= [ d 2  4 r 2  4 d r d 2 ]
4
= r ( d  r )

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 Density of ice=0.915g/cm3

 Weight of ice per meter length

  r ( d  r )  100  0.915  103 Kg

 0.287 r ( d  r ) Kg
 The effect of wind is allowed for by assuming that the wind is blowing with a velocity
of ( 80.45 km/hr) across the line.

 It is equivalent to a pressure of (33.7 kg/m2) of the projected surface to the line to ice.

 The projected surface per meter length of the conductor

( d 2 r )
 1 sq.m
100 30
 ( d 2 r )
Pw  33.7 
100
 0.337 ( d  2 r ) Kg

Representation of resultant force acting on the conductor .

So, the resultant force Wi acting on the conductor from figure, is given as:

W i  (w  w i )2  Pw2
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 Sag Template
For correct design and economy the location of structures on the profile with template is very
essential

 Sag template is unconventional device used in the design of transmission line to determine the
location and height of structures

Sag template can be relied upon the following

 Economic layout
 Minimum error in design and layout
 Proper grading of structures
 Prevenstion of excessive insulator swing
Generaly two types of tower are used :

 The standard orstraight run or intermediate tower

 The angle of anchor or tension
 Determination of Base Width
The base width(at the concrete level) is the distance between the centre of
gravity at one corner leg and the centre of gravity of the adjacent corner leg.

A particular base width which gives the minimum total cost of the tower and
foundations.

Ryle
Formula

The ratio of base width to total tower height for most towers is generally about
one-fifth to one-tenth.

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 Spacing and clearance
 Ground clearance CL=5.182+0.305*K, where K=( )

sag template for locating tower

span length and ground clearance

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