Synergy of the future: High voltage insulated power cables and railway-highway structures

The rationalisation of the territorial resources leads to consider carefully the possibilities of using motorway and railway infrastructures (existing or planned ones) for cable line installation within them. The full compatibility of such synergy ‘transport – electrical power transmission’ involves different branches of engineering. The study provides an overview of the research undertaken for a fully reliable use of this combination. The manuscript aims at highlighting a procedural approach that should be followed in order to analyse all the key elements involved in the safe operation of power transmission lines hosted in transport infrastructures. First, the geometrical compatibility between different types of power transmission technologies, (i.e. gas insulated lines and high-voltage direct/alternating current insulated cable lines), and transport infrastructures (i.e. motorway galleries, railway galleries and railway prospection tunnels) is considered. Subsequently, the behaviour and magnitude of the magnetic field generated by the different power transmission technologies inside the transport infrastructures are presented. Moreover, the study analyses the effects of a phase-to-screen short circuit that could occur inside the hosting facility. Finally, an analysis of the reliability of the synergy between power transmission systems and transport infrastructures is discussed.