A critical review of alternative erection methods for overhead line towers

Abstract

The construction of overhead power lines in the EHV (Extra High Voltage) category is a costly exercise. For the erection of the towers that supports the conductors, mobile cranes have become the dominant piece of equipment to erect these towers. Although convenient and relatively quick, these mobile cranes do come at a considerable cost and hence, alternative erection methods will be economically beneficial. This paper takes a critical review of alternative options to erect overhead power line towers thereby eliminating mobile cranes. The work presented here is part of a larger study to develop a numerical safety tool for the safe erection of guyed V-towers without cranes. It proposes the use of novel methods like air cushions and a degree of automation to lift these guyed V-towers autonomously. This paper deals with the first part of the study and analyses the different lifting configurations using gin poles and winches and selects the most suitable method to achieve this.