FINITE ELEMENT ANALYSIS OF A POWER

TRANSMISSION LINE TOWER

R. Todd Pettyjohn

September 15, 2006

Blacksburg, Virginia, USA

Introduction
The problem at hand requires structural analysis of a power-transmission-line
tower. This large truss, which stands 45 ft high and spans 50 feet is shown in figure 1.
Each member is made from 10 in2 rectangular A36 Steel, which has a modulus of
elasticity of E = 29 10 6 psi, a yield strength of S y = 36 ksi, and a Poissons Ratio of

= 0.292 .

Figure 1 Two dimensional truss model of a power transmission line tower.

The objectives of this analysis are to determine:

The overall behavior of the structure

The value and location of maximum deflection

The load and stress in each member

The critical member

The critical failure mode

The factors of safety for buckling and yield

Model Development

The truss was modeled in ANSYS 7.0. The truss model was completed by
defining keypoints and adding the appropriate lines. Zero displacement constraints were
applied at points 1 and 2, and loads were applied at points 11 and 16. Figure 2 and
Figure 3 show the completed model with the location of applied loads and boundary
conditions, as well as the element numbers. Each element in the truss is approximated as

Figure 2 ANSYS model showing the location of applied loads and boundary conditions

LINK1 ANSYS element, which is a two dimensional uniaxial two force member with
two degrees of freedom at each node. The material was modeled as a linear elastic
isotropic material. Tables 1 and 2 summarize the elements and material models used.

Figure 3 ANSYS model showing the element numbers

Table 1 Types of elements used

Element No.
All Elements (1-29)

Element Type
LINK 1

Table 2 Material models and material properties of each element

Element No.
All Elements
(1-29)

Material Type
Linear Elastic
Isotropic

Material

Modulus of
Elasticity

Yield
Strength

Poisson's
Ratio

Area

A36 Steel

29 x 106 psi

36 ksi

0.292

10 in2

Analysis Results
Presented in this section are the results of the analysis. Table 3 labels the critical
members and the yielding and buckling factors of safety. Table 4 shows the internal
force, stress, and strain in each element. Table 5 shows the buckling loads of each
member. Calculations pertaining to buckling can be located in Appendix B. Figures 4-6
illustrate the internal member forces, stresses, and strains and their exact location on the
structure. Table 6 shows the components and total magnitude of deflection at each node.
Figure 7 shows the deformed structure plotted against an undeformed edge.
Overall Behavior of the Structure:

Bucking factor of safety of 155.1

Yielding factor of safety of 161

The critical members are member 14, 15, 21, 22

The critical members are all in compression and will buckle before
yielding

The structure is subject to loading well below its limits

The maximum deflection is 0.00101 and occurs at the upper right

extreme of the structure (node 15).

Table 3 Critical members and factors of safety

Critical Buckling Members

Critical Yielding Members
Buckling Factor of Safety (nb)
Yielding Factor of Safety (ny)

14,15,21,22
14,15,21,22
155.1
161.0

Page 5 of 17

Table 4 Internal force, stress, and strain in each member.

Element
No.
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29

Member Force
(lb)
1.02E-12
-1000
-1.39E-12
-1000
250
-1031
-1031
-4.30E-12
-250
-1000
-1000
-1.81E-11
-2000
-2236
-2236
2000
2000
2000
2000
2000
-2236
-2236
-7.86E-13
-2.75E-11
3.33E-12
0
0
7.03E-13
3.52E-13

Stress
(psi)
1.02E-13
-100
-1.39E-13
-100
25
-103
-103
-4.30E-13
-25
-100
-100
-1.81E-12
-200
-224
-224
200
200
200
200
200
-224
-224
-7.86E-14
-2.75E-12
3.33E-13
0
0
7.03E-14
3.52E-14

Strain
3.50E-21
-3.45E-06
-4.79E-21
-3.45E-06
8.62E-07
-3.55E-06
-3.55E-06
-1.48E-20
-8.62E-07
-3.45E-06
-3.45E-06
-6.23E-20
-6.90E-06
-7.71E-06
-7.71E-06
6.90E-06
6.90E-06
6.90E-06
6.90E-06
6.90E-06
-7.71E-06
-7.71E-06
-2.71E-21
-9.49E-20
1.15E-20
0.00E+00
0.00E+00
2.42E-21
1.21E-21

Page 6 of 17

Table 5 Location of each point of the members, length, slenderness ratios, buckling load values, and factors of safety

