Development of a Fatigue Design Load for High-Mast Lighting Towers
Publication: Journal of Structural Engineering
Volume 145, Issue 1
Abstract
Fatigue cracking has caused a number of high-mast lighting tower (HMLT) failures throughout the United States. Both buffeting and vortex shedding have been shown to contribute to the failures observed. To increase HMLT safety, an investigation of the loading spectrum and response was conducted. The study included multiple goals; the primary deliverable was the development of a rational wind load for the fatigue design of HMLTs. Long-term remote monitoring was used to collect wind and strain data from 11 HMLTs distributed throughout the United States over the course of 2 years in order to investigate the effects of buffeting, vortex shedding, and associated dynamic oscillations. Data obtained from the field monitoring led to the development of a notional load model for HMLT fatigue design. The combined wind effect concept for fatigue design, which accounts for the effects of a variety of wind-induced loads, is introduced. Results from the research have been implemented into current design practice.
Get full access to this article
View all available purchase options and get full access to this article.
Acknowledgments
The work presented above was sponsored by NCHRP Project 10-74. The authors wish to thank Mr. Allen DeSchepper, previous Purdue University Graduate Research Assistant, and Mr. Joe Mueller, previous Purdue University Field and Laboratory Engineering Technician, for their work during the research study.
References
AASHTO. 2009. Standard specifications for structural supports for highway signs, luminaires and traffic signals. 5th ed. Washington, DC: AASHTO.
AASHTO. 2014. LRFD bridge design specifications. 7th ed. Washington, DC: AASHTO.
Ahearn, E. B., and J. A. Puckett. 2010. Reduction of wind-induced vibrations in high-mast light poles. Laramie, WY: Univ. of Wyoming.
ASTM. 2005. Standard practices for cycle counting in fatigue analysis. ASTM E1049. West Conshohocken, PA: ASTM.
Connor, R. J., S. H. Collicott, A. M. DeSchepper, R. J. Sherman, and J. A. Ocampo. 2012. Development of fatigue loading and design methodology for high-mast light poles. Washington, DC: Transportation Research Board.
Connor, R. J., and I. C. Hodgson. 2006. Field instrumentation, testing, and long-term monitoring of high-mast lighting towers in the state of Iowa. Ames, IA: Iowa DOT.
Connor, R. J., and I. C. Hodgson. 2009. Field instrumentation, testing, and long-term monitoring of high-mast lighting tower no. 1 at the I-35/US 18 interchange near Clear Lake in the state of Iowa. Ames, IA: Iowa DOT.
Dexter, R. J. 2004. Investigation of cracking of high-mast lighting structures. Ames, IA: Iowa DOT.
Kaczinski, M. R., R. J. Dexter, and J. P. Van Dien. 1998. Fatigue-resistant design of cantilevered signal, sign, and light supports. Washington, DC: Transportation Research Board.
Magenes, L. 2011. “Fatigue assessment of high mast illumination poles using field measurements.” Ph.D. dissertation, Dept. of Civil and Architectural Engineering, Univ. of Texas at Austin.
NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration). 2010. Comparative climatic data for the United States through 2010. Asheville, NC: National Climatic Data Center.
Phares, B. M., P. P. Sarkar, T. J. Wipf, and B. Chang. 2007. Development of fatigue design procedures for slender, tapered support structures for highway signs, luminaries, and traffic signals subjected to wind-induced excitation from vortex shedding and buffeting. Ames, IA: Iowa State Univ.
Sherman, R. J. 2009. “Development of fatigue loading and design methodology for high-mast lighting poles.” Ph.D. dissertation, Lyles School of Civil Engineering, Purdue Univ.
Sherman, R. J., M. H. Hebdon, and R. J. Connor. 2016. “Fatigue testing and retrofit details of high-mast lighting towers.” Eng. J. 53 (1): 61–72.
Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Copyright
©2018 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Nov 29, 2017
Accepted: Jun 28, 2018
Published online: Oct 26, 2018
Published in print: Jan 1, 2019
Discussion open until: Mar 26, 2019
Authors
Metrics & Citations
Metrics
Citations
Download citation
If you have the appropriate software installed, you can download article citation data to the citation manager of your choice. Simply select your manager software from the list below and click Download.