Article,
EFFECT OF SUSPENSION CLAMP GEOMETRY ON TRANSMISSION LINE FATIGUE
(1989)
Abstract
This paper reports the results of an experiment~! pT!lfli'iHn 1fo,;i14nticl
to determine the effect of clamp geometry on conductor static and dynamic
strain levels in the vicinity of the clamp and to assess the effect of clamp geometry
on conductor fatigue performance. This was accomplished by manufacturing
four generic suspension cl~mp ass.embhes to support .Drake ACSR
(795 kcmil) conductor specimens dunng static and dynamic testmg. For each
clamp geometry tested, the conductor was instrumented with sh·am gages to
determine strain levels in the conductor strands. Static tests consisted of varying
the conductor parameters with three sag angles and thre~ tension levels ~t
each sag angle for each clamp geometry. Dyn~mic tests co.nsistcd of forced _vibration
tests for each clamp geometry for a smgle set of lme parameters. 1 he
investigation showed that both the static and dynamic strain levels increased
significantly with decreasing clamp radius of curvature, whereby the most adverse
strain level was reached with a 15.2-cm (6-in.) radius clamp. As expected,
based on the static and dynamic strain data, the fatigue performance of the
conductor decreased with decreasing clamp radius. The fatigue performance
exhibited by the conductor supported in a 15.2-cm (6-in.) radius clamp was
inferior to those supported in longer radius clamps.
