Student(s): Kat Neumann
Project: Importance of High-Resolution Data in Power Transmission Vulnerability Modeling | View Poster (PDF)
Major(s): IDEAS, Civil Engineering and Environmental Engineering
Advisor(s): Paolo Bocchini
Abstract
This study investigates the importance of detailed powerline modeling in assessing the functionality of a power network under hurricane wind conditions. Specifically, the use of single-tower fragilities versus different mixes of archetypes is studied. Similarly, the effect of parameterization concerning wind direction on functionality is quantified. Finally, the impact of spatial correlation is investigated.
The analysis incorporates two tower types and evaluates the impact of four wind directions. The towers and fragilities are taken from the literature and parametrized to wind directions of 0°, 30°, 60°, and 90°. Spatial correlation across tower failures is accounted for by sampling the tower damage state for a given probability of failure.
A power line's contribution to the transmission system's functionality is the product of line length and voltage. The failure of any tower along a line results in the complete removal of that line from the functionality calculation. The network functionality is computed as the sum of the contributions of all active lines, normalized by ordinary functionality.
The study focused on the approximately 75,000-tower network in Florida. Preliminary results reveal a significant impact of tower type specification on functionality. In a mixed tower model, different percentages of the towers greatly shift the functionality to that of a network consisting of only one tower. Furthermore, wind direction was a key factor influencing tower failure, underscoring the significance of directional loading in structural design and planning.
These findings emphasize the necessity of capturing variability in wind and tower characteristics to understand power systems’ resilience.
About Kat Neumann
Kathryn Neumann is a Senior Undergraduate Student in the IDEAS program at Lehigh University, studying Civil Engineering and Environmental Studies. The IDEAS program allows for combining courses in both engineering and the arts and sciences to create a unique, interdisciplinary theme to meet today’s multifaceted demands.
Her theme concentration focuses on sustainable cities and infrastructure. As a Clare Booth Luce Scholar for the P.C. Rossin College of Engineering and Applied Science, she has been researching regional resilience modeling under Professor Paolo Bocchini. The nature of her research is an intersection between environmental/social studies and civil engineering, looking at the resilience of communities in the face of worsening weather events. Her career interests include urban planning and applications of resilience modeling.