IEEE Transactions on Power Delivery, Vol. 13, No.
4, October 1998
APPLICATION OF THE RULING SPAN CONCEPT FOR OVERHEAD
IN MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN.
L.M. Keselman
Consultant, Tel Aviv, Israel
Abstract. The ruling span method is used by line engineers to
calculate the approximate tension in a multi-span dead-ended line
section. Providing satisfactory results for level spans, it may,
however, result in an error of over 30% if it is used to calculate
tensions in significantly long and steep spans e.g., in mountainous
terrain. Following the ruling span concept in general, this paper
presents equations to calculate tensions for inclined single spans or
multi-span line sections based on calculation of conductor length in
three-dimensional space. These equations include the equivalent
parameters such as equivalent inclined span, equivalent slope,
equivalent load, equivalent effective tension - all needed to take into
account the effect on tension of the changing geometry and length of
conductors in significantly inclined spans. The numerical examples
show the effect of span inclination on conductor tension calculated
using these equations. A simple and accurate equation (without
hyperbolic functions) is derived to calculate conductor length in an
inclined span. This paper ako addresses calculation of sags in non-
level spans. The presented method integrates the practicality of the
mling span concept with the accuracy of the three-dimensional vector
method for analysis of inclined spans. This method is most efficient
for overhead lines in mountainous terrain.
Key words: overhead line, ruling span, sag, tension, equivalent
parameters, three-dimensional method, mountainous terrain.
I. INTRODUCTION
Transmission line engineers have revealed a long time ago some
significant errors when using the traditional ruling span method to
calculate conductor tensions for spans having large differences in
elevations and span lengths [1,2].
Conductor tensions in a multi-span line section can be calculated
using the ruling span method or the method of “local” tensions. The
ruling span method assumes that the horizontal tension is equalized
in all spans of a dead-ended line section. In accordance with the
traditional ruling span method, the ruling span length is defined by
(~#x~/~~xi)0”5 where #xi is the horizontal projection of the @
span. Although this equation allows for many assumptions ~and
simplifications (hence, an approximate method), it serves line
engineers well for design analysis of lines at conductor temperatures
below 90*C. It assumes that the insulators are effectively of an
infinite length, therefore the suspension points between the spans are
free to move without restraint regardless of the magnitude of the
PE-I99-PWRD-O-I1-1997 A paper reeemmended and approved by
the IEEE Transmission and Distribution Committee of the IEEE Power
Engineering Society for publication in the IEEE Transactions on Power
Delivery. Manuscript submitted My 16, 199Z made available for
printing November 11, 1997.
0885-8977/98/$10.00
1385
LINES
Y. Motlis, Senior Member
Ontario Hydro, Toronto, Canada
longitudinal displacement. However, tension will change differently
in spans of unequal length, and the insulator swing does not
completely equalize the tension in adjacent spans.
The method of “local” tensions (sometimes called “true” tensions)
predicts tensions in individual spans more accurately than the
traditional ruling span method because it takes into account the
longitudinal insulator swing’ effect due to changes in load on
conductor (temperature or ice)[3].
In inclined spans, the freedom of displacement of the suspension
insulator strings toward the lower structure is somewhat limited
compared to the insulator swing in level spans. For lines crossing
rough terrain, there may be spans of significantly different length
in which wind load can be unequal (the spatial effect). In
mountainous areas, the ice load in the adjacent spans with large
difference in elevations can also be unequal. For all cases of
unequal load on conductors (ice andlor wind) in the adjacent spans,
it is possible to calculate the equivalent loads for non-level spans
using the three-dimensional method of vectors presented in [4,5].
For the inclined line scetions, the challenge is to propose a method
to calculate conductor tension that could be used as a rttlig span
tension, and would match closely the “local” tensions in those
spans. The method of equivalent parameters presented in this
paper is capable of meeting this challenge using the ruling span
concept as the base. The distinctive feature of this method is the
introduction of the equivalent inclined (ruling) span through the
equivalent parameters that are based on the accurate vector analysis
of the inclined spans in three-dimensional space [4,5]. The
calculation of tension is based on conductor length that changes due
to the change of its geometry in the long and steep spans especially
when affected by strong side winds.
11, NOTATION AND UNITS,
A = total area of conductor, mmz
a = temperature coefficient of linear expansion, II*C
E = modulus of elasticity, N/mm2
eqv. = index denoting equivalent parameters
f, f,, fY,fZ = sag and its projections
6 = angle between axis ‘t and deflected conductor plane AB
L = conductor length, m
t = length of the chord in incliied span, m
m, n = indexing the existing and new state of conductor
respectively.
N, R = angular coefficients in the conductor plane
P = resulting load per unit length of conductor, N/m
TO = tension at “zero” point, N
t = conductor temperature, ‘C
To = abscissa of “zero” point in conductor plane
T = abscissa of any point along the conductor
x, y,z = coordinates in the three-dimensional system of coordinates.
@ 1997 IEEE
1386

