2012 IEEE International Power Engineering and Optimization Conference (PEOCO2012), Melaka, Malaysia: 6-7 June 2012
Effective Two-Terminal Single Line to Ground
Fault Location Algorithm
M. H. Idris, Member, IEEE, M. W. Mustafa, Member, IEEE and Y. Yatim
Abstract-This paper presents an effective algorithm to locate
Single Line to Ground (SLG) fault at a transmission line. Post
fault voltages and currents from both substation terminals were
used as the input parameters to the algorithm. Discrete Fourier
Transform (DFT) was used to extract the magnitudes and phase
angles of three phase voltages and currents. The modeling of the
transmission line along with the algorithm was performed using
Matlab/Simulink package. The results of fault location for SLG
faults along the transmission line demonstrated the validity of the
algorithm used even for high resistance earth fault.
Index Terms-Discrete Fourier Transform, Fault Location,
Matlab/Simulink, Two-terminal, Single Line to Ground
I. INTRODUCTION
T RANSMISSION line is one of the most important
component in a power system. Fault has higher possibility
to happen at transmission line rather than other power system
components because it is exposed to the environment. Such
conditions which can trigger faults at the transmission line are
danger tree, lightning strike, cross arm fall, crane
encroachment, current transformer explosion, animals and
insulator pollution. All this faults require fast restoration of the
transmission line. The accurate fault location is very important
because a small error in fault location estimation may similar
to several kilometers and this would delay the time for the
maintenance peoples to locate the actual fault location and
make appropriate repair.
Most of the faults are unbalanced faults. From Tenaga
Nasional Berhad’s (TNB) five year tripping statistics (2001 to
February 14, 2006), more than 90% of the tripping was single
line to ground (SLG) fault [1]. For SLG fault, the fault
resistance is the combination of arc resistance, tower
resistance and tower footing resistance (TFR).
Many methods have been used by other researches to
estimate fault location at the transmission line. Fault locating
techniques are classified into two categories depending on
their basic essence [2]. The categories are travelling wave
method and impedance based method. Besides that, fault
locating technique also can be classified into one terminal or
two terminal data algorithms.
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Travelling wave propagation was first adopted by
Dommel and Michels (1978) to detect faults in transmission
line [3]. Then, other papers were published to employ this
technique to locate fault [4]-[8]. In travelling wave method, an
electrical pulse is sent along the transmission line. The time of
the pulse return back indicates the distance to fault point. The
disadvantage of travelling wave method is the propagation can
be significantly affected by system parameters and network
configuration. Besides that, it also difficult to locate fault that
is near to the bus or fault that occurs near zero voltage
inception angle [9].
Impedance based technique uses the fundamental
frequency of voltage and current phasors from installed
transducers such as numerical relays and fault/disturbance
recorders [2]. This method is widely used because of its
simplicity and low cost to be adapted to electronic devices in
the substations. This method can be classified into two
categories depending on the measurements they used. The
categories are one terminal data algorithms [10]-[16] and two
terminal data algorithms [17]-[25].
Commonly, one terminal data algorithms are the most
widely used to estimate fault location because of limited
access of data between two substation terminals. This
algorithm requires many mathematical assumptions to
eliminate the effects of fault resistance on the accuracy of fault
location estimation. There are many algorithms to estimate
fault location have been developed using one terminal data
only. Q. Zhang et al. (1999) designed an algorithm to estimate
fault location of a SLG fault on a two paralleled transmission
line [13]. The algorithm uses the faulted phase circuit and zero
sequence circuit for fault location estimation and doesn’t
require the source impedance data from remote end substation.
The technique assumed that, in general, the load is not
contained in the zero sequence circuit of the faulted phase.
Thus, the effect of load disturbance on the accuracy of fault
location can be eliminated. The technique shows accurate fault
location estimation with less than 1 % error when the
parameters such as source impedance of substations, load
capacity and fault resistance values is changing. However, the
technique assumed accurate line parameters and sampling
data. Inaccurate line parameters and sampling data produced
about 10 % error of fault location estimation.
T. Adu (2001) developed a technique which is based on
reactance method to estimate fault location using one terminal
data [14]. The technique compensates the effects of load flow
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 2012 IEEE International Power Engineering and Optimization Conference (PEOCO2012), Melaka, Malaysia: 6-7 June 2012

