Modelling of a transmission tower for lightning-
surge analysis
T. Hara
0.Yam a m oto
Indexing terms: Power-trunsrnission lines, Modelling, Transmission towers, Lightning surges
Abstract: Modelling of transmission towers is an
essential part of the travelling-wave analysis of
lightning surges in overhead power-transmission
lines. In thc papcr an equivalent distributed
constant line model of a transmission tower is
developed. The model consists of three parts:
main legs, bracings and crossarms. The surge
impedance of each part is expressed by the
functions of their dimensions and geometry. This
tower model is applied to a 500 kV transmission
tower whose surge performance characteristics are
measured. It is found that the tower voltage wave
shapes, calculated from this model, closely agree
with the measured ones. This proves that the
authors’ proposed tower model simulates well the
surge performances of actual transmission towers.
7 Introduction
Most of the accidents that occur on transmission lines
are caused by lightning strikes on transmission towers.
In order to prevent these accidents, the accurate evalu-
ation of the lightning performance of transmission lines
is necessary. This problem has been further researched
by J.G. Anderson [1], and the parameters influencing
such line performance have been widely investigated.
Tower-surge impedance is one of the most important
parameters for evaluating the insulator voltage of
transmission towers and the transmission-line perform-
ances. Theoretical studies of tower surge impedance [2-
51 are useful in the modelling of towers. However, since
those analyses were made for simple configurations, it
is difficult to extend their results to actual transmission
towers of complex shapes. Experimental studies for
actual transmission towers [6-81 and scale-model
towers [4, 5 , 9, 101 can give a direct insight into the
surge response characteristics of the towers. The recent
experimental work by Ishi et al. [8] has developed a
new multistory tower model for a transmission tower
that produces a surge response close to that of an
actual 500kV transmission tower. However, though
this model is useful in the analysis of surge perform-
ance of the measured transmission line, it is not clear
0IEE, 1996
IEE Pmeedings online no. 19960289
Paper first received 7th February 1995 and in revised form 15th
December 1995
The authors are with Kyoto Umversity, Department of Electncal
Engneenng, Kyoto 606-01, Japan
IEE Proc.-Cener. Transm. Distrib., Vol. 143, No. 3, M a y 1996
how widely the model can be used for other transmis-
sion lines.
The aim of this paper is to develop a more general
representation of a transmission-tower model. The
authors have been analysing the surge-response charac-
teristics experimentally in vertical conductors [l I], a
vertical conductor with a crossarm [12] and multicon-
ductor systems [13], and have developed empirical for-
mulas of their surge impedance.
Based on these results, the authors develop a trans-
mission tower model, the parameters of which are
given by the functions of the tower dimensions and
geometry. The parameters of the model are calculated
for a reall 500kV transmission tower, by substituting
the dimensions of the tower into the functions. The
surge responses of this 500kV tower are obtained from
the model, and are compared with the measured
responses of the tower. The model is examined to see
whether it is applicable to the actual tower.
9p”,znerator
Fig. 1 Setup for lightning-mvge vesponse measurements
2 Surge-response characteristics of vertical
conductors
Fig. 1 shows the arrangement of the measuring equip-
ment. The cylindrical conductor is stood vertically on
the ground. The surge response of the conductor is
measured by the ‘direct method’, which obtains the
surge response as seen from the top of the conductor.
Test currents are injected from a 2kV pulse generator
installed on the ground via a 50m long current lead
wire. A lead wire for measuring the voltage at the top
of the conductor is stretched perpendicular to the cur-
rent lead wire, and grounded at a point 50m apart
from the conductor. In order to keep the current and
the voltage lead wire horizontal to the ground, two
concrete poles are stood about 20m beyond the con-
ductor, as shown in the Figure.
The current at the top of the conductor Z is measured
by a pulse current transformer and that of the voltage
V by a potential probe. The measured signal is con-
283
verted by an EiO transducer into a light signal and
transmitted to the ground. This optical measuring sys-
tem can have the advantage that the measuring equip-
ment is electrically disconnected from the circuit under
test. These two wave shapes are measured simultane-
ously by using the two sets of optical measuring sys-
tems, which enables us to obtain the time sequences
between I and V.
To make clear the surge-response characteristics of a
vertical conductor, the measuring system should have a
fast rise-time response. The total rise time of the meas-
uring system is about 5ns. The measured data are
acquired by the transient recorder with a sampling rate
of less than Ins. 0.1 1 10 100
r,mm
5.1 &-+refiection wave Fig. 3 The dependence of the surge impedunce of a vertical cylinder on
its radius jbr 11 = 2/72 and 3m
A h = 2m U h = 3m
7 4 -~ calculated from eqn. 1
0
0
2 3
>
--2
Q 6o
1