III. THE THEORY. A.Calculation of conductor length in inclined s~ans.

Based on the state-of-equilibrium equation for a catenary in thrcc-
The purpose of this paper is to derive the equations and their dimensional space [4], the conductor length in a single inclined
components in order to calculate tension at the “zero” point (the low span can be determined as:
point for conductor in a vertical plane) on the inclined catenary. The
equation for conductor length is used to calculate the change in p(lR-Q
L=%hlq+shlh (1)
conductor tension due to the change in loading conditions. This paper 2’]
P o 0
presents a simple (without hyperbolic functions) equation for
conductor length in inclined spans the accuracy of which is
acceptable for most of the practical applications. where To is derived in [4,5] as following:

,Hgure 1 shows an inclined span of conductor in three-dimensional

space deflected by wind.
lR+~arcsinh
pllv
‘0=1 p 2Tos~@ ‘2)
2T0

After transforming Eq. 1 and combining Eq. 1 and Eq.2, obtain

Eq.3 for conductor (exact) length in a single inclined span:
E7

R=cos6, N = (1 - COS2b)0”’= sinti, where R and N are the

angular coefficients [5] contributing to the high accuracy of Eq.3
Y and Eq.4. After transforming Eq.3, the approximate conductor
length in a single inclined span can be calculated using Eq.4:

n“
r=w’
+’
I L=1+P213R4 (4)

z ‘-Y 24T~

Eq.4 is called an approximate equation to distinct from the exact

method involving hyperbolic functions. Thk equation is simpler
Figure 1. Inclined Span of Conductor Deflected by Wind and more efticie;t for inclined spans compared to the tradhional
ruling span equations because it is derived using a more accurate
It is worth clarifying the meaning!of the “equivalent” and “effective” vector method for three-dimensional analysis of inclined spans.
tensions used in the equations below: “Equivalent” denotes conductor
tension equalized in all spans between two dead-ends. “Effective” is B. Calculation of conductor tension.
defined as that value of the tension along the conductor in a single
span which satisfies Hooke’s law, i.e., it is the tension rw,ulting
~ 1. Single span.
the same elastic deformation of the conductor as the elastic The change-of-state Eq. 5 is used to calculate tension in a single,
deformation due to the variable tension at any point along the level or inclined, span:
conductor. The term “effective equivalent” tension is used in this
paper to define the effective tension averaged for the equivalent T T (5)
inclined (ruling) span, and it reflects the integral affects on the Ln[l
-* -a(tn-tJ]
=Lm[l
-~ -a(tm-tJ] ~
Al?
conductor along the dead-ended line section [1,2].

For level spans, the effective tension is usually assumed as the Substituting L, and L~ from Eq.4, Eq.5 is transformed into Eq.6:
tension at the conductor low point. For spans with small inclinations,
the effective tension is assumed sometimes at the mid-point of the
span. The three-dimensional method [4,5] for design analysis of
inclined line sections assumes that the eff?ctive tension is at the
“zero” point in each span under consideration.
For a single dead-end span, ~m = Pm = ~, Then:
 1387

b) Equivalent load, peqv:

TeJn p:12R:E _ T,fim p;~2R;E
—- - aE(tn-tJ (7)
A Dt*pi
24T: A 24T; P =— (14)
‘q’ n,
For most practical applications, the effective tension can be
calculated using Eq. 8 (a short form): c) Equivalent parameter (p/R*)qV:
Tef = TO*R’ (8)
Equation 8 for inclined spans gives the same result as Tti = TOfor
(15)
level spans.
Combining Eq.7 and Eq.8, obtain Eq.9:

Tn p:12R;E .3 _p;12R> When the loads in the spans are equal (pi is constant in Eq.15),
- aE(tn-tm) (9) the equivalent parameter (PR2)q,. is calculated using Eq. 16:
~- Mc ‘R. 24T:
~:@
where T. and Tm are the tensions at the “zero” point on the catenary.
The integral form of the effective tension as defined in [1,5] can be
calculated using the following Eq. 10:
(1R2),W=
J —
Eli
(16)

d) Equivalent inclined riding span, fW :

p(lR-2Q
T4f2Lp
=~[lR~~sinhp~cosh 1
To ~ _ (plR2)eqv
0 (17)
eqv-
Peqp:qv
Substituting Eq.2 into Eq.10, obtain Eq.11:

