Wood Poles Research Articles

EVALUATION STUDY ON WOODEN PILLAR MOSQUES BUILT IN ANATOLIA IN THE 13TH CENTURY

In this article, mosques that are carried on wooden poles, which have a very important place among Anatolian Seljuk and Principalities (Beyliks) Period mosques and covered with flat wooden roofs, are discussed. With the continuation of the wooden pillar mosque tradition in Central Asia, very important examples of this building type, which were brought to Anatolia by the Turks in the Anatolian Seljuk State Period, were revealed in the 13th century. In this study, Beyşehir Eşrefoğlu Mosque, Afyon Ulu Mosque, Ankara Arslanhane (Ahi Şerafettin Mosque) and Sivrihisar Ulu Mosque, which are the most magnificent examples of this building type, were investigated. After the archive and literature researches about these buildings were done, a catalog study of the buildings was made. Within the scope of this study, the formal features of the buildings such as plan, facade, construction technique, plan type, number of entrances, the presence of the last congregation and the presence of a gathered floor, the environmental relation, the spatial characteristics such as the carrier element and the architectural elements were examined. The aim of the article is to make a general inference on the wooden pillar mosques built in Anatolia in the 13th century in line with the data obtained from the studies and to determine the common aspects of wooden pillar mosques built in four different parts of Anatolia. In the light of the information obtained as a result of the catalog studies and archive scans, it has been observed that the structures have similar characteristics especially in terms of the materials and construction techniques used, but some of their features differ and take shape in line with the construction traditions of the places where they are located. Konya Sahipata Mosque, which was built in the 13th century, was excluded from the scope of the study, as its general characteristics were completely changed after the fire.

EVALUATION STUDY ON WOODEN PILLAR MOSQUES BUILT IN ANATOLIA IN THE 13TH CENTURY

In this article, mosques that are carried on wooden poles, which have a very important place among Anatolian Seljuk and Principalities (Beyliks) Period mosques and covered with flat wooden roofs, are discussed. With the continuation of the wooden pillar mosque tradition in Central Asia, very important examples of this building type, which were brought to Anatolia by the Turks in the Anatolian Seljuk State Period, were revealed in the 13th century. In this study, Beyşehir Eşrefoğlu Mosque, Afyon Ulu Mosque, Ankara Arslanhane (Ahi Şerafettin Mosque) and Sivrihisar Ulu Mosque, which are the most magnificent examples of this building type, were investigated. After the archive and literature researches about these buildings were done, a catalog study of the buildings was made. Within the scope of this study, the formal features of the buildings such as plan, facade, construction technique, plan type, number of entrances, the presence of the last congregation and the presence of a gathered floor, the environmental relation, the spatial characteristics such as the carrier element and the architectural elements were examined. The aim of the article is to make a general inference on the wooden pillar mosques built in Anatolia in the 13th century in line with the data obtained from the studies and to determine the common aspects of wooden pillar mosques built in four different parts of Anatolia. In the light of the information obtained as a result of the catalog studies and archive scans, it has been observed that the structures have similar characteristics especially in terms of the materials and construction techniques used, but some of their features differ and take shape in line with the construction traditions of the places where they are located. Konya Sahipata Mosque, which was built in the 13th century, was excluded from the scope of the study, as its general characteristics were completely changed after the fire.

Vegetation science during hectic times

Vegetation science during hectic times

СОЛЯНКА - ПОЙМЕННОЕ ГОРОДИЩЕ-СВЯТИЛИЩЕ КУДИНСКОЙ ДОЛИНЫ (ПРЕДБАЙКАЛЬЕ)

Ancient sanctuaries located on elevated areas became known to archaeologists in the territory of the Kudinskaya Valley (Baikal region) at the end of the 19th century. Their territory is separated from the surrounding area by protective structures -ramparts or ditches. In this regard, they received the name of the fort-sanctuary. Rituals dedicated to heavenly deities were held on their territory. Currently, such archaeological sites are dated within the Ist -beginning of the 2nd millennium AD. In 2019, earth reconnaissance work was carried out at one of the ancient sanctuaries located in the Solyanka area. Unlike other sanctuary settlements, Solyanka is located in the floodplain of the river on a small hill surrounded by a ditch. The diameter of the sanctuary is 36 m. Judging by its geomorphological position, it was probably dedicated to the owner of the Kuda River or the valley along which it flows. To the south of the ancient sanctuary is the modern sanctuary. On it, the Buryat population conducts rites dedicated to “the owner of the area”. In its center there is a wooden pole serge, near which there is a hearth, benches and tables used for the ritual. Keywords: Baikal region, Kuda Valley, ancient fort -sanctuary, ditch, serge, pit work

