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UBC Theses and Dissertations

Seismic risk assessment of high-voltage transformers using Bayesian belief networks Siraj, Tammeen

Abstract

Past earthquake records showed that a large magnitude earthquake can cause severe damage to high-voltage substations, which may lead to power disruption for a significant amount of time. A high-voltage transformer is one of the key components of a substation. This thesis proposes a probabilistic framework using Bayesian belief network (BBN) model to predict the vulnerability of a high-voltage transformer for a seismic event. BBN has many capabilities that make it well suited for the proposed risk assessment method. This thesis considers past studies, expert knowledge and reported causes of failures to develop an initial integrated risk assessment framework that acknowledges multiple failure modes. Therefore, the framework incorporates major causes of transformer vulnerability due to seismicity, such as liquefaction, rocking response of transformer, or interaction between interconnected equipment. To demonstrate the application of this framework, this thesis elaborates each step of the framework. Finally, the sensitivity analysis was carried out to evaluate the effects of input variables on transformer damage. The paper also illustrates two predictive models using response surface method (RSM) and Markov chain. The proposed framework is particularly handy to perform, and the results can be useful to support decisions on mitigation measures and seismic risk prediction.

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Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International