Page 7 of 17

Figure 4 ANSYS solution showing the internal force in each member

Page 8 of 17

Figure 5 ANSYS solution showing the stress in each member

Page 9 of 17

Figure 6 ANSYS solution showing the strain in each member

Page 10 of 17

Table 6 Components of deflection and the total displacement at each node

Node
No.
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16

UX (in)
-5.252E-20
0
5.172E-05
3.879E-05
1.577E-05
2.439E-05
1.404E-04
7.146E-05
1.604E-04
-5.388E-05
1.509E-05
8.405E-05
1.530E-04
2.220E-04
2.910E-04
6.405E-05

UY (in)
0
0
-5.172E-05
-5.172E-05
-9.848E-05
-8.589E-05
-1.204E-04
-1.330E-04
-2.731E-04
-8.945E-04
-2.731E-04
-1.204E-04
-1.330E-04
-3.109E-04
-9.575E-04
-3.109E-04

UZ (in)
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0

Maximum Displacement (in)

Node No.

Total
Displacement
(in)
5.252E-20
0
7.315E-05
6.466E-05
9.973E-05
8.929E-05
1.850E-04
1.509E-04
3.168E-04
8.961E-04
2.735E-04
1.468E-04
2.027E-04
3.820E-04
1.001E-03
3.174E-04

1.001E-03
15

Page 11 of 17

Figure 7 ANSYS solution showing the deformed shape (blue) and the original shape (black)

Page 12 of 17

Discussion of Analysis
From the analysis in previous sections, it is quite evident that the structure
displays a sound design. With the yielding and buckling factors of safety both over 150,
it is unlikely that this structure will ever fail under these conditions. If the loads
drastically increase however, the critical members will buckle before yielding. The
displacement is a mere 1.84 E-04 % of the structures height, which is negligible for this
application. If necessary, this structure could be safely redesigned with smaller members
or a weaker material. This analysis proves this power transmission line tower to be
structurally acceptable for the present loading conditions, as well as extenuating
circumstances resulting in increased loading.

Page 13 of 17

Appendix A: Sample Calculations of Forces and Stresses in Selected Members

The following calculations involve applying the methods of Statics and
Mechanics of Materials to find the internal forces and stresses in selected members.
These results are used to confirm the Finite Element Analysis results. Figure A-1 shows
where the structure will be analyzed.

Figure A-1 Location of cuts to analyze internal behavior of the members.

Figure A-2 shows a free body diagram as a result of cut 1.

Page 14 of 17

Taking the positive x direction to the right and the positive y direction up,
applying the equations of equilibrium at cut 1 gives:

= F2

1
1000 = 0
5

F2 = 2236 lb (Compression)

= F1 + F2

2
=0
5

F1 = 2000 lb (Tension)

1 =

F1 2000
=
= 200 psi
A
10

2 =

F2 2236
=
= 223.6 psi
A
10

Figure A-3 shows a free body diagram as a result of cut 2.

Page 15 of 17

Using the same coordinates as before, applying the equations of equilibrium

at cut 2 gives:

4 5

= 1000 17.5 +1000 32.5 + F3 15 = 0

F3 = 1000 lb (Compression)

F4
2

=0

F4 = 0 lb

= 2000 F3 F5 = 0

F5 = 1000 lb (Compression)

3 = 4 =

F 1000
=
= 100 psi
A
10

5 = 0

Since all values match those calculated in ANSYS, it can be concluded the
analysis was completed accurately.
Appendix B: Determination of Critical Members and Factor of Safety
Perhaps the most important part of the analysis is to locate the critical
member and to determine the factor of safety of the structure and the potential failure
mode. Table B-1 shows a summary of the critical members, as well as the factor of safety
of each. Table B-2 shows critical information for each element. Calculating the yielding
factor of safety was rather straightforward. Since every member has a one-dimensional
state of stress, the yielding factor of safety of each member is given by n y =

Sy

The buckling analysis requires determining the type of buckling, then

finding the critical force. In order to determine the failure mode, the slenderness ratio,

, and tangent slenderness ratio,

k

Page 16 of 17


=
k 1

must be calculated. If

2 2 E A
,
Sy

< 10, the member fails in compressive yield rather than

k

buckling. For this case, the critical load is given by

Pcr = S y A .

<
k

The most common type of buckling, Euler-Johnson buckling, occurs when 10 <

. The critical load is given by

k 1
2
2

Sy 1

Pcr = A S y
.

2 CE k

k 1

The third case, known as Euler buckling, occurs in long-slender columns when <

. The critical load for this case is given by

k
Pcr =

C 2 EA


k

Using the data above, an excel spreadsheet (Table 5) was developed which chose the
critical load equation to use based on values of the slenderness ratio and tangent
slenderness ratio.

Page 17 of 17