The analysis of physics concepts application on the foundation structure of the Jambi’s traditional house to build character education

The concept of physics can be applied to aspects of customs and culture in order to preserve local wisdom. One way to introduce the customs and culture of the local area can be done by studying traditional houses. The foundation structure of the Jambi’s traditional house uses wooden poles arranged to support the weight above where. Mass of each pole has a correlation with the amount of load that has been distributed evenly. The purpose of this study is to analyse and explain the application of physics concepts in the foundation structure of traditional Jambi houses and to build character education to new generation. The process of collecting data is done by interview, observation, and documentation. The results of interview section are about the advantage of using wood, philosophy and meaning of foundation structure. Based on the data analysis of observation, it is shown that the mass of each pole is strong enough to support the live and dead load that has been analysed. Because it has a pole mass greater than the distributed load. So this can educate the new generation to know the process of making foundation structures with certain calculations that can be analysed through physics concept.

Șoprul și alte structuri pentru fân din Țara Maramureșului

"The hay barrack and other hay structures from the Land of Maramureș The hay barrack is a unique structure, consisting of four wooden poles which support a pyramidal roof, which can be raised or lowered, depending on the amount of hay sheltered from the weather. The Land of Maramureș (the northern half of the current Maramureș County), a quite well-known traditional life stronghold, can be considered ”the World’s hay capital”, a place where the hay culture is stronger than anywhere else and where the fields are filled up with ”classic” hay barracks (we estimate that there are probably 10-15,000 structures still left), with tens of thousands hay stacks, with thousands hay barracks with immovable roof and with countless drying hayracks of different types, so many that they change the look of the landscape. Moreover, there is the only place where the hay barracks are still used today exactly as in the Middle Ages (being filled regularly, manually, with traditionally harvested hay), and on a huge scale, not found elsewhere. With prehistoric origins, the most special structure, the hay barrack is considered to have its birthplace in the Netherlands, from where, since the 13th and 14th centuries, it spread over a large part of the continent, a territory bordered by Great Britain, France, Northern Italy, Croatia, Hungary, Northern Transylvania, Ukraine, Russia or Scandinavia. Today, everywhere, the unusual barrack has disappeared, except în Maramureș and the Netherlands - where there is the second largest group of preserved structures, but without being used anymore for storing hay. The study lists the main features of the construction, the villages where the hay barracks survive in more significant number, and it tries to find out the reason why this type of structure still persists so strongly in that region. At the end there are some old images from different places, as well as contemporary photographs taken in Maramureș, featuring various types of hay structures. Keywords: hay barrack, hay stack, hayrack, Maramureș, traditional farming "

Influence of Soil Characteristics on Wood Biodeterioration by Brown Rot Fungi

Soil conditions can directly influence the inoculum potential of wood decay fungi, which is likely to be a major factor in the premature failure of utility poles across Europe. The objective of our study was to assess the influence of soil pH, humic acid and iron on wood decay. For this purpose, we incubated Fe-impregnated wood specimens on artificial medium to evaluate the influence of the metal on the activity of brown rot fungi. Moreover, the impact of Cu-leaching from impregnated wood specimens that were exposed to humic acid solutions was measured. In addition, weight losses caused by brown rot fungi in impregnated wood pole segments and stiffness (Young’s modulus of Elasticity) of Cu-impregnated wood specimens were quantified. The pH measurements showed that the soil samples were slightly acid (pH = 6.7 ± 0.7). In comparison to non-impregnated controls, the Fe-impregnated samples significantly increased weight losses by brown rot fungi (>30–40%). In the presence of humic acid the release of copper from chromium-free wood preservatives (up to 143.34 mg L−1) was enhanced. Weight losses in impregnated wood segments by brown rot fungi ranged from 5.3 to 20.4%. The recorded reduction in stiffness by brown rot fungi ranged from approximately 3.96 to 55.52% for Cu-impregnated wood specimens after 12 weeks. Our study shows that the pH, humic acid, iron content and selected wood preservatives greatly influence susceptibility of impregnated wood to brown rot fungi during ground contact.

Local System Modeling Method for Resilience Assessment of Overhead Power Distribution System under Strong Winds

AbstractDuring extreme weather events, such as hurricanes or major winter snowstorms, power distribution systems, such as the overhead power distribution systems consisting of wood poles and power ...

