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Appendix J
Using the Level Span Approximation for Sag & Tension Calculations with an Uneven Span.
From the calculation above use the inclined span length of 1857.8 ft as a ruling span of a level span. Then set the design condition by assigning
the conductor tension in the loadings table equal to the average tension in the uneven span ( 8374.6 lbs). The calculated sag in the level span
approximation will be 132.07 ft (a 3 inch deviation) at the design condition. Now stringing tables can be created for the conductor
approximating its behavior as a level span.
Appendix J
Equations Used
BACKGROUND
The general shape of the hanging cable is described by the differential equation
d2y 1
dy
= 1
2
dx
a
dx
where
a=
H
w
(1)
where a is the catenary constant, H is the horizontal tension, w is tha cable weight and y=f(x) is the catenary curve that describes the
geometry of any uniform cable. This equation is solved by separation of variables by assigning the curve slope with a new variable f=dy/dx
such that
1+ f 2
df
=
dx
a
a sinh
( f ) = x xC
a
1+ f 2
df = dx
f =
dy
x xC
= sinh
dx
a
x xC
y ( x ) = y C + a cosh
1
a
(2)
(3)
(4)
where x C and yC the integration constants. From (3) it is evident that when x=x C the slope of the curve is zero and since the 2nd derivative is
always positive this point represents the minimum of the curve. In fact when x=x C (4) becomes y=yC and thus the coordinate point (x C , yC) is
the lowest point on the catenary curve. Hence, once the lowest point on the curve is calculated the entire catenary curve is defined. To
calculate the coordinates for the lowest point the tower supports are used as fixed points on the curve.
END SUPPORTS
The two end supports represent two constraints for equation (4) which can be used to from a system of two equations. Solving this system
yields the coordinates for the lowest point C. If each support has a set of coordinates (0 , 0) & (S , h) that the curve must pass through, the
following two constraints must be enforced.
x
0 = y C + a cosh C 1
a
(5)
S xC
h = yC + a cosh
1
a
(6)
yC
x
= cosh C 1
a
a
h yC
S xC
= cosh
1
a
a
(7)
(8)
with x C and yC the two unknowns. By subtracting (7) from (8) we get
h
S xC
x
= cosh
cosh C
a
a
a
(9)
xC =
S
+ a sinh
2
S /a
h
e
a 1 e S /a
(10)
x
y C = a cosh C 1
a
(11)
Now the shape of the catenary curve is completely defined since the lowest point (x C , yC) is defined and equation (4) can be used directly for
it is shape.
Appendix J
(equation 1)
(from equation 10)
(equation 10)
(equation 11)
(equation 4)
SAG CALCULATION
Sag is defined as the maximum distance between the catenary curve and the inclined span line (the line connecting the tower supports). The
catenary curve y(x) is defined in the previous paragraph. The inclined span line Y(x) is defined as
Y ( x) = (h / S ) x
(12)
D( x ) = Y ( x) y ( x) =
x xC
= (h / S ) x yC a cosh
1
a
(13)
dD( x )
h
x xC
= sinh D
dx x = x D S
a
=0
(14)
(15)
The vertical coordinate yD is calculated from (4) the catenary curve such as yD = y( x D ). The sag value is calculated from (13) using x=x D
yielding
D=
h
S
S2 + h2 S
1 h
x
+
a
sinh
y
+
a
C
C
S
S
(16)
S
Dh= 0 = y C = a cosh 1
2a
(17)
CLEARANCE CALCULATION
Once the catenary curve is defined then given any clearance point (x P , yP ) the clearance value is
x xC
C = y( x P ) y P = y C + a cosh P
1 y P
a
(18)
Appendix J
L=
dy
1 + dx
dx
(19)
which simplifies to
S xC
x
L = a sinh
+ sinh C
a
a
(20)
L
h2 + S 2
(21)
CABLE TENSION
Given the horizontal tension H and the cable weight w the vertical tension on the cable is always equal to
V ( x) = H
dy
x xC
= H sinh
dx
a
(22)
x xC
x xC
T ( x) = H 1 + sinh 2
= H cosh
a
a
(23)
T L = H w yC
TR = H + w (h yC )
&
(24)
AVERAGE TENSION
To get an accurate average cable tension the cable must be split up into N segments each of length Li and calculate the weighted average of
the internal tension Ti of each segment such that
Pav = Li Ti
i=1
L
i =1
(25)
In practice, such a complex calculation is not necessary since the result is always very close to the average tension between the supports
minus half the sag weight. As a rule of thumb then, the average tension is
Pav = (TL + TR ) / 2 w D / 3
(26)
In the inclined span module of sag10 there is the option to compute the average tension with either the weighted average method (25), or the
approximation in (26).