Dynamic Characterization of Wind Speed under Extreme Conditions by Recurrence-Based Techniques : Comparative Study

Transmission lines (TLs) are vulnerable to wind actions. Notwithstanding the fact that the behavior of transmission lines under strong winds has been investigated in numerous studies, wind-induced failures of TLs are still common worldwide, which are mainly due to the lack of accurate understanding of the tremendous variability in wind speed. The main goal of this paper is to extend the concept of nonlinear dynamic analysis to identify and characterize the dynamic structures hidden in wind speed fluctuation, which are responsible for generating the variability in wind speed. Two well-established nonlinear dynamic analysis techniques, namely, recurrence plot and recurrence quantification analysis, are applied to diagnose the underlying dynamic characteristics. The results indicate that wind speed time series, regardless of the type of wind event, are likely to exhibit chaotic behavior. Often, the dynamics associated with monsoons are more complex than those for tropical cyclone and thunderstorm winds. Moreover, site-to-site variability in wind speed dynamics is also apparent, which is due mainly to the terrain-enhanced effect. The outcomes of this study are expected to provide a new avenue to aid the wind-resistant design of TL systems, and to accelerate the advancement in wind load design codes and climate-adapted decision-making procedures.