Shake Table Testing and Numerical Analysis of Transformer Substations Including Main Plant and Electrical Equipment Interaction

Abstract

Transformer substations are among the most significant components of an electric power distribution system. These critical elements must remain operational during and after any extreme event, especially a severe earthquake. In past studies, the interaction between the main plant and the electrical equipment (EE) in a transformer substation was usually ignored. While a few considered this interaction through numerical simulations, there were no experimental studies to validate the findings. The aim of the present paper is to analyze the seismic reaction of a substation with explicit consideration of the dynamic interaction between the main plant and the EE mounted inside—achieved through a shaking table test and numerical simulations. A 1:8 scale model of a transformer substation plant with EE on its second floor is built and tested on a shaking table. Dynamic response data are gathered during seismic excitations of the substation, with and without the EE. These measurements and the corresponding validated numerical simulations clearly showed that there is obvious interaction between the plant and the EE. The stronger ground motions lead to a higher amplification of the seismic responses of the plant and the EE; and the observed acceleration amplification factors of the EE on the main plant are significantly greater than the factors recommended in the codes. In addition, the study shows that achieving the common performance objective of “strong columns and weak beams,” may not be possible without explicitly considering the EE-main plant interaction effects, which cause the higher demands to migrate towards the column-ends. As such, those areas should be strengthened when designing substations against earthquakes.

Keywords

transformer substation shaking table test interaction numerical simulation seismic performance

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