FULL-SCALE EXPERIMENTAL AND THEORETICAL RESEARCH

FOR DOUBLE-CIRCUIT AND SINGLE ACCESS LINE OF THE

110STJ NEW TYPE TOWER

Song Wei, Xie Dongsheng, Chen Tao, Niu Jianrong, Liu Jiwu
(NO.89, Fudong street Taiyuan, Shanxi Province, China; E-Mail: ljwtju@163.com;
Shanxi Electric Power Company Economic and Technical Research Institute of SGCC,
Taiyuan 030002, Shanxi Province, China)

ABSTRACT:

In order to solve the resource shortage problem of the power transmission corridors, a new design of power
transmission line is necessaryDouble circuits and access other lines with single type of the 110STJ is a new
type tower that used in China for the first time. The tower with height call 24m, height 38.4m and weight 18.3t,
was subjected to tests under nine operation conditions(including 90 degree of wind, broken wire, ice-covering
and so on) based on the standard DL/T899 -2012 Loading Tests on Tower and Pole Structures of Overhead
Line. The Experiments show that the displacements of tower 110STJ meet the relevant standard of deformation,
and the stress of tower 110STJ did not exceed the members carrying capacity respectively. Meanwhile,
compared with the conventional similar general tower, this new type has good economic efficiency and social
benefits. So it can meet the safe and reliable operation of the line, and can be applied widely.

KEY WORDS: transmission lines; double circuits; full-scale test; angle steel tower

0 Introduction
Transmission line (the connecting line between electric power plants and transformer substation) that can
transmit electric energy between the power grid and power between electric system is not only a main artery of
electric power industry but also an important part of the electrical power system.
Connecting the 110kV line of the existing transformer substation to the power line of the new 110kV
transformer substation with type is too common nowadays. In China, the single type of the 110kV line is
usually connected by breaking the existing lines respectively. However, it has many disadvantages, such as:
much more materials of tower, larger area occupation, wider line corridor and so on. While, the way which
access other lines with single type in the same double circuits is not applied so far.
In order to satisfy the need of practical engineering, and act as a guide to the selection of 110kV tower
transmission lines, Economic and Technical Research Institute of Shanxi Electric Power Corporation designs the
double circuits of the 110STJ tower accessing other lines with single type on the basis of the general design,
which can also meet the idea to reduce the earth occupation, reduce the line corridor and do good to the climate.
Then, China Electric Power Research Institute has performed full-scale experimental research for the tower to
verify the question of whether force distribution and load characteristic of the tower is in accordance with the
design calculation.
This paper aims to introduce the process of the design and the experiment, and then analyzes experimental
result.
1 Design profile of 110STJ tower
Double circuits and access other lines with single type of the 110STJ new type tower is firstly used in the
110kV power transmission and transformation project of Gujiao city, Shanxi Province, China. Its safe reliability
along with designing reasonability is a significant milestone. So Economic and Technical Research Institute of
Shanxi Electric Power Corporation makes a comprehensive design analysis and a experiment to verify the
important working conditions of the tower.
1.1 Basic parameters of the tower
110STJ tower is designed according to Technical Code for the Design of Tower and Pole Structures of
Overhead Transmission Line (DL/T 5154-2012), Code for Design of 110kV750kV Overhead Transmission
Line (GB 50545-2010), General Design of 110kV Transmission Line and so on.
Conductor of the tower selects JL/G1A-300/40, and earth wire selects JLB20A-100. Its horizontal span is
400m, and vertical span is 500m, design wind speed is 27m/s, thickness of ice-covering is 10mm, nominal
height is 24m, disconnection longitudinal unbalanced tension of conductor is equal to conductor maximum
tension, disconnection longitudinal unbalanced tension of earth wire is equal to earth wire maximum tension,
nonuniform ice-covering longitudinal unbalanced tension of conductor is equal to 30 percent of conductor
maximum tension, nonuniform ice-covering longitudinal unbalanced tension of earth wire is equal to 40 percent
of earth wire maximum tension. The configuration of 110STJ tower as shown in Figure 1.

