FATIGUE OF CONDUCTORS

– A SUMMARY OF PRESENT KNOWLEDGE

David G. Havard, Ph.D., P.Eng.

Havard Engineering Inc.

January 12, 2010

Conductors and Accessories WG Meeting
Disney Contemporary Resort
Orlando, FL
 OUTLINE OF PRESENTATION

z Examples of conductor fatigue

z Conductor types
z Clamp types
z Fretting behaviour in stranded conductors
z Design tools
z Aeolian vibration
z Assessment of vibration severity on actual lines
z Determination of fatigue endurance capability
z Examples of conductor fatigue data
z Evaluation of conductor residual life
z Conductor and clamp types lacking fatigue data
 EXAMPLE OF CONDUCTOR FATIGUE

•Conductor fatigue occurs

when wind induced
vibration is not controlled
•Fatigue damage occurs
most often next to the
suspension clamp
•Fatigue usually takes many
years to become apparent
•Steel core can fail by
overheating after aluminum Fatigue failure of a conductor
layers are separated next to a metal clamp
 EXAMPLE OF FATIGUE DAMAGE

Conductor fatigue damage

visible at a clamp due to
aeolian vibration after five
years service

• Showing the conductor after

removing the clamp
• Damage locations are at
both ends of the keeper
• Includes damage in the
second layer
 TYPICAL CONDUCTOR
CONFIGURATIONS
z Conductors comprise layers of strands wound in alternate
directions around a central "king" wire
z The conductor size is chosen to suit electrical and mechanical
requirements
z The conductor cost is up to about 40% of total capital investment.
z The most common conductor type is ACSR (Aluminum Conductor
Steel Reinforced)
z The ratio of steel to aluminum areas vary widely
 SOME SPECIAL CONDUCTORS

z Trapezoidal
z Z-shaped compact
z Self-damping
z Expanded
z Optical Ground Wire
z TP conductor
 COMMON CONDUCTOR MATERIALS

z Core:
– Mainly galvanized steel (sometimes greased)
– Some aluminized steel
– Aluminum alloy 6201-T6
– “Composite”
z Outer layers:
– Electrical grade aluminum (high conductivity, low
strength)
– Aluminum alloy (higher strength, minor loss of
conductivity)
– Annealed aluminum (ACSS) (low tensile and fatigue
strengths)
 SOME CHARACTERISTICS
METAL SUSPENSION CLAMPS
z The ideal profile of the
clamp body follows the
natural curvature of the
conductor
z The ends of the clamp
body and the keeper must
be rounded to avoid
indenting the conductor
z The clamp incorporates a
pivot either below, above
or at the conductor axis to
allow rotation in the plane
of the conductor
 OTHER SUSPENSION CLAMPS

z Armor grip suspension (AGS)

– Elastomeric bushing with
cage of preformed rods
z Metal clamp with elastomeric
insert
z Special river crossing clamp
– Long saddle to reduce
contact stress
 CONTACT AREAS BETWEEN
ROUND STRANDS
z Fatigue of conductors is due to
microslip movements of wires
inducing fretting fatigue
z The phenomenon is complex and
its exact modelling has yet to be
completed
z Fatigue of conductors is due to microslip movements of wires
z Contact areas between round strands are elliptical
z Fretting and microslip occur in these contact areas
z Fatigue cracks develop out of these contact areas
z Fatigue cracks can occur on top and on bottom of the strand
in the second layer
 CONTACT AREAS BETWEEN
TRAPEZOIDAL STRANDS
z Contact areas between trapezoidal
strands are diamond shaped
z Stress levels are lower between
trapezoidal strands
z Poorly formed trap wire can have
small contact areas and higher
stresses
z The knowledge on fatigue performance of conductors mostly
relies on results of laboratory tests made on conductors in fixed
short metallic clamps
z It is not possible at the moment to determine the fatigue
endurance of a conductor alone
z There is a wide diversity of design and geometry of conductors
and supports
DESIGN TOOLS: AEOLIAN VIBRATIONS
AND CONDUCTOR FATIGUE
z There is no analytical solution that will
predict fatigue of conductor-clamp systems
due to the complex fatigue process and the
variety of conductors and clamps
z Approximate engineering solutions have
been developed and serve as reliable design
tools
z When applied correctly, they lead to an
acceptable level of control of the vibration to
avoid fatigue
z The CIGRÉ report includes a review of those
design tools and gives to the transmission
line engineer a clear indication of the limits to
their application
 PREDICTION OF AEOLIAN
VIBRATION AMPLITUDES
z Many utilities have their own design rules (for number of
dampers) based on past experience
z Vibration severity can also be measured on existing lines
z A useful analytical approach is the "Energy Balance Principle“
(EBP)
z The EBP leads to an estimate of conductor vibration amplitude
based on equating the energy input from the wind with the
energy absorption (damping) of the conductor and dampers
z The EBP can also be used for the direct design of the damping
system for a new line
z The estimate of the expected vibratory motion from EBP is
considered an upper bound and is therefor a safe value
 LIMITATIONS ON THE USE OF EBP

