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ANALYTICAL EVALUATION OF A BREAKAWAY UTILITY POLE CONCEPT FOR WOODEN UTILITY POLES
Abstract
A modified breakaway (B/A) utility pole retrofit concept for wooden utility poles is presented along with a summary and review of pertinent information obtained from earlier tests conducted on a University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL) B/A concept. A computer model was developed and validated by data from full-scale tests performed at UNL. The computer model was used to evaluate the performance and feasibility of the proposed B/A concept under conditions considered to be representative of those that would be encountered in the field. The possibility of a "domino" failure effect occurring as the result of retrofitting utility poles along a service line was addressed and analyzed. In addition, a design for a hardware device that is part of the proposed B/A concept is presented. The device was designed to increase the longitudinal static bending strength of the pole without significantly affecting its dynamic response to vehicular impacts. The results of the study indicate that the possibility of a "domino" failure effect occurring are minimal due to the support that the conductors give to the upper portion of the pole after breakaway without breaking. A hardware device has been designed in a practical and inexpensive manner and offers a feasible alternative to keeping the reduction in the static bending strength of the retrofit B/A pole at a minimum. The computer simulation model indicates that the proposed B/A concept is greatly influenced by the condition of the soil that is placed around the pole. The B/A concept was shown to be successful.
Subject Area
Civil engineering
Recommended Citation
WIPF, TERRY JOE, "ANALYTICAL EVALUATION OF A BREAKAWAY UTILITY POLE CONCEPT FOR WOODEN UTILITY POLES" (1983). ETD collection for University of Nebraska-Lincoln. AAI8328206.
https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/dissertations/AAI8328206