Improved Performance of Electrical Transmission Tower Structure Using Connected Foundation in Soft Ground

A connected foundation is an effective foundation type that can improve the structural performance of electrical transmission towers in soft ground as a resilient energy supply system with improved stability. In the present study, the performance of a connected foundation for transmission towers was investigated, focusing on the effect of connection beam properties and soil conditions. For this purpose, a finite element analysis was performed for various foundation and soil conditions. In order to validate the finite element analysis, the calculated results were compared with measured results obtained from field load tests. The use of connection beams was more effective for uplift foundations that usually control the design of transmission tower foundations. For the effect of soil condition, the use of connected foundation is more effective in soft clays with lower undrained shear strength (su). Smaller amounts of differential settlement were observed in all soil conditions for both unconnected and connected foundations when a bearing rock layer was present. When the foundation was not reinforced by connection beams, the values of lateral load capacity of tower structure (Hu) were similar for both with- and without-rock layers. It was confirmed that introducing haunch-shaped connection beams is effective for increasing connection beam stability