and fault resistance on the accuracy of fault location In this paper, the author presents a new two-terminal
estimation. Fault location is estimated by rearranging the fault algorithm to locate the SLG fault at a transmission line. The
distance from the equation of bus voltage for the faulted phase algorithm does not require the knowledge of source
and only the imaginary part of the equation is required. The impedances and the estimated fault location is not influenced
technique has been tested with actual fault data that have been by fault resistance value. By knowing the fault location, the
reported and the results prove the accuracy of the technique. fault resistance can be calculated directly which aid in
determining the nature of the fault occurrence.
Another one terminal data algorithm is by Carlos Eduardo
de Morais Pereira and Luiz Cera Zanetta (2004). The authors
used fault location calculation based on steady state measured
II. THEORY OF TWO-TERMINAL ALGORITHM
phasors from one substation terminal [15]. The data required
for the algorithm are line length, line series impedance matrix,
line shunt admittance matrix, local and remote equivalent
admittance matrix, equivalent admittance matrix, local
terminal post fault and pre fault three phase voltages and local
terminal pre fault three phase currents. The most significant
advantage of this technique is it doesn’t require post fault
current values which might be inaccurate due to current
transformer saturation.
Fig. 1. Ground Fault Condition
Two terminal data algorithm was proposed to improve the
impedance based method that use one terminal data. This Fig. 1 shows the SLG fault condition at a phase line. The
algorithm uses voltage and current phasors from local and fault location is at m distance from substation A and (1-m)
remote end terminal either the data are synchronized [17]-[19] distance from substation B where m is in per unit (p.u.). Fault
or unsynchronized [20]-[25]. In term of accuracy, two resistance, RF, fault voltage, VF and m distance are unknown
terminal data algorithm are more accurate from one terminal parameters. When a fault occurs at any point at the
data algorithm because the algorithm is not affected by the transmission line, currents from both substations will flow
fault resistance value and reactance effect. This algorithm toward the fault point and return back to the substations
require communication channel to transfer the data between through the ground path. So, fault current, IF is the
both ends or to a main substation. E. Schweitzer (1982) combination of current from both substations.
utilized the pre fault phasors where the pre fault phasors are
compared to determine the synchronization error between the The representation of SLG fault at a phase line can be
two ends [20]. Using the synchronization error, the fault extended to its’ sequence components as seen from both
location is calculated in direct manner. However, this substations. Fig. 2(a) and Fig. 2(b) show the equivalent
technique requires the user to manually specify the pre fault sequence network connection seen from substation A and
data, compute the synchronization error and finally calculate substation B respectively.
the fault location. Besides that, this technique is not
appropriate for fault without pre fault load. M. Sachdev and R.
Agarwal (1988) used the post fault phasors in their algorithm
[21]. Cartesian coordinates are used to solve the voltage drop
equations which yields a quadratic equation for the unknown
synchronization error. However, the algorithm requires fault
type identification to compute the fault location.

An example of algorithm that uses synchronized phasors

was suggested by D. J. Lawrence et al. (1992). ABCD
parameters are used to define the transmission line and derive
the equation for fault location [17]. Different equations are Fig. 2(a). Sequence network connection seen from substation A
derived based on fault types and the distance to fault location
is derived from Newton’s technique for non-linear equations.

