Unbalanced Loading in PLS-CADD
July 14th, 2009
by
Otto J. Lynch, P.E.
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Unbalanced Loading in PLS-CADD
• Section [Link] Unbalanced Loading
– Page 124 of our latest PLS-CADD Manual
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Unbalanced Loading in PLS-CADD
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Unbalanced Loading in PLS-CADD
• Criteria / Structure Loads
– Select “Yes” in the Adjust Cable Loads
Column
– “Command” up to 10 Different Definitions
of Unbalanced Loadings for Combined
Loadings
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Unbalanced Loading in PLS-CADD
• [Link].1 Adjust Percent of
Horizontal Tension
– The vertical, transverse and longitudinal
reactions at the end of the will be based on
a reduced horizontal tension H loads which
is the original unreduced tension adjusted
by the percent value you enter in the
adjacent “Value - % - # Subconductors“.
– This option is only available with ruling
span modeling (Level 1).
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Unbalanced Loading in PLS-CADD
• [Link].1 Adjust Percent of
Horizontal Tension
– For example, you could model a broken
conductor situation where you expect the
Residual Static Load to be 70% of the
original tension by specifying a 0 % of
tension in the back span and a 70% of
tension in the ahead span.
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Unbalanced Loading in PLS-CADD
• [Link].2 Specify Number of Broken
Subconductors
– If you specify “# Broken Subconductors“,
you will have to enter the number of broken
subconductors in the adjacent “Value - % -
# Subconductors“ column. If the affected
span has only one wire, you can only enter
one broken subconductor. If the affected
span has several subconductors, you can
enter one or more broken subconductors.
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Unbalanced Loading in PLS-CADD
• [Link].2 Specify Number of Broken
Subconductors
– With Level 1 load modeling, this option simply
removes the load transmitted by the broken cable
to the structure but does not change the loads
from the still intact cables in the span (bundle) or
from the cables on the other side of the structure.
With Level 2, 3 or 4 modeling, the broken cable (s)
is physically removed from the model, but the
finite element analysis determines new tensions in
the system after the removal.
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Unbalanced Loading in PLS-CADD
• [Link].2 Specify Number of Broken
Subconductors
– This option can be used with Level 1
modeling to determine the loads on one
side only of a rigid dead end structure: one
load case where you break all the
subconductors in the back spans and
another one where you break all the
subconductors in the ahead spans.
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Unbalanced Loading in PLS-CADD
• [Link].2 Specify Number of Broken
Subconductors
– This option can also be used with Levels 2,
3 or 4 modeling to determine the load from
a broken conductor next to a suspension
insulator. The analysis would account for
the reduction in tension due to the
longitudinal insulator swing.
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Unbalanced Loading in PLS-CADD
• [Link].3 Add a Concentrated
Vertical Load
– If you specify “Add Vertical Load“, you will have to enter the value
of that load in the adjacent “Value - % - # Subconductors“ column.
This load will be added to the vertical load coming from the
selected span. It is multiplied by the Load Factor for Vertical load
(see Section [Link]) before being added. The transverse and
longitudinal components of the finite element structure loads can be
affected since the load is applied to the tip of the insulator prior to
sag tension which can increase the transverse and longitudinal
components of the load. The transverse and longitudinal
components are not affected in ruling span since the additional load
is simply added to the ruling span loads and do not impact the sag
and tension of the conductor. This, and the following two options,
can be used for all wire modeling levels (Levels 1 to 4).
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Unbalanced Loading in PLS-CADD
• [Link].4 Add a Concentrated
Transverse Load
– If you specify “Add Transverse Load“, you will have to enter the
value of that load in the adjacent “Value - % - # Subconductors“
column. This load will be added to the transverse load coming from
the selected span (i.e. it is perpendicular to the span). It is
multiplied by the Load Factor for Wind before being added. The
vertical and longitudinal components of the finite element structure
loads can be affected since the load is applied to the tip of the
insulator prior to sag tension which can increase the vertical and
longitudinal components of the load. The vertical and longitudinal
components are not affected in ruling span since the additional load
is simply added to the ruling span loads and do not impact the sag
and tension of the conductor.
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Unbalanced Loading in PLS-CADD
• [Link].5 Add a Concentrated
Longitudinal Load
– If you specify “Add Longitudinal Load“, you will have to enter the
value of that load in the adjacent “Value - % - # Subconductors“
column. This load will be added to the longitudinal load coming
from the selected span, i.e. it is in the direction of the span. It is
multiplied by the Load Factor for Tension before being added. The
vertical and transverse components of the finite element structure
loads can be affected since the load is applied to the tip of the
insulator prior to sag tension which can increase the vertical and
transverse components of the load. The vertical and longitudinal
components are not affected in ruling span since the additional load
is simply added to the ruling span loads and do not impact the sag
and tension of the conductor.
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Unbalanced Loading in PLS-CADD
• [Link].6 Adjust Ice Thickness
– If you specify “% Ice Thickness“, the ice thickness on the
specified wire (s) will be adjusted by the % amount that you
enter in the adjacent “Value - % - # Subconductors“ column.
This option can only be used with Levels 2, 3 or 4 wire
modeling. With this method, longitudinal insulator swings at
all suspension structures and longitudinal deflections at all
attachment points with nonzero longitudinal stiffness are
accounted for. This option should not be used with Level 1
modeling because that modeling is not capable of handling
longitudinal insulator swings. If you use this option with Level
1, you will get very conservative longitudinal loads.
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Unbalanced Loading in PLS-CADD
• [Link].7 Adjust Vertical (or
Transverse or Longitudinal) Load
– If you specify “Percent Vertical (or Transverse or
Longitudinal) Load“ for a particular span, the
vertical (or transverse or longitudinal) reactions at
the end of the selected span (see Fig. 7.3-9) will
be adjusted by the percentage that you enter in
the adjacent “Value - % - # Subconductors“
column before it becomes a load on the
supporting structure.
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Unbalanced Loading in PLS-CADD
• [Link].7 Adjust Vertical (or
Transverse or Longitudinal) Load
– While "unbalanced" loading as described
above is available, there is no easy way in
PLS-CADD to generate loads from
"pattern" loading, for example ice load on
every other span. For “pattern” loading,
you can selectively load individual spans
with ice as discussed in Section N.5.
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Unbalanced Loading in PLS-CADD
• Review Above Concepts Live in
PLS-CADD
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