Multi-Modal Natural Frequency Response of Utility Transmission Tapered Wood Poles Under Various Soil Foundation Conditions

Studied herein is the multi-modal natural frequency response of utility transmission tapered wood poles under various soil foundation conditions. Strong winds and hurricanes in various parts of the world have resulted in collapse of such utility poles and have resulted in the disruption of electrical distribution systems in addition to creating hazardous conditions for the public. To avoid the development of resonance under such dynamic loading, the multi-modal natural vibration of the utility poles first needs to be understood in the presence of practical soil foundation conditions. To capture the soil-structure interaction effects on the multi-modal frequencies, a SAP2000 dynamic finite element model is created in which the foundation soil stiffness is characterized by means of a series of ‘soil springs’ below the ground level. The properties of the soil springs vary with types of foundation soils and depths. Three types of foundation soils are considered, namely sandy, clayey soils and Granite (Rock). The results are compared to a standard fixed base model. It is found that the fundamental natural frequencies decreased by 52%, 37%, and 3% for sandy, clayey soils and granite, respectively, when compared to fixed base model. It was observed that there was an increase in the frequencies of the embedded utility poles in clay and granite, when compared to those with the fixed based after the 1st mode whereas, poles embedded in sandy soils showed increase in modal frequencies after the 3rd mode. The 10th mode appears to be a starting point of modal frequency convergence, while an apparent convergence occurs after the 20th mode. The convergent modal frequency was about 740 Hz for the Class H1 utility pole. However, there was a significant increase in the higher modal frequencies such as nearly 55% at the 20th mode, in all soil types when compared to the fixed base model.

Multi-Modal Natural Frequency Response of Utility Transmission Tapered Wood Poles Under Various Soil Foundation Conditions

Studied herein is the multi-modal natural frequency response of utility transmission tapered wood poles under various soil foundation conditions. Strong winds and hurricanes in various parts of the world have resulted in collapse of such utility poles and have resulted in the disruption of electrical distribution systems in addition to creating hazardous conditions for the public. To avoid the development of resonance under such dynamic loading, the multi-modal natural vibration of the utility poles first needs to be understood in the presence of practical soil foundation conditions. To capture the soil-structure interaction effects on the multi-modal frequencies, a SAP2000 dynamic finite element model is created in which the foundation soil stiffness is characterized by means of a series of ‘soil springs’ below the ground level. The properties of the soil springs vary with types of foundation soils and depths. Three types of foundation soils are considered, namely sandy, clayey soils and Granite (Rock). The results are compared to a standard fixed base model. It is found that the fundamental natural frequencies decreased by 52%, 37%, and 3% for sandy, clayey soils and granite, respectively, when compared to fixed base model. It was observed that there was an increase in the frequencies of the embedded utility poles in clay and granite, when compared to those with the fixed based after the 1st mode whereas, poles embedded in sandy soils showed increase in modal frequencies after the 3rd mode. The 10th mode appears to be a starting point of modal frequency convergence, while an apparent convergence occurs after the 20th mode. The convergent modal frequency was about 740 Hz for the Class H1 utility pole. However, there was a significant increase in the higher modal frequencies such as nearly 55% at the 20th mode, in all soil types when compared to the fixed base model.

Assessment of the effectiveness of wood pole repair using FRP considering the impact of climate change on decay and hurricane risk

Electric power distribution systems are vulnerable to disruption due to severe weather events, especially hurricanes. Such vulnerability is expected to increase over time due to the impact of climate change on hurricanes and the decay of wood poles that support the distribution lines. This study investigates the effectiveness of using fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) sleeve to reinforce wood poles subjected to decay and hurricane hazard to restore their lost strength and extend their effective service life. The potential impact of climate change on the pole decay rate and the intensity and frequency of hurricanes is also considered. The optimal FRP repair time based on the structural reliability of the poles is also determined. Three locations with varying climates are chosen to evaluate and compare the results: Miami, Charleston, and New York City. The results show that in all three locations, the application of the FRP sleeve can more than double the service life of the pole depending on the time of the repair. The results also show that climate change significantly increases the vulnerability of the pole. The probability of failure of the pole at the end of the 21st century under RCP8.5 emission scenario in Miami, Charleston, and New York City increase by about 30%, 70%, and 73%, respectively, compared to a no climate change scenario. If climate change is only assumed to affect the decay of the pole, i.e., no change in hurricane hazard intensity, the corresponding increases in failure probability are 5%, 22%, and 20% in Miami, Charleston, and New York City, respectively. This implies that most of the impact of climate change on pole failure risk is due to the increase in hurricane intensity. The impact of climate change on decay is found to be comparatively small. It increases with time as variation in temperature and precipitation becomes more prominent towards the end of the 21st century. The optimization results show that the optimal FRP repair time depends on how the FRP affects the pole's decay rate. If the FRP can significantly slow down the wood decay rate, the optimal time of repair is at the beginning of the pole's life cycle. If the FRP has no impact on the wood decay rate, it is better to repair the pole after significant decay has occurred.