0
0 40 80 100 120 160 200
t,ns
Fig.2 Measured wave shapes ofthe current I and voltage V a t the top oj'
the conductor

2. I Empirical formula of the surge

impedance for a vertical cylinder
The surge-response characteristics are measured for a
1 10
steel-pipe pole 15m in height and 2 inches (Slmm) in
diameter. A l0ns steep wave front current is applied to h,m
Fig.4 The dependence of the surge impedance of a vertical cylinde? on
the top of the conductor. The measured wave shapes of its height for. I' = 2.5mm
the current I and the voltage V at the top of the con- C r = 2.5mm
~ calculated from eqn. 1
ductor are shown in Fig. 2. It is seen from the Figure
that the effect of the wave reflected from the ground
appears on the top at t = 1OOns. This means that the 2.2 Equivalent radius of multiconductar
surge took l00ns to travel round the 15m long cylin- systems
drical tower. Therefore it is found that the velocity of Here, we will investigate the surge performances of
surge propagation in the cylindrical conductor is equal multiconductor systems consisting of several straight
to the velocity of light (0.3mins). The voltage at the top cylinders. The total surge impedance of n parallel cylin-
of the conductor before the reflected wave from the ders is given by
ground reaches the top is about V, = 420V and the 1

current Io = 130A. The surge impedance of this cylin- Z7.n = %ZT:li

n + ZTJ2 + ' ' ' + ZT,ln) (2)
drical conductor is calculated as 320Q2; dividing V,
where n is the number of cylinders, and Z,,', and Z,,,,
by 10.
The surge impedance of various sizes of vertical cyl- are the self surge impedance of the kth cylinder and the
inder, is measured by the same processes explained mutual surge impedance between the kth and Ith cylin-
above. The dependence of the measured surge imped- ders, respectively. Assuming the empirical eqn. 1 is still
ance on their radius is shown in Fig. 3 for the 2m and valid for this system, ZT,kkand Z T k l will be predicted
3m cylinders. Also, the dependence of the measured as
surge impedance on its height is shown in Fig, 4 for the
2.5mm radius cylinder. From these two Figures, the
authors propose that the surge impedance of a vertical
cylinder can be expressed by the following empirical
equation

where h is the cylinder height, r is the cylinder radius

where r and h are the cylinder radius and height,
respectively. Eqn. 1 is shown by the solid line in Figs. 3
and 4. It is found from these two Figures that eqn. 1
agrees closely with the measured surge impedance.
2x4
and R,, is the distance between the kth and lth cylin-
ders.
The surge impedance for multiconductor systems
consisting of two, three and four cylinders which have
the configuration illustrated in Fig. 5 , is derived from
IEE Pi oc -Genei Tinnsm Distrib , Vol 143, No 3 May 1996
 eqns. 2 and 3 as follows: where rT and rB are the radii at the top and the base of
a cylinder. respectively, RT and RB are the distances
(4) between two adjacent cylinders at the top and the base
of the conductor, respectively.
r, R,

E' B'
Fig.7 Configurution of ihe conductor systems consisiing of U single con-
ductor or ,four conductors

3 Equivalent line model of a transmission tower

500 T-- 1
In this Section, we will derive the distributed constant
line model of the transmission tower, whose geometry
is given in Fig. 8. We express the model by the circuit
of distributed constant lines shown in Fig. 9. In the
Figure, Z , corresponds to main legs, Z, to bracings
and Z, to crossarms.

