Soil-Structure Interaction Effects on Dynamic Behaviour of Transmission Line Towers

As inferred from earthquake engineering literature, considering soil structure interaction (SSI) effects is important in evaluating the response of transmission line towers (TLT) to dynamic loads such as impulse loads. The proposed study investigates the dynamic effects of SSI on TLT behavior. Linear and non-linear models are studied. In the linear model, the soil is represented by complex impedances, dependent of dynamic frequency, determined from numerical simulations. The nonlinear model considers the soil non-linear behavior in its material constitutive law and foundation uplift in a non-linear time history analysis. The simplified structure behavior of a typical lattice transmission tower is assessed. The analysis of frequency and time domain are followed through varying soil stiffness and damping values. Three different shock durations are investigated. The soil-structure system with equivalent dynamic properties is determined. The behaviors achieved utilizing a rigid and a flexible base for the structures is compared to estimate the impact of taking SSI into account in the calculation. The current mainstream approach in structural engineering, emphasizing the importance of the SSI effect, is illustrated using an example where the SSI effect could be detrimental to the structure. Furthermore, the non-linear analysis results are analyzed to show the linear approach’s limitations in the event of grand deformations.