Overhead power lines are periodically inspected using both on-ground and helicopter-aided visual inspection. Factors including sun glare, cloud cover, close proximity to power lines, and rapidly changing visual circumstances make airborne inspection of power lines a particularly hazardous task. In this study, the feasibility of continuous, on-line monitoring of power lines using ultrasonic waves is considered. A sending/receiving transducer located on the power line generates an ultrasonic wave in the cable. A defect in the cable will cause a portion of the incident ultrasonic wave to be reflected back to the transducer. Data acquired by the transducer can be relayed to a central communication node via a wireless transmitter. The methodology developed in this study can also be applied to other cable monitoring applications, such as bridge cable monitoring, which would otherwise put human inspectors at risk. 2007 IEEE.