I I I 1 1 I 1
5 10 20 50 100 200 500 1000
R,mm
Fig. 6 The de endence o the .surgr impedunce ofn?ulticonductor systems
on the distance Ltween cyLnders
0 measured n = 2
A measured n = 3
U measured n = 4
~ calculated

The surge impedance of these multiconductor sys-

tems Z , , (n = 2, 3, 4) are measured for different dis-
tances R and are plotted in Fig. 6. The relations
between Z , , (n = 2, 3, 4) and R, given by eqns. 4 and
5 , are also shown by the solid lines in the Figure. It is
seen from the Figure that the lines closely agree with
the measured results. Hence, eqns. 4 and 5 are thought
to give the equivalent radius of the multiconductor sys-
tems consisted of n cylinders.

2.3 General expression of the equivalent

radius
The surge responses of several conductor systems of
different shapes geometry were also are measured.
From the measurements, we found that empirical eqns. t-- Rg -+
1 and 4 are still valid for the conductor configuration Fig.8 Schematic diugrum of the transmission tower
given in Fig. 7, replacing the cylinder radius r and R
with the following equations: 3.7 The model of main legs
For a tower higher than about SOm, the tower model
should be divided into four sections. Applying the
empirical surge impedance ens. 4, 5 and 6 to each sec-
IEE Pmc.-Gener. Tronbm. Distrih , Vol. 143. No. 3, Muy 1996 285
tion of the tower, the surge impedance of each section,
ZT1,Z,, Z , and ZT4,is given by
where
T,k = ( k = 1.2,3,4)
(8)
in which kk(k = 1, 2, 3, 4), rTk(k = 1, 2, 3, 4), RTk(k= I,
2, 3 , 4) and rB, RB are the lengths of the corresponding
parts indicated in Fig. 8. Each length of the line model
is set equal to the real conductor length.
Fig.9 Equivalent distributed constant line model of the tiansrnission
tower
Eqns. 7 and 8 are directly applicable to the towers
fabricated with tubular components. For the towers
fabricated with angle sections, YTk and rB have been
found to be replaced by half of the side length of the
angle section corresponding to each part [14].
3.2 The model of bracings
The surge responses are measured for two sets of four
conductor systems with and without bracings. It is
found from the measured results that the surge imped-
ance of the conductors is reduced about 10% by adding
the bracings to the main legs [ 151. Therefore we express
bracings by the distributed constant lines, ZL1,ZLz,Z,,
and ZL4,which are added parallel to the main legs as
shown in Fig. 9. The surge impedance of each part is
given by
Z L ~ 9 Z ~ k (IC 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 ) (9)
It is also found from the above measurements that the
time to reach the maximum voltage for the conductor
system with bracings is longer compared to the one
without bracings. This shows that the surge needs
longer time to pass through bracings than to pass
through main legs. Therefore in the model the length of
bracings is multiplied by 1.5 times.
3.3 The model of crossarms
We express crossarms by the distributed constant lines
ZAl,ZA2,Z,, and ZA4,branched at the junction point,
286
as shown in Fig. 9. We give their surge impedance by
the following conventional equations for horizontal
conductors:
where hk(k = 1, 2, 3, 4) and rAk(k= 1, 2, 3, 4) are the
height and the equivalent radius of the kth crossarm,
respectively. The length of each line model of the cross-
arm is set equal to the real arm length. From our inves-
tigations, eqn. 10 was proved to be applicable to
cylindrical shaped arms [12] and also to the scale model
arms when the equivalent radius is chosen as 114 of the
width of the arms at the junction point [14].
Fig.10 Geometry and dimensions of the 500kV transmission tower
/unit mmJ
4 Application of the model t o the 500 kV
transmission tower
In this Section, the proposed tower modelling is
applied to the real transmission tower, whose geometry
and dimensions are given in Fig. 10. The dimensions of
the tower are given as follows:
hl = 39.0 in h2 = 47.2m h3 = 33.6 m h4 = 22.0 m
~ ~ 1 = 0 . 0 7 r.r2=0.08m
m ~~3=0.1Gm r.~4=0.178m
RT= ~ 3.00 m R T = ~ 5.45m R T =
~ 6.03 m Rl-4 = 6.50m
T B 10.203 m RB =12.55 m Rk =7.40m
(11)
Substituting these values into eqns. 7 and 8, the surge
impedances of the four sections of the main legs are
obtained as follows:
Z T ~= 129 R 2 ~ 2 1 113 R 2 ~ 3 88 R Z,, = 45 R
(12)
Because the tower investigated here has a wider foot
than the normal tower, RB' is used instead of R, in the
calculation of eqn. 8 for k = 1, 2, 3 (see Fig. 8).
The surge impedances of the four sections of brac-
ings, ZLI,ZL2,Z,, and ZL4,can be obtained by putting
the values of Z T l ,Z,, Z , and ZT4 into eqn. 9. The
surge impedances of the ground-wire arm, the upper-
IEE Proc.-Gener. Transm. Distvib., Vol. 143, No. 3, May 1996
 phase arm, the middle-phase arm and the lower-phase ductor lengths in the footing part, the model has the
arm are also calculated by substituting the values of rAl same conductor length and is set equal to the shortest
= 2.95m, YA2 = 2.67m7 = 2.60m and TA4 = 2.25m conductor length. In general, however, the surge
into eqn. 10. These are as follows: responses of the model sufficiently agree with the ones
ZA= ~ 195 R
~ 221 R Z A ~ 215 0 Z A = 2 ~ =4 178 R of the real tower. These results show that the proposed
tower model is able to express the surge performances
(13)