Two-terminal fault location algorithms only require low

speed communication to transmit the data between both
substations or between the substations and utility’s office. The
fault estimation can be done online or offline. For offline
method, the waveforms of post fault voltages and currents can
be extracted from fault recorders or numerical relays. Two-
terminal fault location algorithms are expected to expand in
the future because they are more accurate than one-terminal Fig. 2(b). Sequence network connection seen from substation B
algorithms.

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 2012 IEEE International Power Engineering and Optimization Conference (PEOCO2012), Melaka, Malaysia: 6-7 June 2012

Where; III. MODELING TRANSMISSION LINE USING MATLAB/SIMULINK

m = 1, 2, .., line length (in per unit) Matlab is powerful analysis software which has the
Z1 = Positive sequence impedance capability of simulating power system flow using Simulink
Z2 = Negative sequence impedance package. In the package, it has a toolbox called
Z0 = Zero sequence impedance SimPowerSystems block set which consist of many power
VA = Phase to ground voltage seen from substation A system components that can be used by just click and drag into
VB = Phase to ground voltage seen from substation B the main file.
VA1 = Positive sequence component of fault voltage
VA2 = Negative sequence component of fault voltage The transmission line can be modeled using available
VA0 = Zero sequence component of fault voltage Distributed Parameter Line or Three Phase Pi Section Line
VF = Phase to ground fault voltage blocks. By using any of these blocks, the user should only
IA0 = Zero sequence component of phase current from enter the values of line parameter. Fig. 3 shows the
substation A transmission line which has been modeled using
IB0 = Zero sequence component of phase current from Matlab/Simulink. All the line parameters used are listed in
substation B Table I. It should be noted that the line modeled is short line,
ZF = Fault impedance therefore the effect of charging current was neglected.
However, for medium and long transmission line, the charging
Phase to ground fault voltage, VF seen from both substations current must be considered in fault location calculation.
can be written as;
TABLE I
VF = VA-m(Z1+Z2+Z0) (1) TRANSMISSION LINE PARAMETERS
VF = VB-(1-m)(Z1+Z2+Z0) (2) Line Parameters Value Unit
Length 47 km
Zero sequence components of phase currents from both Nominal Frequency 50 Hz
substations are equal to; Phase to phase Voltage 132,000 Volt
Positive Sequence Resistance 0.045531917 Ω/km
IA0 = IA/3 (3) Zero Sequence Resistance 0.151489359 Ω/km
IB0 = IB/3 (4) Positive Sequence Inductance 0.000617657 Henry/km
Zero Sequence Inductance 0.001533983 Henry/km
Equalizing (1) and (2);
During fault, there are harmonic components which are
VA-m(Z1+Z2+Z0) = VB-(1-m)(Z1+Z2+Z0) (5) added into the fundamental components of voltage and current
waveforms. These harmonic components must be filtered out
Arranging for m; from the waveforms by using simple low pass filter. Inside
I
VA -VB + B 3 (Z1 +Z2 +Z0 ) Simulink, the filtration is done by using the available Analog
m= (IA +IB ) (6) Filter Design block. The passband edge frequency selected is
3
(Z1 +Z2 +Z0 )
628.3185 rad/s.
Equation (6) is in the complex form. To get the magnitude
of m, the values of magnitude and phase angle of VA, VB, IA, Fig. 4 shows the completed model combining the
IB, Z1, Z2 and Z0 must be available first. Magnitudes and transmission line, filtration, Fast Fourier Transformation
(FFT) and fault location calculation blocks. The FFT block
phase angles of Z1, Z2 and Z0 can be taken directly from the
functioned to convert the sampled voltage and current
settings available in the protection relay while the magnitudes
and phase angles of VA, VB, IA and IB which represent the post waveforms into magnitude and phase angle at every samples.
fault values can be extracted from the fault recorders or
numerical protection relays.

