Verification of galloping-suppressing effect of loose spacers based on long-term observations in a full-scale test line

Abstract

This study investigates the galloping-suppressing effect of loose spacers, which are frequently used to prevent galloping in four-bundled conductors, and the difference in the galloping-suppressing effect due to the position of loose clamps of loose spacers. Field observations of real-scale four-bundled conductors have been carried out for 11 winter seasons. The observation results showed that loose spacers can reduce the maximum tension fluctuation caused by galloping and the occurrence frequency of galloping. When the wind directions during ice-accretion and galloping are the same, the one-sided loose spacer was found superior to the diagonal loose spacer. However, the one-sided loose spacer may induce large galloping when the wind directions during ice-accretion and galloping are opposite.