Dynamic Behavior of Transmission Tower-Line Systems Subjected to Insulator Breakage

Abstract

Ice loads attached to a transmission tower-line system can not only increase the vertical loads on the insulators, but also cause flashover to occur more easily. Both effects can lead to an increased probability of insulator breakage. In this paper, a finite-element model of a transmission tower-line system with three towers and four span lines under the ice loads is established. Dynamic analyses of the tower-line system after insulator breakage are performed to study the dynamic responses of the system and its failure process. In addition, a parametric analysis is conducted to investigate the influence of span length and insulator length on the vibration of the system and the failure mode. The results show that a larger ice load can lead to more severe vibration of the tower-line system due to the insulator breakage. Moreover, as the span length increases, the insulator breakage can result in more serious consequences and even the cascading collapse of the transmission tower-line system. This study provides crucial reference for preventing the failure of transmission tower-line systems in heavy ice regions.