Research Result Summaries

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.