Experimental and computational simulation for wind effects on the Zhoushan transmission towers

Abstract

Long-span transmission tower and conductor line systems become important infrastructures in modern societies. The analysis of wind-induced dynamic responses of transmission towers is an essential task in the design of spatial lattice tower structures. Wind effects on the world's tallest transmission tower are presented in this paper. The tower with a total height of 370 metres, part of the Zhoushan long-span transmission project, enables high voltage conductor lines to span as long as 2750 metres over the typhoon-prone sea strait. A multi-DOF aeroelastic model test with and without conductor lines was carried out to investigate the dynamic performances of Zhoushan tower during typhoon events. Using the response measurement results in the wind tunnel, the inertial force based gust loading factors (GLFs) are applied to represent dynamic wind load effects on the tower for structural design purposes. Time domain computational simulation approach is also employed to predict dynamic responses of the transmission tower and the displacement based gust response factors (GRFs). The fair comparison of GLFs or GRFs are made between the results of the experimental approach and the computational simulation approach, which is an effective alternative way for quickly assessing dynamic wind load effects on high-rise and complex tower structures.