Figure 1. General map of double circuits 110STJ tower

1.2 The essential design of the tower
(1)the section form and material of the tower
So far, steel angle and steel tube are often used in tower members. Steel tube is superior to steel angle in
section characteristic and bearing capacity, but it is much more difficult in transportation and installation than
steel angle. So 110STJ tower members select Q345 steel angle and Q235 steel angle.
The nominal height of 110STJ tower is 24m, and the overall height is 38.4m. The quality of the tower is 18.3
tons. Tower legs main material selects Q345 2L20014 steel angle. Steel is connected with the grade 6.8 bolt
diameter of 16 and 20, and the grade 8.8 bolt diameter of 24 according to the principle of optimizing bolt.
(2) the size of tower head
110STJ tower is firstly used in accessing other lines with single type, compared with conventional
double-circuit 110kV tower, the size of 110STJ tower head is the key to designing tower. The size of 110STJ
tower head as shown in Table 1.

Table 1 The size of 110STJ tower head

Horizontal distance Cross arm vertical Shielding angle of earth

Project
/m distance/m wire/( )
Earth wire and the upper phase conductor 1.5 4 0

The upper phase conductor and mid-phase conductor 0.7 5.2 0

Mid-phase conductor and the lower phase conductor 0.5 5.2 0

(3)tower arrangement type

The arrangement of double-circuit tangent tower has level, triangle and perpendicularity according to the
demand of electrical performance. Among them, the vertical arrangement occupies minimum width of conductor
corridor, and it is fit for mountainous area, because the length of cross arm is the shortest than others. However,
a long cross arm of other arrangement can result in windage yaw and side conductor having no enough height,
which leads to increasing nominal height or earthwork volume. So 110STJ tower uses vertical arrangement.
1.3 Social and economical benefits of 110kV tower
Refer to Tower design 1D6 module of General Design of 110kV Transmission Line of SGCC ( State Grid
Corporation of China ), the comparison of 110STJ tower and common tower as shown in Table 2.

Table 2 The comparison of 110STJ tower and common tower

Investment
Tension fittings corridor width of
Project The number of tower comparison
/strand type /m
million yuan
2 type branch towers+1 Noumenon90
Conventional electrical Connection mode 30 221
branch tower Land compensation9
1 type branch tower+1 Noumenon44
This electrical Connection mode 18 21
straight tower Land compensation6

Table 2 shows 110STJ tower has the following advantages: narrow line corridors, less area occupation, less
damage to the trees, less land resources and space resources west, and in harmony with the surrounding
environment. At the same time, it also shows that double circuits and access other lines with single type of the
110STJ new type tower is especially suitable for the district which is complex terrain and lacks of land
resources.

2 The overview of the 110STJ tower test

2.1 Test case
Since the double-circuit 110STJ tower has been designed by considering full stress, this full-scale test has
been done by choosing 9 working conditions. The order of the experiment is shown in Table 2 along with the
names of the working conditions.

Table 3 Test case and controlled part

Serial number Condition description controlled part

90 degree maximum wind; the test load is 100%
1 connection earth wire cross arm
design load.
Double-circuit right earth wire and right upper Right earth wire and connection earth wire cross arm; Right
2
conductor broken, the test load is 100% design load upper cross arm
Double-circuit left earth wire and left upper
3 Left earth wire cross arm and left upper cross arm
conductor broken, the test load is 100% design load
Double-circuit b right upper and middle conductor
4 The front and side inclined material of the upper part of the column
broken, the test load is 100% design load
Double-circuit right middle and lower conductor, The lower part of the column, and the front and side inclined
5
the test load is 100% design load material of tower body
Double-circuit left and right middle conductor, the
6 Left and right middle cross arm
test load is 100% design load
Double-circuit left and right lower conductorthe The right lower cross arm, the front and side inclined material of
7
test load is 100% design load tower body and the column
90 degree ice-covering, the test load is 100% connection upper and middle conductor; the upper and middle
8
design load main material of column of tower head
 Same direction ice-covering inequality overload,
9 Main material of tower body and tower leg
the test load is 110% design load

