Development of GFRP Monopole Guyed Communication Tower
Publication: Journal of Composites for Construction
Volume 27, Issue 1
Abstract
In recent years, there has been a growing demand for a lightweight, dependable, and cost-effective construction material with low maintenance requirements and high corrosion resistance to replace steel communication towers. This paper reports on an examination of glass fiber–reinforced polymer (GFRP) as an unconventional material for the fabrication of a GFRP lightweight communication guyed tower. The study included extensive experimental testing as well as numerical modeling of a 9-m GFRP guyed communication tower. Extensive material testing was conducted to define the material properties required for modeling the guyed tower. Furthermore, the study involved the fabrication of a unique adjustable collapsible multiuse device to form the prismatic tower cells required for the tower’s fabrication. The newly designed collapsible mandrel fabricated individual cells using fiberglass matting and a hand lay-up method. The 9-m tower had a uniform constant cross section of three identical cells bonded together to form an equilateral triangle with sides of 500 mm. The tower was tested under static loading conditions using a whiffle-tree arrangement to simulate uniformly distributed wind loading. Under static loading conditions, a comprehensive experimental strain and deflection study was conducted and three critical regions on the tower were thoroughly evaluated. To simulate the structural behavior of the tower, a nonlinear finite-element model was created. The results for the finite-element model were validated by comparing them with experimental results. The structural performance of the GFRP guyed tower was accurately predicted by the finite-element model.
Get full access to this article
View all available purchase options and get full access to this article.
Acknowledgments
The authors gratefully acknowledge the financial support provided by Manitoba Hydro and the University of Pittsburgh Johnstown.
References
Alshurafa, S., H. Alhayek, and D. Polyzois. 2019a. “Parametric study on the strength and stiffness of FRP meteorological guyed towers.” Mech. Adv. Mater. Struct. 26 (16): 1403–1410. https://doi.org/10.1080/15376494.2018.1432811.
Alshurafa, S., H. Alhayek, and D. Polyzois. 2019b. “Finite element method for the static and dynamic analysis of FRP guyed tower.” J. Comput. Des. Eng. 6 (3): 436–446. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcde.2018.08.004.
Alshurafa, S., H. Alhayek, and D. Polyzois. 2021a. “Static characteristics of multi cells jointed FRP tower with mass on its top.” Mech. Adv. Mater. Struct. 28 (3): 229–236. https://doi.org/10.1080/15376494.2018.1555872.
Alshurafa, S., H. Alhayek, and D. Polyzois. 2021b. “Dynamic characteristics of an 8.6 m lightweight FRP tower supporting mass on its top.” Mar. Struct. 79: 103052. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marstruc.2021.103052.
Alshurafa, S. A., and D. Polyzois. 2018a. “An experimental and numerical study into the development of FRP guyed towers.” Compos. Struct. 201: 779–790. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compstruct.2018.06.056.
Alshurafa, S., and D. Polyzois. 2018b. “Design recommendations and comparative study of FRP and steel guyed towers.” Eng. Sci. Technol. 21 (5): 807–814. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jestch.2018.06.014.
Alshurafa, S., A. Rose, and D. Polyzois. 2021c. “Effects of icing, prestressing and laminate buckling stresses on the design of guyed towers.” Mech. Adv. Mater. Struct. 28 (21): 2229–2241. https://doi.org/10.1080/15376494.2020.1725192.
ANSI/TIA (American National Standards Institute/Telecommunication Industry Association). 2019. Structural standards for steel antenna towers and antenna supporting structures. Arlington, VA: TIA.
ANSYS. 2013. ANSYS user’s manual release 15. Houston: Swanson Analysis Systems.
ASTM. 2016. Standard test methods for compressive properties of polymer matrix composite materials with unsupported gage section by shear loading. ASTM D3410/D3410M-16E1. West Conshohocken, PA: ASTM.
ASTM. 2017. Standard test methods for tensile properties of polymer matrix composite materials. ASTM-D3039. West Conshohocken, PA: ASTM.
ASTM. 2019. Standard test methods for shear properties of composite materials by the V-notched beam method. ASTM D5379/D5379M-19E1. West Conshohocken, PA: ASTM.
CSA (Canadian Standard Association). 2018. Antennas, towers, and antenna-supporting structures. CAN/CSA-S37-18. Rexdale, ON, Canada: CSA.
Lin, Y. 1995. “Bending instability of composite tubes.” J. Aerosp. Eng. 9 (9): 58–61.
Martin, D., and S. Richter. 1974. “A marketing approach to the development of the RPIC lighting pole market.” In Proc., 29th Annual Technical Conf. Reinforced Plastics/Composite Institute, The Society of the Plastics Industry, Section 3-A, 1–5. Lancaster, PA: Technomic Publishing Company, Inc.
McClure, G., L. Boire, and J. C. Carriere. 1992. “Applications of advanced composite materials in overhead power lines and telecommunications structures.” In Advanced Composite in Bridges and Structures, Canadian Society of Civil Engineering, 543–549. Toronto, Canada: Canadian Society of Civil Engineers.
NRG Tall Tower. 2021. Installation manual and specification. Hinesburg, VT: NRG Systems.
Polyzois, D., S. Ibrahim, V. Burachynsky, and S. Hassan. 2000. “Fibre reinforced plastic Poles for transmission and distribution lines: An experimental investigation.” J. Compos. Manuf. 16 (4): 1–7.
Polyzois, D., S. Ibrahim, and I. G. Raftoyiannis. 1999. “Performance of fibre-reinforced plastic tapered Poles under lateral loading.” J. Compos. Mater. 33 (10): 941–960. https://doi.org/10.1177/002199839903301004.
Polyzois, D., I. G. Raftoyiannis, and S. Ibrahim. 1998. “Finite element method for the dynamic analysis of tapered composite Poles.” J. Compos. Struct. 43 (1): 25–34. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0263-8223(98)00088-9.
Polyzois, D., I. G. Raftoyiannis, and D. Philopulos. 2007. “An experimental survey of the static and dynamic behavior of jointed composite GFRP tapered Poles.” Mech. Adv. Mater. Struct. 14 (3): 203–212. https://doi.org/10.1080/15376490600734849.
Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Copyright
© 2022 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Nov 10, 2021
Accepted: Sep 1, 2022
Published online: Nov 8, 2022
Published in print: Feb 1, 2023
Discussion open until: Apr 8, 2023
ASCE Technical Topics:
- Continuum mechanics
- Dynamic loads
- Dynamics (solid mechanics)
- Engineering fundamentals
- Engineering materials (by type)
- Engineering mechanics
- Fabrication
- Fiber reinforced polymer
- Fibers
- Finite element method
- Glass fibers
- Guyed towers
- Material mechanics
- Material properties
- Materials engineering
- Materials processing
- Methodology (by type)
- Numerical methods
- Polymer
- Solid mechanics
- Static loads
- Statics (mechanics)
- Structural dynamics
- Structural engineering
- Structures (by type)
- Synthetic materials
- Towers (by type)
- Wind loads
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.