Dynamic Impact Load Testing - June 2023 Results
In June 2023 EPRI conducted 6 broken wire simulations on its dynamic impact test line in Lenox, MA. These tests were performed with 1780kcm Chukar ACSR conductor, the heaviest conductor size tested at this facility to date. Presented herein are the preliminary results of these 6 tests. Further data analysis on these results, and comparisons to prior broken wire tests will be compiled in the 2023 technical update to EPRI’s ongoing Dynamic Impact Load Testing report (PID: 3002026998) set for publication in December 2023.

Dynamic Impact Load Testing - 2022 Preliminary Results
While significant research has been conducted to determine the response of support structures from impact load events, the quantification of case specific impact load factors is typically beyond the scope of most overhead line design codes. EPRI research aims to provide engineers with the ability to accurately design structures for dynamic impact events based on line parameters such as:

• Span lengths

• Conductor type

• Installed tension

• Insulator length

• Structure flexibility

Learning From Failure – Case Studies in Improved Engineering
This project was launched in 2022. With every structural or mechanical failure event, there is a potentially valuable lesson to be learnt by transmission line design engineers. The continued increase in failure events means that there is no shortage of potential events from which valuable design lessons may be extracted. Very often the events leading to failure are multi-dimensional and do not point to a single point of discrepancy. Such documented failures, where the root causes and possible preventative actions are explained, can teach engineers how to become better designers.

EPRI White Paper on Overhead Line Resiliency
Weather-related outages on the U.S. grid have risen steadily over the past two decades. Although the year-to-year outage levels vary, with 2011 being an outlier, the trend in extreme weather disturbance events since 2000 has been upward.

Dynamic Impact Test Line Update Video

EPRI’s Dynamic Impact Test Line in Lenox, MA is used to simulate broken wire events that may occur on a transmission system and quantify the loads experienced by structures. EPRI is conducting research looking at the effect of line parameters including span length, conductor type and tension, and insulator length on dynamic loads. This research will help transmission engineers effectively design structures to be resilient against broken wire events. This video reviews portions of the dynamic impact test line setup and presents a few clips from the broken wire tests.