Eptra - electric power transmission :: Kilian Schillai
electric power transmission engineering endurance & reliability

Condition Assessment & Failure Analysis

As an independent body, we determine the cause and course of damage, other vulnerable locations and components, as well as measures for damage prevention. Our approach is based on a combination of microscopic/metallographic examination, experimental characterisation of material and component properties, and simulations to analyse individual damage parameters.

Figure: Intergranular corrosion caused by incorrect composition of an overhead line fitting.

Systematic root cause analysis is often essential for the targeted prevention of recurring damage. We offer the full range of analysis, simulation and laboratory techniques to determine the cause and extent of damage. Over many years, we have researched damage mechanisms of electrical power transmission components and have been involved in a large number of damage analyses. Without an understanding of the actual causes and damage mechanisms, further cases of damage can hardly be avoided.

Many of the cases we have investigated could have been prevented if earlier incidents with less tragic consequences had been professionally investigated. The consequences are often not only economic losses and costly proceedings, but also affects people's health. Particularly in the case of overhead power lines, one often encounters apparent redundancies and little targeted overdimensioning during the damage analysis, which were introduced as a result of earlier incidents, but could not prevent recurrent damage.