Mid-America Transportation Center
Mid-America Transportation Center: Final Reports and Technical Briefs
Date of this Version
2012
Document Type
Article
Citation
Report # MATC-UNL: 420 Final Report 25-1121-0001-420
Abstract
This project evaluates the physical and economic feasibility of using existing traffic infrastructure to mount wind power generators. Some possible places to mount a light weight wind generator and solar panel hybrid system are: i) Traffic signal pole and ii) Street Light pole. Traffic signal poles can themselves have multiple designs depending on type of mount (mast arm vs. span wire) and the width of the intersection (load carried) etc. The close proximity of street light poles and traffic signal poles to the traffic cabinets, which can be used for storing the battery banks, make them good candidates to mount the hybrid system. This project assesses the structural impacts of the hybrid system on different poles listed above. Lincoln standard plans will be used for identifying the pole and foundation design. Structural analysis involves a first principal for wind load analysis and an explicit finite element analysis using LS-Dyna for evaluating fatigue. Methodologies to conduct economic analysis are developed. Economic impacts of the proposed wind power system was evaluated by a before and after study at a test intersection in Lincoln, Nebraska. A cost and benefit analysis was performed to identify the economic efficiency at the test site.
Comments
Copyright 2012 Mid-America Transportation Center