Melting and breaking characteristics of OPGW strands by lightning

Some strands were melted and broken in a 140 mm/sup 2/ OPGW (composite fiber-optic ground wire) in a 187 kV transmission line. It was assumed that this was caused by a lightning strike. DC arc tests simulating lightning strikes were carried out, and the melting and breaking characteristics of OPGW strands were obtained. The electric charge of the lightning strike that damaged the OPGW was estimated from the number of strands broken by the DC arc. In this paper, the DC arc test results, and the test conditions required to simulate a powerful lightning strike are described.