The specification of earthquake resistance for electricity system equipment

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Abstract
The paper reports the development of earthquake resistance requirements in New Zealand Electricity Department specifications since 1968. It quotes clauses, as issued for high voltage circuit breakers and for power transformers to illustrate the special requirements of brittle structures and of flexibly mounted massive items. The earthquake clauses for 250MW turbogenerators draw attention to the special susceptability of low tuned supports, while the clauses for the steamraising units emphasise the importance and the difficulties of achieving adequate ductile performance of such large structures during earthquakes. A method is presented, of choosing seismic design factors for parts of buildings and of appendages according to dynamic and material properties and height above ground. The paper describes some of the intellectual obstacles for power engineers wishing to achieve adequate understanding of earthquake engineering - the view that "earthquakes are only for Civil Engineers", the idea that a simple, low seismic factor will by itself, ensure resistance to earthquakes, the erroneous concentration on "the frequency of the earthquake", the limited knowledge of many manufacturers and most of all the false assurances of the concept of "factor of safety" when linked to a seismic design code based on the assumption that structures possess ductility.

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