Analytical and experimental studies on 400 and 132 kV steel transmission poles

Self supporting lattice type towers are most commonly used for power transmission. It is very difficult to get land in urban areas for installation of conventional lattice towers for power transmission. Poles are suitable alternate supports to the conventional lattice towers. Test results from full scale testing conducted on 400 kV double circuit and 132 kV single circuit self supporting transmission line steel monopoles are compared with the analytical results in this paper. The main shaft is hex decagonal in shape and with tapered cross section and the cross arms and ground wire peaks are of octagonal shape. The shaft is made of five segments and connected by telescoping splices. The monopole is analysed using finite element software. Experiments are conducted to predict the natural frequency of the pole and it is compared with the analytical results. The experimental deformations are 50–60% higher compared to the analytical deformation.