"The strains predicted by the different researchers exhibit

considerable variability. Nevertheless analytical methods
based on the EBP and shaker-based technology can provide a
useful tool for use in design of damping systems for the
protection of single conductors against aeolian vibrations. It
should be used with circumspection and be supplemented by
references to field experience. Greater accuracy can be
obtained by evaluating damper dissipation on laboratory span
rather than on the shaker"
Ref: "Modelling of aeolian vibrations of a single conductor
plus damper: assessment of technology "
CIGRÉ TF B2.11.01, Electra, No 223, December 2005, pp.28-36
 CONDUCTOR PROFILE DURING
AEOLIAN VIBRATION

Parameters describing conductor vibration include:

Bending amplitude Yb, Free loop amplitude ymax
Bending angle β, Wave length λ and Loop length ℓ
This representation applies to metal clamps, not to
elastomer lined clamps
 MEASUREMENT OF
CONDUCTOR MOTIONS

The bending amplitude Yb is the most practical field measurement :

z The peak to peak displacement of the conductor at 89 mm (3.5

inch) from the last point of contact with the clamp
z Recommended by IEEE in 1966 (also in the 2007 revision IEEE
P1368)
z Recommended in CIGRÉ SC22 WG04 1979 and SC22 WG11 TF02
1995
 MEASUREMENT OF
CONDUCTOR MOTIONS

Ontario Hydro Recorder ALCOA Scolar III Vibrec 400

Vibration recorders sample conductor vibration for

a few seconds every 15 minutes
Each record is summarized as the maximum peak
to peak amplitude and the average frequency
The records are stored for subsequent analysis
Pavica
 ANALYTICAL REPRESENTATION
OF THE FATIGUE PHENOMENON

Ea d p 2 H
σa =
(
4 e − px − 1 + px ) Yb p=
EI

An idealized bending stress in the top-most outer-layer strand in the

plane of the last point of contact) is calculated from the bending
amplitude (Poffenberger-Swart formula)
Ea: modulus of elasticity of outer wire material (N/mm2)
d: diameter of outer layer wire (mm)
H: conductor tension at average temperature during test period (N)
EI: sum of flexural rigidities of individual wires in the cable (N mm2)
x: distance from the point of measurement to the last point of
contact between the clamp and the conductor.
 ANALYTICAL REPRESENTATION OF
THE FATIGUE PHENOMENON

m
σ a = π d Ea fymax
EI

The same idealized bending stress can be derived from the free loop
amplitude, ymax, which is the vibration parameter often measured
in indoor test spans
Ea: Young’s modulus for the outer-layer strand material (N/mm2)
d: diameter of outer layer wire (mm)
f: frequency of the motion (Hz)
m: conductor mass per unit length (kg/m)
EI: sum of flexural rigidities of individual wires in the cable (N.mm2)
 LABORATORY FATIGUE TESTS ―
RESONANT TYPE TEST BENCHES
• Constant amplitude excitation
Pneumatic tensioning system
Dynamometer
Amplitude measuring system
Suspension clamp
End clamp
• Measurement of the bending
Rubber dampers
Turnbuckle amplitude Yb and/or the free
Wire break detection loop amplitude ymax
Slider Vibrator 5.5(

