A New Simple Design Method for the Plate Foundation of a Transmission Tower in Subsidence Area

In this article, we present a simple design method for the plate foundation of a transmission tower in a mining area, which is based on the theory of beam rested on an elastic foundation. The corresponding theoretical model has been developed with the synergistic reaction of a composite protection plate by considering the mining subsidence of ground. On the basis of this model, the function of flexural deformation and the distribution function of bending moment of the protection plate and their corresponding base counterforce have been deduced. The analysis of selected example shows that the control bending moment of the protection plate is the maximum positive bending moment at the center of the cross section during the moving process of pelvic floor. The tilt deformation is minimum, when the tower is either at the bottom or at the verge of pelvic floor. The tilt deformation is maximum at one-fourth times of the length of pelvic floor and is away from the bottom and the verge of pelvic floor. The contact pressure between the plate foundation and the soil is similar to a U-shaped distribution, when the protection plate is in pelvic floor area of a positive (curvature) deformation, and it is a M-shaped distribution, when the protection plate is in pelvic floor area of a negative (curvature) deformation. We do not observe any change of the contact pressure at the midpoint of the protection plate during the moving process of the basin.