Conductor Sag and

Tension
Lecture # 23
Dated: 21-11-2019
Outline of Presentation
• Conductor Tension
• Conductor Sag
• Determination of Sag and Tension
• Mechanical degree of safety
• Effect of wind pressure and ice loading
• Conductor vibration and use of dampers
• Proximity Effect
Conductor Tension
• Through out the life of a T/L, the conductor tension may vary b/w
10 to 60% or more of rated conductor strength due to change in
loading and temperature.
• However, tension varies within in relatively narrow limits because
ice, high winds, and extreme temperature are relatively infrequent.
• Normal tensions may be more important in determining the life of
conductor than higher tension.

Tension Definition:
• Tension in conductor is the internal or external pressure that tends
to stretch or loose the conductor.
• There are several conditions at which conductor tension limits are
specified.
• Tension Conditions: The initial unloaded tension refers to the state of
the conductor when it is initially strung and is under no ice or wind
load, is called unloaded tension.
• If the conductor has ice and wind loads, and/or long-time creep, it
receives a permanent or inelastic stretch, the tension in this state is
called final loaded tension.
• The loaded tension refers to the state of a conductor when it is loaded
to the assumed simultaneous ice and wind loading for the National
Electrical Safety Code (NESC) loading districts concerned.
• The vertical load on conductor is the weight of that span of wire with
its ice loading.
• The horizontal load is the load due to pressure of the wind.
• The total loading is the vector sum of both loads.
Conductor sag
• The sag is inversely proportional to the tension in a conductor.
• While erecting overhead lines, the important consideration is to
put conductor under safe tension.
• Too stretched conductor b/w supports may break due to
excessive tension.
• In order to permit safe tension in the conductor, they can have a
dip or sag.

Sag Definition:
The difference in level b/w points of supports and the lowest point
on the conductor is called sag.
• As shown in figure two conductors suspended b/w two equalize supports A and
B. The conductor is not fully stretched but is allowed to have dip. The lowest
point on the conductor is O and the sag is S.
• The tension at any point on the conductor acts tangentially. Thus, tension T0 at
point O acts horizontally as shown.
• The tension at supports is approx. equal to the horizontal tension acting at any
point on the wire. Thus, if T is the tension at the support B, then T=T0
 Calculation of Sag and tension
• In overhead line, the sag should be so adjusted that tension in the
conductors is within safe limits.
• The tension is governed by conductor weight, wind effect/ ice load.
• The conductor tension less than 50% of its ultimate tensile strength i.e
min. factor of safety in r/o conductor tension should be 2.
There are two cases of sag calculation:
1. When Supports are at equal levels: Consider a conductor b/w two
equalize supports A and C with O as the lowest point and B another
point as shown. It can be proved that lowest point will be the mid-span.
Let
l = Length of span
w = Weight per unit length of conductor
T = Tension in the conductor
Calculation of Sag
• Consider a conductor between two equilevel supports A and B with O as
the lowest point as shown in Fig. It can be proved that lowest point will be
at the mid-span.
• Taking the lowest point O as the origin, let the co-ordinates of point P be x
and y.
• Assuming that the curvature is so small that curved length is equal to its
horizontal projection (i.e., OP=x), the two forces acting on the portion OP
of conductor are:
a) the weight wx of conductor acting at distance x/2 from point O.
b) the tension T acting at point O.
By equating the moments of above two forces about point O, we get
Ty = w x x x/2 or
y = w x2 / 2T
the maximum dip is represented by the value of y at either of the supports
A and B. At support A, x = l/2 and y = S
therefore, Sag, S = w (l/2)2/ 2T = w l2/ 8T
2. When Supports are at unequal level: In hilly areas, we generally come
across conductors suspended b/w supports at unequal levels.
•Figure shows a conductor suspended b/w two supports A and B which are
at different levels. The lowest point on the conductor is O.
• Let
l = span length
h = different in levels b/w two supports
x1 = distance of support at lower level (i.e, A) form O
x2 = distance of support at higher level (i.e, B) from O
T = tension in the conductor
If w is the weight per unit length of the conductor

