With the release of O-Calc Pro “Line Design” V7.0 in the summer of 2023, the O-Calc Pro software has been updated to be in compliance with the various national safety code standards. Each section gives a brief overview of the O-Calc Pro updates included to keep the software compliant with the updates to each of these safety codes.

NESC 2023
The National Electric Safety Code released its 2023 version earlier this year. In terms of the pole and strength loading calculations, a number of updates were included in this version of the safety code.

• Gust Response Factor – For NESC rules 250C and 250D, the Gust Response Factor for both the structure and the wires has been updated in how it is calculated, how the Exposure Category, C is determined. The structure gust response factor is now delignated just between above and below 200 ft. While the wire gust response factor’s wind exposure category is only a function of span length, dropping the dependence on height of attachment above ground up to 250 ft.

• Rule 251 Conductor Loading – O-Calc Pro now gives the user the option to include the conductor loading constant to be added to the resultant loads. This constant is utilized only for district loading (Rule 250B) and is an added constant to the resultant of both the combined vertical and wind blowout loading. The added constant has a value of 0.05, 0.20, or 0.3 lbs/ft depending on the district.

• Rule 250C Transverse Pole Load Factor – The Transverse Pole LF used for Rule 250C can now be changed by the end user via an O-Calc Pro ‘LoadCase’ object update. Pervious this value was automatically determined based on the windspeed being above or below 100 mph. While the O-Calc Pro LoadCase objects still default to 0.87 or 0.75 for the Transverse Pole LF for wind speeds below 100 mph and above 100 mph respectively, the end privileged user (must have O-Calc Pro ‘Admin’ rights) can update this value is needed.

• Ice Density – The NESC 2023 standards have changed the Ice Density from 57 pounds per cubic feet to 56 pounds per cubic feet. The O-Calc Pro system has been updated appropriately.

CPUC General Order 95 (GO95)
• Rule 44 Table 4 Line Insulators – With the release of the O-Calc Pro “Insulator Tools Plugin” as described above, O-Calc Pro is now compliant with GO95 Rule 44 Table 4 for Line Insulators.

CSA 2020
• Non-Linear Analysis (Table 31) – O-Calc Pro is compliant with the Canadian Standards Association (CSA) reaffirmed 2020 using non-linear analysis Table 31 for Wood, Concrete, and Steel Poles.

The corresponding O-Calc Pro load cases have been updated with the proper nominal, low, and high temperature values.

Australian/New Zealand Standard AS/NZS 7000:2016
• Australian Ultimate Wind Loads – O-Calc Pro includes the three AS7000 load cases AS1170.2 Reg A1, AS1170.2 Reg B, and AS1170.2 Reg C

• New Zealand Wind Regions – O-Calc Pro includes various O-Calc Pro load cases for AS1170.2 with TC values of 2 and 3, and Mt values of 1.0, 1.1, and 1.2

• Australian/New Zealand Wood Species – O-Calc Pro Master Catalog includes the various Australian and New Zealand wood pole species representing the Strength Groups S1, S2, S3, S4, S5, and S6.