POLITECNICO DI MILANO

DIPARTIMENTO DI MECCANICA

Note on the vibration behaviour of

Over Head Transmission Lines twin bundles

The integrity of the conductors, a fundamental issue of overhead lines, must be safeguarded
from damages caused by several phenomena, among which the most important are the
vibrations induced by the wind : the Subspan Oscillations and the Aeolian Vibration.

The phenomenon is influenced by the line characteristics ( type of cable, cable tensile load,
cable self damping, span length, type of clamp, devices attached to cable ) and by
environmental factors ( ground conditions and wind direction ).

On Bundle Lines spacer dampers are used to maintain the conductors separation and to control
Subspan Oscillations and Aeolian Vibrations. The use of Vibration Dampers could become
necessary for controlling the Aeolian Vibration phenomenon.

The Subspan Oscillations are caused by the instability produced by the wake of the upstream
conductors on the downstream ones and occur generally at a frequency lower than 2 Hz with
high amplitudes of oscillation. The instability requires average / high wind velocity and the
direction of the wind limited to an angle of – 45° and + 45° relative to the direction of the line.
Subspan Oscillation may lead to high stress on the conductors at the spacer and/or suspension
clamps and, eventually, to collision and wear by sub-conductor clashing.
Subspan Oscillations are mainly controlled through a correct spacing of the spacer
dampers along the span length.

The Aeolian Vibrations occur at a frequency of 3 to 100 Hz, with a maximum value of the
vibration amplitude corresponding to the diameter of the conductor. These vibrations are
caused by vortex shedding and the phenomenon is caused by moderate winds in a range of
velocity from 1m/s to 10 m/s. The Aeolian Vibrations cause an alternate bending strain on the
conductor : when the intensity exceeds the strain limit of the conductor, the breakage of cable
strands may occur.

20158 MILANO – VIA LA MASA 34 – TEL. + 39 02 2399.84.94 – FAX + 39 02 2399. 84.92

 POLITECNICO DI MILANO
DIPARTIMENTO DI MECCANICA

Aeolian Vibrations can be kept under control only by using a damping system (spacer
damper or spacer damper + vibration dampers ) designed to reduce the conductor
vibration below acceptable limits.

For what concerns aeolian vibrations, the spacer damper efficiency depends on the inertia of its
central body and on the stiffness and damping of its elastic elements (hinges).

In the lower part of the frequency range interested to aeolian vibrations, the predominant effect
is the inertia of the spacer damper central body, while, increasing the frequency, the stiffness
and damping of the spacer damper hinges become more important.

The twin spacer damper central body has a constitutionally low mass if compared with three or
four bundle spacer damper frames.

Due to this last reason , only in very few cases ( when the T/W ratio between cable tensile load
and cable unit weight is lower than 1200 m ) the twin spacer dampers alone can control the
aeolian vibrations of a twin bundle : generally, to damp the lower frequency vibrations, it is
needed to install also vibration dampers at the span extremities.

Finally : the use of vibration dampers is highly recommended for OHTL twin bundle to
control the Aeolian Vibrations in the lower part of the frequency range of vibrations.

20158 MILANO – VIA LA MASA 34 – TEL. + 39 02 2399.84.94 – FAX + 39 02 2399. 84.92