Sag S1 = w x12/ 2T (as y = wx2 /2T)

and S2 = w x22/2T At support A, x=x1 and y=S1
Also, x1 + x2= l ----(1) Hence, S1= w x12/ 2T

Now S2 - S1 = w/2T(x22- x12)

= w/2T(x2 + x1)(x2 - x1)
= wl/2T(x2 - x1)
=h
• But h = wl/2T(x2 - x1)
or x2 - x1 = 2Th/wl --------------------- (2)

Solving equations 1 and 2, we get,

x1 = l/2 – Th/wl
x2 = l/2 + Th/wl

Having found x1 and x2 , values of S1 and S2 can be easily

calculated.
Effect of Wind and Ice
Loading
• In actual practice a conductor may have ice coating
and wind pressure.
• The weight of ice acts vertically downward, i.e in the
same direction as the weight of conductor.
• The force due to wind is assumed to act horizontally,
i.e at right angle to the projected surface of conductor.
• Hence the total force of conductor is vector sum of
horizontal and vertical components.
• When the conductor has wind and ice loading, the
following points may be noted:
• The conductor sets itself in a plane at an angle θ to the
vertical where,
tan θ = Ww / W+Wi
• The sag in the conductor is given as:
S=Wt l2/2T
• Hence S represents the slant sag in a direction making
an angle theta to the vertical. If no specific mention is
made in the problem, then slant sag is calculated by
using the above formula.
Conductor Vibration and
Use of Dampers
• Whenever one hears a hammering sound near an
overhead power conductor it could be the audible noise
of the AC current passing through the conductor,
occurring at the rate of 60/50 cycles per second.

• On the other hand, it could also be conductor

vibration/eddy caused by relatively low winds say in the
range of 3-20 mph, above 20 mph the wind have too
much turbulence to create this type of vibration.
• The rate of vibration in this case varies according to the
wind speed and the conductor diameter.

• Thus the vibration will produce fatigue in the conductor

strands over time causing the failure of overhead line
conductors.

• To avoid this fatigue, Vibration Dampers are used to

add damping to the motion and reduce the amplitude of
vibration below the fatigue danger level.
Types of Dampers
• Stockbridge Type

It consists of weights suspended by a small steel stranded

cable on either side of an aluminum clamp.
Impact dampers/AR
Dampers
• AR vibration damper supported by a clamp, comprising
an elongated damping member secured to inhibit
longitudinal movement along the wire and having
rigidity and character to damp substantial amounts of
vibration energy.

• The weight per foot of the damping member is in the

range of from about 20 percent to about 125 percent of
the weight per foot of the wire.
Ring Dampers
• Ring damper consists of a steel hoop inside of two
galvanized steel springs and two aluminum clamps
used to attach the damper to the cable or to
conductors.
• Vibration may occur in any direction around a 360-
degree circle around the cable axis depending upon
the orientation of the cable relative to the wind
direction.
• In the case of the ring damper the vibration may be
resolved into vector components parallel to and
perpendicular to the plane containing the ring.
Skin and Proximity
Effect
• Skin Effect:
• The non-uniform distribution of current density
in a conductor carrying a.c due to greater
inductance of the inner parts is called the skin
effect.

• The apparent or d.c ohmic resistance of the

conductor is increased due to the effect.
• Proximity Effect:
• When two or more conductors are in
proximity, their electromagnetic fields interact
with each other with the result that the current
in each of them is redistributed such that the
greater current density is concentrated in that
part of the strand most remote from the
interfering conductor.
• The net result is the reduced current rating from the
apparent increase of resistance.
• The two effects assume importance only for conductor
sizes greater than 125 mm2 .
• Correction factors are to be applied to take these facts
into account.
• Reff = Rdc ( 1 + Ys + Yp)
• Yp = Proximity effect Factor
• Ys = Skin Effect Factor
Numerical Problems

• Problem 1
• Problem 2
• Problem 3
THANKS