2.2 The principle of loading and allocation of the measurement points

The lateral load, the longitudinal load, the vertical load in the working condition of 1~8 has been loaded in
the order of 050%75%90%95%100%0.While, since the last one is an overload condition of the
test tower, its three kinds of loads have been added in the order of 050%75%90%95%100%105%
110%0.
After loading, stay for 1 minute, then measure the data before continue to load.
14 displacement measuring points of the double-circuit 110STJ tower has been arranged, that can be seen in
Figure 2 (a). And, 18 stress measuring points has been distributed in the key parts of the complex inclined
material and main material, that can be seen in Figure 2 (b).
Load test of the double-circuit 110STJ testing tower has successfully completed under the nine working
conditions in China Electric Power Research Institute between May 23, 2014 and May 26, 2014.

a b
Figure. 2 Allocation of the measurement points for displacement and stress

3 The test result analysis of the 110STJ tower

3.1 The analysis of deformation
The displacement of measuring points that under the condition of loads has been drawn, as shown in figure 3.

aDisplacement of X axis bDisplacement of Y axis

 cDisplacement of Z axis

Figure. 3 The displacement of the measurement points under test cases

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, a total of six measurement points was distributed on the different height of main material, and
the displacement of X axis can reflect overall deformation of the tower well.
Based on the analysis of figure 4, we can clearly see:
(1) The displacements change trend of the 110STJ testing tower accords with the actual situation of
engineering, and it also meets the corresponding specifications requirement.
(2)The biggest displacement of the 110STJ testing tower occurred in test case 2. Since the circuits right side
in the 110STJ testing tower was formed with type, the right side of the earth wire cross arms stress and the
upper conductor cross arms stress will be bigger with the broken of right earth wire and upper right conductor,
which will lead to the torsional deformation of cross arm, then cause a larger displacement of the 110STJ testing
tower.
(3)The displacement of the 110STJ testing tower was smaller in test case 8 and 9, that means it also suitable
for construction in the medium icing area.
(4)Depends on the displacement of each working situation, the biggest displacement and the residual
deformation of the 110STJ testing tower both occurred in test case 2. So, we should strengthen cross arm of the
tower along with the stiffness design on the top.
3.2 The analysis of stress
Considering the number of the towers component and the measurement of the working conditions, this paper
studies how the overload ice-covering conditions affect the tower main material based on condition 9. 1, 2, 3, 4,
a total of four measurement points was distributed on the same side main material of the tower, and the data of
these stress measuring points is able to better reflect the stress rule of main materialsSo this paper mainly
analyze the four stress measuring points.

Table 4 Condition 9, Measuring points stress under 100% load

Number Measured stress/(N/mm2) Allowable stress/(N/mm2)

1 -267.5 -310

2 -243.2 -310

3 -206.1 -310

4 -201.5 -310

According to the control condition of the stress measuring point, wind conditions controls main material of
the tower body, while the earth wire broken conditions controls tower body inclined material and cross arm
main material. Since the materials of the 110SJT testing tower havent exceed the allowable stress of
corresponding specifications, it was in safe state under various conditions.
4 Conclusions and suggestions
(1) After 9 conditions of full-scale test, the main material and inclined material of the 110STJ testing tower
are both normal, that means the structure is reasonable. Thus, the testing tower has passed the test according to
the relevant codes.
(2) Based on the experimental data, the biggest displacement and stress meet the demand of the relevant
codes.
(3) The success of the 110STJ full-scale test shows that the structure of the 110JST tower is feasible, so it can
meet the safe and reliable operation of the transmission line.
(4) The double circuits and access other lines with single type of the 110STJ new type tower has good social
and economic benefits, and it is also especially suitable for the district which is complex terrain and lacks of
land resources.

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