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Integration of Optimum, High Voltage Transmission Line Foundations
Integration of Optimum, High Voltage Transmission Line Foundations
Integration of Optimum, High Voltage Transmission Line Foundations
Authors: Freeman Thompson, Nick Salisbury, Anwar Khattak, Aaron Hastings, Michael Foster
Thompson, Freeman, EIT, Design Engineer, Crux Subsurface, Inc., 16707 E. Euclid
Ave., Spokane Valley, WA 99216; Phone (509) 892-9409, Fax (509) 892-
9408, Email fat@cruxsub.com.
Salisbury, Nick, President, Crux Subsurface, Inc., 16707 E. Euclid Ave., Spokane
Valley, WA 99216; Phone (509) 892-9409, Fax (509) 892-9408,
Email nick@cruxsub.com.
Hastings, Aaron, PE, Arroyo Engineering Consultants, Inc., 1328 Echo Creek,
Henderson, NV 89052; Phone (702) 241-5339, Fax (702) 407-0531, Email
aec@aec-nv.com.
Page 1 of 7
Contents Abstract
Abstract ................................................................. 2 High voltage electric power transmission lines span various
regions and geology, and with these variations in venue and
Introduction ............................................................ 3 subsurface conditions, comes the need for efficient foundation
Obstacles ............................................................... 3 designs to control construction costs. In most locations
conventional deep foundations prove to be economical for
Investigation ........................................................... 3 design and construction, and thus an optimum foundation
Conventional Foundations ........................................ 3 system. In some locations, however, site conditions make
conventional foundations too expensive or impractical, and
Introduction To Micropiles ........................................ 3 micropile foundations become the prime solution.
Micropile Foundations.............................................. 4
Micropiles are often thought of as an emerging technology, even
Micropiles In This Industry........................................ 5 though they were conceived over 50 years ago and have been
Integration Of The Different Foundations .................... 5 used in the United States for more than 30 years. The electric
power transmission industry has recently discovered this
Conclusion ............................................................. 7 “emerging technology” and is beginning to take advantage of it.
Reference ............................................................... 7 As the need to transfer electricity from more remote locations
continues to expand, the use of micropile foundations will
become more common as a practical solution for the challenges
encountered.
Health and safety are concerns in any type of construction, but the Swan-Tyee Intertie (138-kV). This 138-kV line connects the
hazards present during micropile construction, while they do exist, Four Dam Pool Power Agency’s hydroelectric facilities at Swan
are minor and are managed through regular, simple safety training Lake and Lake Tyee. This 57-mile segment of line includes
protocols. more than 250 structure locations with more than 350
foundations, all of which are supported by micropile foundations
Other benefits of micropiles (which are not typically important in with steel pile caps. These structures consist of guyed single-
this industry) are the compact sizes of many micropile drills for use shaft structures, guyed and un-guyed Y-structures, guyed H-
in restricted access and head space, as well as low noise and structures, guyed 3-pole structures, and guyed A-frame
vibration emission. structures for major water crossings. Lateral structure loading
was supported via battered foundation micropiles and guy
Again, micropile foundations are not an inexpensive system, so wires. Figure 2 is an example of one of these micropile
they are not beneficial when a traditional foundation can be easily foundations. This was the first micropile transmission line
constructed, but the cost of micropile foundations do not escalate foundation project of this size, and micropiles were chosen
as rapidly as traditional foundations when various constraints and because of the remote, mountainous terrain of the structure
restrictions are imposed or adverse ground conditions are sites. This project was completely helicopter-supported. Another
encountered. major variable encountered from site-to-site was the subsurface
condition, ranging from 3- blow-count silt to 25,000-psi rock.
Micropiles In This Industry With a foundation construction schedule of directions to follow,
The first micropile foundations for transmission structures in this dependent on structure type and subsurface conditions
industry involved triangular and rectangular micropile encountered, micropile foundations were the only feasible
configurations with steel or concrete pile caps. The advent of radial approach to complete this project within the narrow seasonal
micropile arrays has revealed numerous design and construction window available.
advantages. Radial-arrayed micropile configurations, installed with
specialized equipment, can be completed with surprising accuracy
and efficiency. In completely helicopter-supported site conditions,
micropile foundation elements for all four legs of a 500-kV
suspension tower have been installed in less than a day. In the
same conditions, the same accomplishment for a 500-kV deadend
tower has been achieved in under three days.
Both steel and concrete pile caps have been utilized for non-lattice
structures. Concrete pile caps are currently the preferred choice for
lattice towers, but advancements are continually being investigated
and implemented for improved design and construction efficiency.
Conclusion
In this industry, traditional foundations are practical, trusted,
and often the most economical choice for transmission
structures; however, when varying obstacles and restrictions
present themselves, threatening budget and schedule, micropile
foundations can provide solutions that are being realized by the
industry.
Reference
Armour, T., Groneck, P., Keeley, J., and Sharma, S. (2000).
Micropile Design and Construction Guidelines Implementation
Manual, 1.5-1.6.