Fig. 3. Transmission line modeled using Matlab/Simulink

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 2012 IEEE International Power Engineering and Optimization Conference (PEOCO2012), Melaka, Malaysia: 6-7 June 2012

Fig. 44. Transmission line model with fault location calculation

IV. SIMULATION RESULT TABLE III

FAULT LOCATION ERRORS FOR RF = 50 Ω
This section presents the analysis of fault location Actual Fault Estimated Fault
F
Error (% )
estimations by the developed algorithm. S SLG faults were location Location
n
initiated along the transmission line. The errrors between the 5 5.882 1.877
estimated fault locations and actual faultt locations were 10 10.63 1.340
calculated using (7). 15 15.4 0.851
20 20.16 0.340
25 24.93 -0.149
Estimated location − Actual loccation 30 29.69 -0.660
Error (%) = x100
Line Length 35 34.47 -1.128
(7) 40 39.26 -1.574
45 44.03 -2.064
Table II and Table III show the results of fault location
estimation for faults along the transmissionn line with fault
resistances, RF equal to 5 Ω and 50 Ω respectively. By
comparing both tables, it proves that thhe fault location
estimation by using the algorithm is not suubjected by fault
resistance value. Fig. 5 shows the plotted errrors for both fault
resistance values.
TABLE II
FAULT LOCATION ERRORS FOR RF = 5 Ω
Actual Fault Estimated Fault
E
Error (% )
location Location
5 5.756 1.609
10 10.55 1.170
15 15.34 0.723
20 20.14 0.298
25 24.94 -0.128
30 29.74 -0.553
35 34.53 -1.000
40 39.3 -1.489 Fig. 5. Fault location errors for different fault resistances and locatio
45 44.15 -1.809

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 2012 IEEE International Power Engineering and Optimization Conference (PEOCO2012), Melaka, Malaysia: 6-7 June 2012
V. CONCLUSION
The algorithm proposed to estimate fault location for SLG
fault in this paper presents quite accurate result. The algorithm
is not subject to fault resistance value. Fault location
estimation can be carried out offline at the utility’s office or
main substations where there are facilities to extract fault
waveforms from fault/disturbance recorders or numerical
protection relays using available communication channels.
Some advantages of the algorithm are listed below:
i. Fault resistance and in feed from both substations do
not affect fault location estimation.
ii. The different source impedance values will not
influence the fault location estimation and the data is
not required.
iii. By knowing the value of m, fault resistance can be
calculated directly by using (1) or (2).
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VII. BIOGRAPHIES
Muhd Hafizi Idris was born in Alor Star,
Kedah, Malaysia on November 4, 1983. He
received the B.Eng degree in Electrical and
Electronic Engineering from Universiti
Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) in 2006 and
M.Eng Electrical (Power) from Universiti
Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) in 2011. His fields
of interest including power system protection,
fault location, stability and reliability. He joined
IEEE in June 2011. Currently, he is a lecturer at
School of Electrical System Engineering,
Universiti Malaysia Perlis (UniMap).
Mohd Wazir Mustafa received his B.Eng
degree (1988), M.Sc (1993) and PhD (1997)
from University of Strathclyde. His research
interest includes power system stability,
FACTS, wireless power transmission and
power system distribution automation. He is
currently an Associate Professor at Faculty of
Electrical Engineering, University Teknologi
Malaysia. Dr. Mustafa is also a member of
Institution of Engineers, Malaysia (IEM) and a
member of IEEE.
2012 IEEE International Power Engineering and Optimization Conference (PEOCO2012), Melaka, Malaysia: 6-7 June 2012

Yazhar Yatim was born in Dungun,

Terengganu, Malaysia on August 29, 1982. He
received his B.Eng inn Electrical System
Engineering from Univeersiti Malaysia Perlis
(UniMAP) in 2007 and M Msc. Power Enginering
from Brandenburg Univeersity of Technology,
Cottbus, Germany in 20100. His research interest
in renewable energy, powwer system, protection
system and energy managgement. Currently, he
is a lecturer at School oof Electrical System
Engineering, Universitii Malaysia Perlis
(UniMAP).

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