Connection method design for redundant elements of composite materials for transmission towers

Nowadays, non-technical losses in transmission lines is a problem that is growing and it is reflected in investment and maintenance costs. A contribution to the non-technical losses occurs when steel members of lattice towers in the transmission power system are stolen for its sale; therefore the towers are mechanically weakened. Simulations carried out with finite element software have demonstrated that, in the presence of moderate to high wind speeds, the tower collapses with the consequence of a technical and economic major problem. An alternative to reduce non-technical losses in transmission lines is by replacing the steel members of the towers, by polymeric engineering materials, also known as composite materials. However, when these composite materials are drilled for assembling, its mechanical properties are diminished due to discontinuity and reduction of the material net area. It can be manufactured a connection method of the same composite material for the assembly, to withstand the mechanical stresses to which would be subjected; however, the connector should be very robust in size, which difficult their connection with the metallic elements of the tower. This article proposes a connection method through a mechanical connector made of ductile iron casting and structural adhesive, to assembly the composite members to the main steel elements for the transmission line towers. The replacement of steel members on lattice transmission tower by members of composite material will result in a huge benefit for the CFE, because it is expected that composite materials will not be attractive to theft.