Advances in Civil Engineering and Building Materials Chang, Al Bahar & Zhao (Eds)

2013 Taylor & Francis Group, London, ISBN 978-0-415-64342-9

Analysis on the capacities of resisting natural disasters for UHV

transmission towers
Jingbo Yang & Fengli Yang
China Electric Power Research Institute, Beijing, China

ABSTRACT: The safety and reliability of the UHV transmission towers were analyzed in many aspects. Load
considerations, tower types, calculating model in structural design, prototype tests. Capacities of resisting natural
disasters were evaluated on UHV transmission towers according to the analysis results. The return period of is
valued as 100 years in the design of UHV transmission towers. Wind loads on UHV transmission towers are
higher than 500 kV transmission towers by 14.5 percent. Therefore the anti-wind capacity and the reliability
level are enhanced. The vibration analysis based on the random vibration theory and the tunnel tests for UHV
transmission tower were carried out. The results show that the value of wind vibration coefficient in the design of
UHV transmission towers is conservative and the towers are safe. Tubular towers are used in UHV transmission
towers. Tubular towers have some advantages including high bearing capacity and good stability. Effects of the
end moments were considered in the structural analysis of tubular towers. The member forces can be computed
more precisely. The typical UHV towers all passed the prototype tests under design load cases. In general,
comparing with the transmission towers of regular voltage grades, capacities of resisting natural disasters for
UHV transmission towers are higher. Safety and reliability of UHV transmission towers can be fully assured.
Keywords:

transmission steel tower,natural disaster, wind load, calculating model

INSTRUCTIONS

Table 1. Return periods for transmission lines with different

voltage grades.

Compared to conventional transmission line within

voltage grade of 110 kV 750 kV, design standard of
UHV transmission line presents large improvement
with design calculation method. Furthermore, prevention measures have been improved to some extent.
Therefore, UHV transmission line presents higher
capability of resisting natural disasters like high wind,
accreted ice and earthquake.
In this paper, with respect of resistance to natural disasters, UHV transmission line is compared to
transmission line of conventional voltage grade from
load considerations, tower types, prototype tests, antivibration and anti-galloping of conductors and seismic
resistance of equipments, to assess disaster resistance
of UHV transmission tower.

2
2.1

Voltage grade (kV)

1,000 800 750 500 110330

Return period (year) 100

100

50

50

30

For transmission lines with different voltage grades

passing the same corridor, statistical characteristics are
identical for meteorological conditions (wind speed
and thickness of accreted ice) that both wind speed and
thickness of accreted ice are in accordance with type
I extreme value distribution. Regulation factor of reference wind speed or thickness of accreted ice can be
concluded for different return periods via equation (1):

LOAD CONSIDERATION
Load return period

Load return period largely affects load value. Longer

return period results in higher load value. Load return
period of UHV transmission line (800 kV, 1,000 kV)
is much longer than that of 110 kV 750 kV transmission line. With respect to wind load and ice load of
transmission line for each voltage grade, return periods
are shown in Table 1.

Where x is the design value of corresponding return

period. x is the mean statistical value. vx is the variation
coefficient. C1 is a constant, considered as 1.28225. C2
is a constant, considered as 0.57722. T is the return
period.
In case that variation coefficient vx is 0.2, return
period of 50 years is to be taken as reference. Calculated regulation factor of wind speed (or thickness of accreted ice) is shown in Table 2. Seen

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