Vibration of bundled conductors following ice shedding

The dynamic behavior of bundled conductors following ice shedding from one subconductor is examined numerically using the finite-element method. An existing model of ice shedding from a single conductor is improved by developing a model of spacers which connect subconductors in the span. The resulting system makes it possible to simulate vibrations following ice shedding from one span of an overhead transmission line with twin, triple, or quad bundles. Vibration characteristics are evaluated as the following parameters are varied: thickness of shed ice, distance between adjacent spacers, and number of subconductors in the bundle. Simulation results will provide information on how the amplitude of vibration and the transient dynamic forces change with the application of spacers. The maximum jump height of the ice-shedding cable, the maximum drop of the loaded cable, and the maximum cable tension are approximated as power functions of ice thickness and the distance between adjacent spacers.