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We developed fragility curves for wood poles to relate wind speed to probability of failure before and after replacement or other strengthening. We integrated those fragility curves with hazard curves defining the exceedance frequency of all possible wind speeds to determine the failure rate of poles with and without mitigation. 

We modeled the different ways birds can electrocute themselves on overhead lines and electrical equipment, potentially igniting dry vegetation. We gathered avian anatomical data for species of interest to use in a risk model quantifying how changes to structure and conductor configurations could affect the likelihood of avian electrocution and associated ignitions.

Our experts developed probabilistic models for trees falling onto lines and downing conductors and for debris becoming airborne and bridging between conductors. Our models accounted for conductor, span, tree, and debris data, as well as particle uplift and trajectory uncertainty.

We analyzed the common threat of free-floating foil balloons and their trailing ribbons, which can tangle with transmission lines and equipment, causing outages and ignitions. We simulated the release of balloons toward overhead conductors and assessed the impact of changes in wire spacings against balloon contact and the potential of ribbons to cause bridging events.

We developed probabilistic models for the likelihood of wire-to-wire contact when adjacent conductors sway toward each other in high winds. By performing dynamic analysis of conductors in synthetic wind streams, we could determine conductors' relative positions as a function of time. We could then evaluate how changes to conductor and support structure configurations affected rates of conductor clashing.