T =~[lR&nh~)(l + ‘212N2 )] (11) e) Effective equivalent tension, ‘l’’er.cqv:

‘2L p o 2@b@g
o ~i,Tefj
T (18)
‘f”’qv=~
After a series of transformations of Eq. 11, and using:
sinhk=k+k316, coshk =1 -1-k2/2, Eq. 12 (a long form) is derived as: For a dead-ended multi-span line section,, Eq.6 should be written
for each span of the line section under consideration, and all the
~z(l+ly) respective components in these equations summed up. The sum of
the last components on the right side of the equations is very small
*#,= ‘:R,[(l+=+ ;;21 (12) and can be neglected. Assuming Tm and T. as equal respectively in
~+P o R2(1+L) all spans, and neglecting the difference in the span length for old
24T: 24T: and new state of conductor, &’n= t., Eq.6 is re-written to obtain
Eq.19:

2. Multi-span section.
To derive the change-of-state equation and to calculate conductor
tension for inclined dead-ended multi-span line section, the following
equivalent parameters are introduced for each inclined span @, load
(~i)~ slope (O1);and tension (TJ which is equal at the “zero” points
in all spans:
a) Equivalent slope, Rqv.. or Rqv.m:

D, Combining Eq. 15, Eq. 18 and Eq. 19, a general form of the change-
(13) of-state Eq.20 is obtained for an inclined multi-span section:
 1388

projections of sag can be determined as:

f,= fpx/p; fy= fpylp; and fz= fpz]p, and the abscissa of the
“zero” point (Xo) is equal to:

Eq.20 is similar to Eq.7 but it includes the equivalent parameters to lx ~ To plz

take into account the integral effect of the inclinecl span components —arcsinh
(span length and inclination) on the effective tension. ‘0=3 p plx (25)
Indirectly, the above equations, take into account the effect of wind 2Tosinh—
2T0
direction because the angular coefficients N and R depend on the
components of the load p (pX, pY, pz) which can be determined for
any wind direction using the equations in [5]. When wind is absent,
the conductor is located in a vertical plane, and for ice load equal in
each span, the equations can be simplified by replacing:
N = sin(l = !z/l’; R = cosO = lxll?; p = p=.
--------- -
C. Conductor sag in inclined soans. .,A
In this paper, a conductor sag is defined as a difference of ordinates --P x
along axis “n” between conductor and chord AEI. Figure 2 shows
Y
sags (f) in a deflected plane and their projections on y- and z- axes
of the Cartesian system of coordinates. The sags are calculated for
-T
each span and do not require use of the equivalent parameters.
Therefore, the sags can be calculated using the caknary equations.
n
Figure 2 shows the conductor sag deflected by wind in an inclined
span, and the related parameters to calculate the sags using the
following equations.
a)sag (f) for any point on the conductor: $
z
,1
\_
ef=;[cosh: -coshp(T’~J] -~ (21) fl
o 0
Figure 2. Conductor sag deflected by wind in inclined span
b)sag (fD) for the mid-span point:
IV. NUMERICAL EXAMPLES.

.fD=;[cosh~
o
-coshp(zR:-r+-~
0
(22)
-Case 1
General input data: conductor “DRAKE”, 795 kcmil, ACSR, 2617;
span length = 100 m; slope= 0° (level span); radial thickness of ice
The abscissa T of any point in the conductor plane is tied to the on conductor = 25.4 mm; ~= - 1°C; pZ=53.6 N/m;
abscissa (x) in the Cartesian system of coordinates as: E=74460 N/mm*; a=18.9*l@G l/°C, A=468.5 mm2.
The assumed initial condition is: horizontal conductor tension of
21991 N at t~= 16°C, conductor weight pi = 15.9 N/m. For a
level span, R=co.w?=l, t= fx=lOO m, and using Eq.9:

Tn 53.62* 10@*74460 _ 21991 15.@* 10&*74460 _

—-
468.5 24*~ 468.5 24*219912
If wind is normal to a span, the A=O, then: X = T 8X/fR or:
T = xtR I 1’,. In the absence of wind, R = COSOz fx/f;

-18.9 *10”6*74.460*(-1 -16),

N = fZ/f, T =x, to =x~, then:

find Tn= 45632 N.

f=;[cosh~ -coshp(~-xo)]-+ (24)
o 0 x -Case 2

When conductor is in a vertical plane (no wind), the sag is vertical. The input data is the same as for Case 1 but the slope is 3Cf.
When the sag is not vertical e.g., inclined spans and side wind, the Then, Ix= 100 m, t’Z=57.735 m, R= [l-&* l’z/p*l)~O”s=
=fT/~=100/115.47 =0.866; T~ = 21991 N. Using Eq. 7:
 1389

