COPYRIGHT AND CITATION CONSIDERATIONS FOR THIS THESIS/ DISSERTATION o Attribution — You must give appropriate credit, provide a link to the license, and indicate if changes were made. You may do so in any reasonable manner, but not in any way that suggests the licensor endorses you or your use. o NonCommercial — You may not use the material for commercial purposes. o ShareAlike — If you remix, transform, or build upon the material, you must distribute your contributions under the same license as the original. How to cite this thesis Surname, Initial(s). (2012). Title of the thesis or dissertation (Doctoral Thesis / Master’s Dissertation). Johannesburg: University of Johannesburg. Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/102000/0002 (Accessed: 22 August 2017). Reliability and sustainability of wood poles in the electrical power distribution network A Minor dissertation in fulfilment of the requirement for the degree MAGISTER INGENERIAE / MAGISTER PHILOSOPHIAE in ENGINEERING MANAGEMENT at the FACULTY OF ENGINEERING AND THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT of the UNIVERSITY of JOHANNESBURG by Student Name: Boreman Risiva (802013479) Supervisor: Prof JHC Pretorius Co – Supervisor: Dr P Van Rhyn Page 1 of 100 Declaration This serves as a confirmation that, I Boreman Risiva, student number 802013479, enrolled as a student at University of Johannesburg for the Qualification: MPhil of Engineering Management Faculty: Engineering and the Built Environment, hereby declare that my educational work is in line with the University of Johannesburg Plagiarism Policy, which I am acquainted with. I further proclaim that the work bestowed in the academic portfolio is original and authentic except if clearly stipulated otherwise, and that in such cases full reference to the main source is accredited and that there is no copyright transgression in my academic work. I know that plagiarism is a grave transgression and that should I break the UJ Plagiarism Policy in spite of signing this declaration, I may still be punished for grave criminal offence of perjury that would, among other penalties, force the University of Johannesburg to notify all other senior educational institutions of the transgression. Page 2 of 100 Acknowledgements My heartfelt gratitude to all the precious people who contributed to the accomplishment of this minor dissertation. My special gratitude is extended to: - My Father who is in Heaven, who furnished me with good health, wisdom and courage to successfully complete this minor dissertation. - My beloved and gorgeous wife, Mrs Jabu Risiva for her endurance and unconditional support in filling in the space when our children needed their father’s care and for allowing me to have space and time to focus on my studies. - My lovely children, Makungu and Mahlori Risiva for constantly bringing joy into my life. - Lastly, I submit my humble gratitude to Professor JHC Pretorius and Dr P Van Rhyn for their professionalism and supervision. Page 3 of 100 Abstract The reliability and sustainability of wood poles in the electrical power distribution network is of vital importance, as it directly affects the entire power system network connected to them. Wood poles support power line conductors and carry electrical equipment in order for electricity to be transmitted and distributed safely from the power company to consumers. One of the main challenges faced by electrical power distribution companies is the failure of wood poles on the distribution networks. Some of the identified problems when wood utility poles fail in the electrical power distribution network include loss of profit, unsafe households and damage of machinery. Looking at the South African electrical power distribution network from ten years back until now, it is evident that wood poles are crucial for the system and that the need for reliable and sustainable wood utility poles has grown tremendously in this period. The potential benefit of this case study is the reduction of maintenance and operational costs, improved public safety and improved network performance .Due to the magnitude of this research, both qualitative and quantitative methods were used to collect data. A qualitative approach was used to collect information from participants through interviews and consultations. The researcher engaged a total of six participants, one of whom entailed a structured interview and five of whom entailed case studies. A quantitative approach was also employed in order to ascertain the validity of the literature that was perused for this study. Data was collected from reviews of books, journals, reports, wood pole standards and procedures to measure the relationship between variables. In this minor dissertation, a retrospect analysis of relevant literature on the reliability and sustainability of wood poles within the South African electrical power distribution network is discussed. The findings show that the main causes of wood utility pole failures are as follows: decay, improper storage, vehicle accidents, poor maintenance, theft and vandalism. The use of plastic protective sleeves, raptor crash cushions, building of impermeable treatment facilities and physical security guarding are necessary to prevent the degradation of wood utility poles in service, increase pole life, limit accidents and reduce power outages. Key Words: Wood utility poles, reliability and sustainability Page 4 of 100 Table of Contents Declaration .................................................................................................................... 2 Acknowledgements ....................................................................................................... 3 Abstract ......................................................................................................................... 4 List of Figures: ............................................................................................................... 7 List of Tables: ................................................................................................................ 8 Abbreviations: ................................................................................................................ 8 Equations:...................................................................................................................... 9 Symbols: ........................................................................................................................ 9 Chapter 1: Introduction and Context ............................................................................ 10 1.1. Introduction ....................................................................................................... 10 1.2. Background to the problem ............................................................................... 11 1.3. Problem Statements.......................................................................................... 14 1.4. Aims and Objectives of the Study ..................................................................... 14 1.5. Research Questions.......................................................................................... 15 1.6. Research Methodology ..................................................................................... 15 1.7. The Layout of the Study ...................................................................................... 16 Chapter 2: Wood Utility Poles ...................................................................................... 18 2.1. What are Wood Utility Poles? ........................................................................... 18 2.2. Wood Utility Poles: Lessons from Across the Globe ......................................... 19 2.3. Life Cycle of Wood Utility Poles ........................................................................ 20 2.4. Manufacturing of Wood Utility Poles ................................................................. 20 2.5. Treatment of Wood Utility Poles ........................................................................ 21 2.6. Preservation of Wood Utility Poles .................................................................... 22 Chapter 3: Reliability of Wood Utility Poles.................................................................. 23 3.1. The Definition of Reliability ................................................................................ 23 3.2. Reliability of Wood Utility Poles ......................................................................... 23 3.3. Lifetime Assessment of Wood Utility Pole Reliability ........................................ 23 3.4. Reliability Indices .............................................................................................. 24 3.5. Wood Utility Poles Reliability Challenges .......................................................... 28 3.6. Factors that Affect the Reliability of Wood Utility Poles ..................................... 30 Chapter 4: Sustainability of Wood Utility Poles ............................................................ 34 4.1. The Definition of Sustainability .......................................................................... 34 4.2. Sustainability of Wood Utility Poles ................................................................... 34 4.3. Sustainability Challenges of Wood Utility Poles ................................................ 35 Page 5 of 100 4.4. Factors that Affect the Sustainability of Wood Utility Poles ............................... 36 Chapter 5: Reliability and Sustainability Management