'I
of the real transmission tower.
4. I Comparison between measured and
calculated voltages
The surge-response characteristics of the tower are 12 -
measured. For the purpose of making clear the surge-
response characteristics of every component which
composes the transmission tower, the steepness of the
wave front of the imposing current is desired to be as
sharp as possible. In this case, impulse currents of
200ns rise time are imposed on the top of the tower.
The imposed current is measured at the top of the
tower and the induced voltages are measured at the tip
time,ps
of the four arms, i.e. the ground-wire, the upper-phase,
Fig. 13 Comparison betwem measured und calculated voltuge wuve
the middle phase and the lower-phase arm. shapesfor the middle-phase arm (f&r sections tower model)
___ measured, -~ calculated ~ ~

time,ps
%4i&0
,

Fig. 11 Comparison between measured and calculated voltage wave 60 0:2 0:4 0:6 0:8
.shapesfor the ground-wire arm (four sections tower model) time,ps
measured, calculated
Fig. 14, Comparison between measured and calculuted voltage wave
~ ~ ~ ~

shapes for the lower-phase arm (four sections tower model)

___ measured, calculated

'3
~ ~ ~

12
4.2 Investigation of the tower modelling
The one-section tower modd The proposed tower
model has four sections of main legs. Here, we will
examine the one-section tower model. The surge imped-
ance of the main legs, 2 , for the one-section model is
determined by putting the values of h = 59m, rT =
0.07m, rB = 0.203m, R, = 5.0m and R, = 12.5m into
eqn. 9, as
0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0'8
timep zr = 111 R (14)
Fig. 12, Comparison between nzeusured and calculated voltage wave
shapes jor the upper-phase arm (four sections tower model) The surge impedance of the bracings is given by 2, =
~ measured, - - - calculated 9 2 , and those of the four crossarms are chosen to
have the same values as the four-sections tower model
The wave shapes of the voltages at the tip of the four given in eqn. 13.
arms are calculated from the tower model shown in
Fig. 9, giving the imposing current the same as the
measured ones. Figs. 11-14 compare the calculated
voltage wave shapes with the measured ones. It can be
seen from Figs. 11 and 12 that the calculated wave
shapes of the ground wire and upper phase arm agree
with the measured ones, not only at the maximum
value, but also in the wide range of the wave shapes.
The calculated voltage wave shapes of the middle and
the lower-phase arms (Figs. 13 and 14) agree with the
measured ones in the first half portion of the waves, 0.4 0.20.6 0.8
time,ps
but are slightly different in the second half portion.
This is due to the incomplete modelling in the tower Fig. 15 Comparison between measured und culculuted voltage wave
shapes for the ground-wire arm (one section tower model)
footing part. Though the real tower has different con- ~~ measured, ~ - - calculated