T,x. 53.62*115.472*0.8664*74460 = 115.473*0.8664+577.353 *0.8664=396839

468.5
(1R2)eqvm=
24*lf 115.47+577.35

_ 26006 15.9* 115.4~*0,t3664* 74460 _18 ~ * ~o.c*7U60(_17), ‘t~ew.n_ 24.72 *474.3362 *7446Q _ 25538
468.5 24*219912 468.5 24*C 468.5

find Tn=42067 N, and T@f.n=48612N, where T~f,~is calculated using

Eq. 12 as following: _ 15.92*396.8392*74460
-18.9 *10~*74460*(16- 16),
24*219912
T@m=
.1+ 53ff;.Y:08664[(l’53’~*’l’’4’’*o”8662)+
12*4206?
24*420672
Substituting the calculated equivalent parameters into Eq.20,
find T. = 38450 N, and T.few.n =40802 N.

53.62 *115.4fi*0.86t? V. DISCUSSION ON THE EFFECT OF SPAN INCLINATION

0.52(1 +
8 *4206~ ) ON CONDUCTOR TENSION.
+ =48612N
0.866Z(1+ 53”~*115.4%*0.86&) Reviewing the summary of calculations given in Table 1 it is
24 *420672
important to note the following:
. with wind load on conductors, tension is increased by 34% when
For comparison, using the short format (Eq.8), T.f,n = Tn/R = span inclination is increased;
42067/0.866 = 48576 N that is close to the result (48612 N) using ● with ice load on conductors, tension is decreased by 14% when
the long format (Eq.12). span inclination is increased;
. at very low temperatures, tension is decreased by 10% in span
-Case 3 of 100 m, when span inclination is increased. However, conductor
Line section consisting of two spans, 100 m and 500 m; slope in each tension is increased in the two-span section where the effect of the
span is equa130°; wind load pY=18.9 N/m; tn=t~=160C; T~=21991 500 m span prevails.
N; p,=15.9 N/m, and p=24.7 N/m. . the largest diffmence between the equivalent and local tensions
Determine parameters for each span: 1,1 = 100 m; t’Z1= 57.735 m; takes place for the following cases: a) very short insulator strings,
f, = 115.47 m; less than 0.5 m; b) side wind, different than 90° transvers~
NI = (18.9 *0+15.9*57.735)/(24.7*115.47)=0.32186; c) unequal wind load in spans with different inclinations; d) very
RI = (l-N*)os = 0.94679. large difference in span length (more than 5 times);
eti =500 m; 1,2 = 288.675 m; f2 = 577.35 m; . the largest difference in tension is for the slope of 40 and
Nz =(15.9 *288.675)/(24.7*577.35)=0.32186; RI = 0.94679. temperature of O°C in the presence of wind, and it is associated
Because the loads in both spans are equal, Eq. 13 and Eq. 16 are used with the movement of the “zero” point toward the mid-span point.
to find the equivalent parameters ~lv.n,~ and (lR2)=To,~respectively. For the conductor in the vertical plane, the “zero” point is more
distanced from the mid-span point and the tension is smaller.
1 15.47+577.35 GO94679 . as the length of the inclined span and of the conductor is
R=
‘W* 115.47 + 577.35 “ increasing, there is an obvious increased effect of the additional
0.94679 0.94679 load on conductor and decreased effect of the temperature; or
. as the span inclination is decreasing, the effect of the additional
load on the conductor is decreasing, and the effect of the
temperature in increasing.
. Sensitivity analysis were done for spans of 100, 500, and 1000
R 115”47+577”35 =0.866 m, and for inclinations of 0° and 30°. It was found that for spans
‘~”m= 1 15.47+ 577.35 Upto 500 m, the error is less than 1% if Eq. 8 is used in place of
== Eq. 12. Therefore, for inclined spans up to 500 m, it is more
convenient to calculate (TJ using Eq. 8 (a short form). For spans
longer than 500 m or for shorter spans with reduced tension
(increased sag), use of the more accurate Eq. 12 ( a long form) is
~=474 336 recommended.
(lR2)e@m= ● To verify the accuracy of the presented method of equivalent
115.47 +577.35
parameters, the tensions calculated using this method were
1390

