ABSTRACT
Many older transmission towers are designed based on tension-only bracing systems with slender diagonal members. The increased demand in power supply and changing global weather patterns necessitate upgrading of these towers to carry heavier loading. Failure of a single tower can propagate along the line and result in sever damage that costs millions of dollars. Efficient upgrade scheme utilizing diaphragm bracing systems is proposed in this paper. Analytical studies showed that considerable strength improvements could be achieved using this approach. This approach was successfully implemented on an existing 105 m high TV tower.
