Sag in Overhead Conductor

What is Sag?
• Sag is defined as the different in level
between points of supports and the lowest
point on the conductor.

*S is the sag
`
 Why Sag Provision is Mandatory in
Transmission Line Conductors?
• To provide safety of conductors from excessive
tension.
[i.e to permit safe tension in the conductor,
conductors are not fully stretched; rather they
are allowed to have sag]
 Important points to be noted
1. When he line conductor is placed between
two supports of same level then Sag is very
small with respect to the span of the
conductor and it takes the shape of a
parabola.
2. The tension in each point of the conductor
acts always tangentially.
3. Again the horizontal component of the
tension of conductor is constant throughout
conductor length.
4. The tension at supports is nearly equal to
the tension at any point of the conductor.
Sag Calculation
Sag calculation for supports are at
equal levels
• AOB is the conductor
• A and B are points of
supports
• Point O is the lowest point
and the midpoint.
• L = length of the span, i.e.
AB
• w is the weight per unit
length of the conductor
• T is the tension in the
conductor.
• We have chosen any point
on conductor, say point P
• The distance of point P
from Lowest point O is x
• y is the height from point O
to point P.
 There are two forces acting on the portion OP

1. Weight of the portion OP acting downward at

a distance x/2 from the origin ‘O’.

2. Tangential tension T acting at O

Equating moments of two forces about point O
Sag calculation for supports are at
unequal levels
• AOB is the conductor that has
point O as the lowest point.
• L is the Span of the conductor.
• h is the difference in height
level between two supports.
• x1 is the distance of support at
the lower level point A from O.
• x2is the distance of support at
the upper level point B from O
• T is the tension of the
conductor.
• w is the weight per unit length
of the conductor.
• So, having calculated the value of x1 and x2,
we can easily find out the value of sag S1 and
sag S2.
• The above formula are used to calculate sag
when the conductor is in still air and ambient
temperature is normal. Hence the weight of
the conductor is its own weight.
 Effect of Ice and Wind on Sag
• The weight per unit length of the conductor is changed
when wind blows at a certain force on the conductor and
ice accumulate around the conductor.
• Wind force acts on the conductor to change the conductor
self weight per unit length horizontally in the direction of
the air flow.
• Ice loading acts on the conductor to change the conductor
self weight per unit length vertically downward.
• Considering wind force and ice loading both at a time, the
conductor will have a resultant weight per unit length.
• The resultant weight will create an angle with the ice
loading down ward direction.
• Let us assume, w is the weight of the
conductor per unit length.
• wi is the weight of ice per unit length
• wi= density of ice × volume of ice per unit
length
• ww is the force of wind per unit length ww =
wind pressure per unit area × projected area
per unit length
• So, the total weight of the conductor per unit
length is
• The sag in the conductor is given by

So the vertical sag