compared with the method of “looal” tensions that takes into aooount 6. The presented method integrates the practicality of the ruling
the longitudinal swing effect. A two-span fine section consisting of span method and the accuracy of the method of “local” tensions
100 m and 500 m spans was considered, insulator string length of 3 with the vector method [5] of design analysis in thrcedmensional
m with a weight of 1000 N was assumed. space which is most efficient for overhead lines crosskg
The errors, i.e. (Tew - T’lOJ/T’,qv, areas following: in the 500 m mountainous terrain.
span, from (0.01 to 0.33)% without wind, and up to 0.65% with
wind. In the 100 m span, from (-1.22 to +2.32) % without wind, and VII. REFERENCES.
up to 7% with wind for an inclination of 40°.
[1]. P.F. Wlnkelman, “Sag-Tension Computations and Field
Table 1. Summary of calculations, Cases 1,2, and 3. Measurements of Bonneville. Power Administration”, AIEE
Transactions, VOI.78, pp,78, pp.1532-1548, February 1960.
[2]. L.M. Keselman, Fundamentals of Mechanical Design of
T .
1~ 10 20 30
es)
40 I Overhead Lines, in Russian, Moscow, Energoatomizdat, 1992.
[3]. “Limitations of the Ruliig Span Method for Overhead Lme
Conductors at High Operating Temperatures”, DraR-Report of the
Ice Iasded,b=25.4 ram, t=-1%, P, = S3,6Nlm
IEEE Task Force “Bare Conductor Sag at High Temperature”,
100 4s632 45238 44098 42067 39288 discussed at 1997 IEEE/PES Summer Meeting, Berlin.
1 0.9914 0.96S3 0.9219 0.8610 [4]. L.M. Keselman, Design Method for Overhead Line
Conductors in Mountains, in Russian, Moscow, Energoatomizdat,
1981.
[5]. Y. Motlis, L.M. Keselman, “Enhanced Analytical Design
Method for Overhead Line Conductors in Non-Level Spans”, Proc.
Wmd lasded,q=O.67 ItPa, t=16’W, P, =18.9 N/m
IEEE/PES T&D Conference, pp.359-365, Los Angeles, 1996.

100 2676s 27009 2+3 29192 31558 L. M. Keselman was born in Ukraine in
..
Sk...”,,.
1 1.0091 1.0376 1.0907 1.1791
& 1922. He holds a M. SC. in power system
500 33189 33732 35461 38759 44404 electrical engineering from the Tashkent
1 1.0164 1.0685 1.1678 1.3379 Industrial University (1943), Ph,D from
1OO-I-5OO 33029 33s59 3542s 38450 43884 MOSCOW PolytechnicalUniversity (1968),
Bi
1 1.016 1.0671 1.1641 1.3287 and D. SC. from the Moscow University
I
I.OWtemperatureIoadiig, t=40° C of Transport Engineers (1986). He has
.. 45 years of experience in design of
100 52641 52378 51535 49989 475’90
1 0,995 0.979 0.9496 0.9041
ti transmission lines inoluding work from
1969 until 1992 as a Head of the R&D
—t I
Laboratory for overhead lines in
mountainous areas. He is an author of over
90 publications including two books and holding 26 patents in
transmission lines area. Since 1994, he is a Consultant for the
Israel Electric Corporation, Tel Aviv, Israel.

Yakov Motlis (M85, SM90) was born

VI. CONCLUSIONS.
1. This paper supports that the ruliig span method is applicable also
for significantly non-level spans with some corrections that take into
account the ihtegral effect on tension of the equivalent parameters
(inclined spans, load, slopes, and effective tensions).
2. Equations are given to calculate the equivalent parameters and
tensions at the “zero” point using the three-dimensional vector
analysis method for inclined spans. The equation to calculate the
approximate lew#h of conductor in an incfin~ span is approaching
the accuracy of the catenary equation.
4. There are sometimes significant (up to 34%) differences in
tensions compared to those calculated using the traditional ruling span
method without insulator swing effect.
5. Comparison of the presented method with the “local” tensions
method, shows that in most cases the errors are within the acceptable
practical limits.
in Staliigrad, Russia, in 1942, received
his M. SC. degree and engineering
diploma in power systems electrical
engineering from Lviv Polytechnical
University, in 1963, and has worked
for 34 years in design and construction
of overhead and underground,
distribution and transmission lines up
to 500 kV in Ukraine, Israel, and
Canada. He is a Professional Engineer
of Ontario, Chairman, IEEE TF “Bare
Conductor Sag at High Temperature”, Member of the Canadian
National Delegation IEC/TCl 1, Canadian Representative at CIGRE
WG12-1. For the last 16 years he is a Design Engineer - Specialist,
Ontario Hydro, presently with TRANSCO. He is a winner of
Ontario Hydro two New Technology Awards, 1990 and 1994; and
co-author of over 20 technical papers.