In an overhead line project, the sag table and ground clearance check are usually the first calculations that come to mind. But for a project to pass approval and work reliably in the field, more is needed. The force acting on each pole must match the capacity of the pole type, the cross-arms must be able to carry that load, the ice conditions of the region must be accounted for, and the grounding must be safe for people.
When each of these checks runs in a separate calculation file or spreadsheet, two problems arise. First, a change to one input, such as moving a pole, means every calculation has to be updated by hand. Second, the delivered sheets and lists can drift out of step with each other: one value appears in the pole list and another on the profile sheet.
Pole Top Force: What Does the Pole Carry?
Pole top force is the total horizontal force applied to the top of the pole by the conductors and other effects. On a suspension pole along a straight line, the conductor tensions on either side largely cancel out, and the pole mainly carries wind load on the conductors and the pole itself. On angle poles, the conductor tensions no longer pull in the same direction, and the resultant grows with the line angle. On dead-end and terminal poles, the tension on one side is not balanced by the other.
There is no single value for this force. Windy, icy or cold conditions produce different tension scenarios, and the one that governs the pole is the least favourable of them. Knowing which scenario governs also matters when it comes to justifying the pole selection.
Cross-Arm Suitability and Tolerances
Cross-arms connect the conductors to the pole and maintain phase spacing. A cross-arm is suitable only if it can carry the load from the conductors and is compatible with the pole type and line geometry it is used with. As line angles grow or spans lengthen, cases appear where a standard cross-arm is no longer adequate.
In distribution projects in Türkiye, pole and cross-arm selections are checked against the tolerances defined by TEDAŞ. Running this check pole by pole, and proposing alternatives where a selection falls short, is one of the most time-consuming parts of a design engineer's work.
Ice Zones: How Geography Shapes the Calculation
Ice accumulating on a conductor increases its weight per unit length and enlarges the surface exposed to wind. This directly affects sag, conductor tension and therefore pole top force. The same line can face very different loads in a different climate zone.
That is why the ice zone a line sits in must be identified correctly. TEDAŞ publishes a list defining ice load zones by district. Reading the zone automatically from the districts the line passes through, rather than searching the list by hand, saves time and removes the risk of picking the wrong zone. Areas with special conditions, such as coastal districts, may also call for spans to be assessed separately.
Electrical Calculations and Grounding
Alongside the mechanical checks, the line's electrical performance is part of the project. Voltage drop shows whether the customer at the end of the line receives an acceptable voltage, while loading and loss calculations show whether the conductor choice makes sense operationally.
Grounding is directly about human safety. During a fault, the current flowing into the earth creates a voltage distribution around the grounding system. The potential difference between the two feet of someone walking nearby is the step voltage; the difference between the hand and feet of someone touching a pole or kiosk is the touch voltage. Grounding design must keep these voltages within the limits set by the grounding regulation. Kiosks, MV poles and LV end poles require different grounding arrangements, and each needs to be checked on its own.
Sheets and Deliverables: The Consistency Problem
The work is not done when the calculations are. The project is handed over to the approving authority and the construction teams as a set of documents: the profile sheet, pole table, sag table, clearance sheet, coordinate list, quantity take-offs, DXF drawings and the route's geographic file, among others.
When these documents are prepared separately in different tools, it is almost inevitable that one gets updated during a revision and another is forgotten. Producing every deliverable from the same calculation model, at the same time, solves this inconsistency at its root. DXF drawings that follow a set layer standard, title block and legend also make internal review easier.
Conclusion: Take Line Projects from Calculation to Delivery with GeoEner Proje Analiz
GeoEner Project Analysis brings every line project calculation, from poles to grounding, into a single workspace running on the same inputs. The pole table shows top force and the governing tension scenario, and cross-arm suitability is checked with suggestions. TEDAŞ pole and cross-arm tolerances apply, ice zones come from TEDAŞ's 2023 district list, and spans in coastal districts are checked with a reduction. Voltage drop, loading and losses are calculated, grounding is calculated for kiosks, MV poles and LV end poles, step and touch voltages are checked against the grounding regulation, and an Excel report is produced.
Profile, pole table, sag table and clearance sheets are produced as PDF. The sag table, pole distribution list, coordinate list, Form-2, route KML, profile and site plan DXFs with layer standard, title block and legend, quantity take-offs and the study sketch download individually or as a single ZIP delivery package. Every result is shown with the assumptions it rests on, so approval teams can check contractor projects with the same engines.
If you would like to produce your line project calculations and deliverables from one place, get in touch and let's plan a demo on one of your own projects.