IEE Proc.-Gener. Transm. Distrib., Vol. 143, No. 3, M a j ~1996 281

 >
1
7
12

$ 8
c
>
4

0 1
0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 0 02 0.4 0.6 0.8
time,ps time,ps
Fig. 16 Comparison between measured and calculated voltage )raw Fig. 20 Conzpurison between measured and calculated voltage wave
shupes for the upper-phase arm (one section tower model) shupes jor. the upper-phuse urm (urmless torver model)
_ _ measured, - - - calculated ~ measured. ~ ~ ~ calculated

>
Y

$a
->
c

0
0 02 04 06 08 8
time, ps time,p
Fig. 17 Cumpurrson between meamed and calculuted voltage tiale Fig. 21 Comparison between measured and calculated voltuge wave
rhapes for the middlephase arm (one section tower model) shapes for the middle-phase arm (armless tower model)
.-- medsured, ~ ~ - calculated ~ measured, ~ -- calculated

’3
12 >1
Y
l 26 1

0 0.‘4 0.2
time, ps time, ps
Fig. 18 Comparison between measured a i d calculuted voltage wuve Fig.22 Comparison between meusured and calculated voltuge wave
shapes for the lower-phuse arm (one section tower model) shapes for the lower-phase arm (armless tower model)
_ _ measured, ~ calculated
~ ~
~. measured, ~ - - calculated

The wave shapes of the tower voltage calculated by The crossarm model: The voltage wave shapes are cal-
the one-section tower model are shown in Figs. 15-18, culated from the armless tower model, and are shown
together with the measured ones. It is found from the in Figs. 19-22. It is seen from these Figures that the
Figures that the one-section tower model does not simu- model which doesn’t have crossarm sections shows
late the measured voltage wave shapes as well. The cal- considerably different responses from the actual ones.
culated voltages of the middle and the lower-phase arm By comparing these results with the ones of the full
are larger than the measured ones. The voltage wave
tower model, it is clear that the crossarm sections play
shapes on the ground-wire and the upper-phase arm are
not in exact agreement with the measured ones in the a importaiit role in the tower model.
latter half portion.
16 ,”\
l61
12
I’ ’,
>
x.
$ 8
-0
U

0
0 0.2 0.4 0.6 08
time,ps time, ps
Fig. 19 Comparison between measured and calculated voltage rwoe Fig.23
Wave shapes of the tower-top voltage culcnluted by the two d$
shapes,for the ground-wire arm (armless tower model) ferent-propaguiion velocity models
~ measured, - ~ ~ calculated ~ measured ~ - - light-velocity model 80%1-of-light-velocitymodel

288 IEE Pvoc -Genev. Tvansm. DDtrih., Vol. 143, N o . 3,Muy 1996
 The surge propugation velocity: In all the calculations
done in the previous Sections, the propagation velocity
along the tower is set equal to that of light. In order to
check the effect of surge propagation velocity, the
tower voltage is calculated assuming that the propaga-
tion velocity is 80% of the speed of light, and is shown
in Fig. 23. It is found from this Figure that the light-
velocity model gives closer voltage wave shapes to the
measured ones than the reduced propagation velocity
model.
5 Conclusions
(i) The empirical formula of the surge impedance is
derived for vertical cylinders as well as conductor sys-
tems consisting of several cylinders. (ii) An equivalent
distributed constant line model of the transmission
tower is developed. The model consists of three parts:
main legs bracings and crossarms. The surge imped-
ance of each part is given by the functions of its dimen-
sions and geometry. (iii) The proposed tower model is
proved to provide surge response characteristics close
to that of the actual transmission tower. (iv) For such a
tower higher than about 50m, a one section tower
model is not sufficient to express the real surge per-
formances and a four section tower model gives a good
performance. (v) The tower model which has crossarm
sections shows surge performances closer to the meas-
ured ones than the armless tower model. (vi) The surge
propagation velocity along the tower is proved to have
the velocity of light.
6 References
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USA, 2nd edn.), Chap. 12
IEE Proc-Genrr. Trunsm. Distrib.. Vol. 143, No. 3, May 1996
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289