Selecting a route is the first step in building a new electrical transmission line. The most common practice in selecting a route involves ranking possible route options, which is a complex process demanding many decision considerations be taken into account. Even to this day, the ranking process is mainly done manually by humans using printed maps and field surveys, making it time-consuming and prone to errors. This thesis studies the most common decision considerations that affect the process of ranking a set of route options and classifies them into four main categories. Then, the work proposes a methodology to automate the process of ranking routes for an electrical transmission line and implements it using Geographic Information System (GIS), image processing techniques, and Weighted Sum Model (WSM). It evaluates the effectiveness of the methodology by comparing the results obtained with industrial results of an actual project in Saskatoon, Canada. The preliminary results are very promising. Out of five route options, the proposed methodology ranks the top two options accurately, and it successfully identifies the least-preferred route options. To validate the methodology further, the thesis generates synthetic data and tests it with various simulated scenarios. The work generates random routes and hypothetical features, using perturbation and image processing techniques, to test the methodology with more route options and decision considerations, respectively. In the process of validation, it also improves the accuracy of the methodology by refining the WSM. The methodology with refined WSM successfully outputs expected results when tested with one hundred and fifty five routes and taking six decision considerations into account. The thesis also implements and tests the methodology using Fuzzy Inference System (FIS), instead of WSM, to mimic the human decision process and to allow users to dictate the importance of different decision considerations using linguistic variables. It then compares the two methods and discusses their advantages and disadvantages. Both methods perform well and have around 80% similarity in the outputs produced. However, they are both unique in their own ways. FIS allows users to describe their preferences using linguistic variables making it more user friendly, while, WSM is more predictable and easier to fine tune results. Thus, the thesis presents two ways of automating the process of ranking routes for an electrical transmission line.

Since its creation in 1884, Engineering Index has covered virtually every major engineering innovation from around the world. It serves as the historical record of virtually every major engineering innovation of the 20th century. Recent content is a vital resource for current awareness, new production information, technological forecasting and competitive intelligence. The world?s most comprehensive interdisciplinary engineering database, Engineering Index contains over 10.7 million records. Each year, over 500,000 new abstracts are added from over 5,000 scholarly journals, trade magazines, and conference proceedings. Coverage spans over 175 engineering disciplines from over 80 countries. Updated weekly.

Fault Location on Power Lines enables readers to pinpoint the location of a fault on power lines following a disturbance. The nine chapters are organised according to the design of different locators. The authors do not simply refer the reader to manufacturers’ documentation, but instead have compiled detailed information to allow for in-depth comparison. Fault Location on Power Lines describes basic algorithms used in fault locators, focusing on fault location on overhead transmission lines, but also covering fault location in distribution networks. An application of artificial intelligence in this field is also presented, to help the reader to understand all aspects of fault location on overhead lines, including both the design and application standpoints. Professional engineers, researchers, and postgraduate and undergraduate students will find Fault Location on Power Lines a valuable resource, which enables them to reproduce complete algorithms of digital fault locators in their basic forms.

This book is designed to introduce doctoral and graduate students to the process of conducting scientific research in the social sciences, business, education, public health, and related disciplines. It is a one-stop, comprehensive, and compact source for foundational concepts in behavioral research, and can serve as a stand-alone text or as a supplement to research readings in any doctoral seminar or research methods class. This book is currently used as a research text at universities on six continents and will shortly be available in nine different languages.