Improved Fatigue Life Assessment of Lighting Poles

Abstract

Fatigue cracking reported in a lighting pole on an elevated bridge structure near Wellington raised the question of how to better design for and predict the fatigue life of lighting poles subject to wind induced fatigue. There have been concerns as to the reliability and currency of the methods commonly used in New Zealand. The paper therefore reviews current international design methods and describes the development of an improved fatigue design method for lighting poles in New Zealand. The new method uses fracture mechanics based crack growth formulations in conjunction with a modified J.D. Holmes Method for wind response analysis of the pole to varying wind speeds. Cumulative crack growth is calculated iteratively rather than using an S-N curve based Palmegran-Miner summation. Wind spectra used in the method are developed from long term meteorological records at representative locations. Software has been prepared to enable quick assessment of the expected fatigue life of lighting poles, and associated gear openings and holding down bolts The method and software has been calibrated with reference to full scale laboratory fatigue proof testing of representative base stubs and natural wind response testing of a 12 m high lighting pole.