2m Active length : 7 m 2m
• Most tests with conductors
supported in short metallic
clamps
• Clamps usually held in a fixed
position on the test bench
FATIGUE ENDURANCE DATA

z The results of fatigue tests ultimately

lead to the presentation of a fatigue
(S-N) curve
z Note scatter in the data
z The endurance limit is determined at
500 megacycles
z Idealized bending stress at conductor
surface vs megacycles to failure
z Endurance limits
– 22.5 MPa for single-layer ACSR
– 8.5 MPa for multi-layer ACSR
FATIGUE OF TWO LAYER ACSR
CONDUCTORS
FATIGUE OF THREE LAYER ACSR
CONDUCTORS
 FATIGUE OF ALDREY AND 6201
ALUMINUM ALLOY CONDUCTORS
CONDUCTOR ENDURANCE LIMITS
(IN METAL CLAMPS)
CONDUCTOR TYPE ENDURANCE LIMIT
σa ksi fymax in/sec
ALL ALUMINUM 3.19 5.04
ALL 5005 ALLOY 3.19 5.04
ALL ALDREY or 6201 2.18 3.43
ACSR (Except 7/1) 3.19 4.65
ACSR (7/1) 3.19 5.87
COPPER (Cu) 5.08 3.39
COPPERWELD (Cw) 5.08 4.61
6 Cu/1 Cw 5.08 3.66
2 Cu/1 Cw 5.08 3.82
EHS Steel (Galv) 27.85 15.16
EHs Steel (Aluminized) 19.58 10.71
ALUMOWELD 19.58 10.87
 EVALUATION OF CONDUCTOR
RESIDUAL LIFE (CIGRÉ)
z Based on Cumulative
damage theory (Miner’s
rule)
z Total damage D at several
stress levels σi cumulates
linearly:
D = Σ ni/Ni
z Failure is predicted when
D = Σ ni/Ni =1
z The accuracy of the
resulting estimate of
lifetime is between 50%
and 200%
 RULE OF THUMB APPROACH TO
INTERPRETING FATIGUE DATA (IEEE)

z Widely used set of empirical criteria (“Guide for

Aeolian Vibration Field Measurements of
Overhead Conductors”, IEEE P1368, 2007)
z The bending amplitude may exceed the endurance
limit during no more than 5% of total cycles
z No more than 1% of total cycles may exceed 1.5
time the endurance limit
z No cycle may exceed 2 times the endurance limit
 CONDUCTOR AND CLAMP TYPES
LACKING FATIGUE DATA
z The extrapolation of fatigue data available to other types
of conductors or to different types of support is not
recommended
z Bending amplitude method is valid only for armored or
unarmored conductors fitted with solid metal-to-metal
clamps
z Not valid for cushioned clamps (armored or unarmored)
z Little test data for conductors except ACSR and
aluminum alloys
z Some data for ACSR conductors with armor rods
z There is a need for more published data on conductor
fatigue
 CONDUCTOR FATIGUE - SOURCES

“Engineering Guidelines Relating to Fatigue Endurance

Capability of Conductor/Clamp Systems”, CIGRÉ
Technical Brochure No. 332, 2007
“EPRI Transmission Line Reference Book: Wind–Induced
Conductor Motion”, (The Orange Book), Second Edition,
Chapter 3 Fatigue of Conductors, 2006
“Guide for Aeolian Vibration Field Measurements of
Overhead Conductors”, IEEE P1368, 2007 (a revision of
IEEE 1966 Report)
SPEAKER’S CONTACT INFORMATION

z President: Havard Engineering Inc.

z Tel: 1-905-273-3076
z Fax: 1-905-273-5402
z E-Mail: dhavard@rogers.com
z Web Page: www.havardengineering .com
z Address: 3142 Lindenlea Drive
Mississauga, Ontario
Canada, L5C 2C2