Oral Presentation Ninth International Symposium on Life-Cycle Civil Engineering 2025

Evaluation of Ageing Impact on Conductors in Power Distribution Networks (109676)

Rajapaksha Gedara Shiroshi Nimarika Jayathilake 1 , Pathmanathan Rajeev 1 , Emad Gad 1
  1. Swinburne University of Technology, Hawthorne, VIC, Australia

Aluminium Conductor Steel Reinforced (ACSR) are integral components of power distribution networks in Australia, playing a key role in delivering electricity to consumers efficiently. The design of these conductors combines the lightweight, high-conductivity properties of aluminium with the high tensile strength of steel. However, one of the main challenges faced by these conductors is corrosion due to long-term exposure to the environment. Corrosion in ACSR conductors occurs due to various environmental factors such as humidity, temperature fluctuations, pollution, and salt content in the air. The steel strands of the ACSR conductor are particularly susceptible to corrosion, which can result in a loss of strength, reduced conductivity, and ultimately, failure. To mitigate these risks, power distribution companies implement continuous structural health monitoring to assess the condition of ACSR conductors. This process helps identify potential risks and address them before they lead to failures. Despite advances in monitoring techniques, determining the optimal moment for replacing ACSR conductors remains challenging due to the lack of standardised guidelines. Therefore, this study aims to evaluate the reduction of capacity in ACSR conductors at different degrees level of corrosion. Due to the difficulty of collecting different levels of corroded ACSR conductors from the site, new conductors were used with the performance of artificial corrosion. The neutral salt spray test was performed to develop the corrosion on the conductor in the control environment. The test was conducted over 240 days and the samples were collected at different time intervals to assess the progression of corrosion. Then the tensile tests were performed to determine the decrease in the tensile strength of conductors due to corrosion induction during the considered period. Finally, proper insights are provided based on the capacity of corroded conductors. This helps to understand the requirement of replacing the corroded ACSR conductors and which is identified through the condition monitoring techniques. This can help in developing standardized guidelines for the optimal replacement of corroded ACSR conductors.