THIS WILL BE A ZOOM MEETING ONLY - LINK WILL BE AVAILABLE ON THE WEBSITE AND EMAILED OUT THE MORNING OF THE MEETING.
What if a structural component is intentionally designed to fail - not as a weakness, but as a means of protecting the larger system? A 345 kV double-circuit transmission tower was developed using an innovative fail-safe strategy in which selected crossarms serve as replaceable sacrificial components under extreme longitudinal loading. A two-stage testing program, comprising isolated full-scale crossarm tests followed by testing of the complete tower, validated the intended sequence of controlled crossarm failure while preserving the primary structure. By releasing longitudinal forces and introducing conductor slack, the design can help arrest cascading failures, reduce restoration time, and improve transmission-system resilience without relying solely on heavier conventional stop structures.
About Sanchit Chitre
Sanchit Chitre is an engineering manager at Verdantas. He is a structural and transmission engineering professional with deep experience delivering high‑voltage transmission line infrastructure, from detailed analysis through execution and validation. He holds a Bachelors in Civil Engineering from Manipal University, India and an M.S. in Structural Engineering from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. He holds a Professional Engineer (PE) license in multiple states. Sanchit’s technical expertise includes structural analysis, foundation design, geotechnical coordination, load flow considerations, design reviews, and validation engineering, supporting the safe and reliable performance of complex utility assets. He frequently works on technically demanding assignments involving remediation, test coordination, construction document review, and safety‑critical design control.
About Patrick Harkin
Patrick Harkin is an Associate Vice President and Department Lead for Transmission and Structural Engineering at Verdantas, leading teams focused on power delivery projects. He holds a B.S. in Architectural Engineering and an M.S. in Structural Engineering, both from the University of Texas at Austin. He holds a Professional Engineer (PE) license in Civil/Structural Engineering as well as a Structural Engineer (SE) license in multiple states. He has extensive experience in structural design for transmission and substation systems, as well as onshore downstream petrochemical facilities from earlier in his career. Patrick prides himself in creating inclusive technical teams that have the right balance of autonomy, oversight, and mentorship to become better engineers and designers.