Naḫıls and Candy Gardens in the 1720 Ottoman Imperial Festival

Abstract In late July 1720 Sultan Ahmed III (r. 1703–30) and his high-ranking officials decided to host a circumcision festival in Istanbul that would start in mid-September and continue for three weeks. As noted in the narrative sources, among various other preparations that the officials had to take care of, the most urgent task was to construct large and small naḫıls (lit. “date palms”), consisting of wooden poles decorated with wax, fruit, flowers; and giant model candy gardens (sing. bāġçe-i şeker). Despite this concern, the sources do not provide substantial information regarding the construction of these objects. Interestingly, this lack of information is also evident in narrative sources related to previous imperial celebrations. By analyzing unknown archival documents and considering the textual and pictorial sources for the 1720 festival, this essay intends to elucidate the design and construction process of the splendid naḫıls and candy gardens, which were indispensable material objects in Ottoman imperial festivals.

Features of Claw Marks of Masked Palm Civets: Effects of Using Claw Marks to Survey Raccoons

We examined whether masked palm civets (Paguma larvata) would leave claw marks on wooden poles by having them climb poles experimentally. We also examined the features of civet's claw marks that are generally mistaken for claw marks of racoons (Procyon lotor). The test sessions included two conditions: square and round poles of different sizes (10, 15, and 20 cm). Civets climbed wooden poles regardless of the shape and usually left short claw marks on the pole surface. The claw marks that are generally mistaken for those of a raccoon (five fingers, claw marks over 4 cm in width and over 1 cm in length) occurred in 7.6% of tracks with the 10-cm square pole, 4.1% of tracks with the 15-cm square pole, and 0.6% of tracks with the 20-cm square pole. In the round pole experiments, claw marks generally mistaken for those of a raccoon occurred in 0.0% of tracks with the 10-cm diameter pole, 0.4% of tracks with the 15-cm diameter pole, and 2.1% with 20-cm diameter pole. These results suggest that the presence of masked palm civets would have little impact on the use of claw marks to assess raccoon distribution.

An In-Situ Assessment of Wood-in-Service Using Microwave Technologies, with a Focus on Assessing Hardwood Power Poles

Simple SummaryBoth termites and decay fungi use wood as a food source. Termites and decay cause major damage and inflict significant costs on human societies around the world. Currently, power pole testing techniques either involve a subjective evaluation, based on the sound that the pole makes when it is hit by a heavy hammer, or observing wood shaving from holes that are drilled into the core of the pole itself. Drilling is destructive and compromises any protection from wood preservative treatments, allowing termites or decay fungi to enter the pole. This project developed a simple, objective measurement technique, which is based on the transmission of very low power microwave energy through the wood. Two versions of the system were developed, and both could easily distinguish between sound hardwood poles and those which were compromised by decay and termite attack, without compromising the pole’s integrity in any way. These will be of enormous benefit to the power utility industry.Wooden power poles and their ongoing inspection represent a significant investment for most electrical power utilities. This study explored the potential for using microwave fields to non-invasively assess the state of hardwood power poles in a field experiment. Two strategies were assessed: 2.4 GHz microwave field transmission through the pole; and mutual coupling between antennae using a 10.525 GHz radar module applied to the surface of the pole. Both systems distinguished between sound hardwood poles and those which were compromised by decay and subterranean termite attack and infestation.

Optimized Protection of Pole-Mounted Distribution Transformers against Direct Lightning Strikes

Direct lightning strikes on overhead phase conductors result in high overvoltage stress on the medium voltage (MV) terminals of pole-mounted transformers, which may cause considerable damage. Therefore, introducing an efficient protection strategy would be a remedy for alleviating such undesirable damages. This paper investigates the optimized protection of MV transformers against direct lightning strikes on the phase conductors. To this end, first, the impacts of grounding densities (number of grounded intermediate poles between every two successive transformer poles) on the probability of overvoltage stress on transformer terminals are investigated. Then, the implications of guy wire, as a supporting device for ungrounded intermediate poles, on reducing the overvoltage stress on transformers, are studied. Finally, the role of a surge arrester in mitigating the overvoltage stress of non-surge-arrester-protected transformer poles is scrutinized. The investigations are conducted on a sample MV network with 82 wood poles comprising 17 pole-mounted transformers protected by spark gaps. To provide in-depth analysis, two different poles, namely creosote- and arsenic-impregnated poles, are considered under wet and dry weather conditions. A sensitivity analysis is performed on grounding distances and on a combination of guy wire and grounded intermediate poles while taking into account soil ionization. The results provide a clear picture for the system operator in deciding how many grounded intermediate poles might be required for a system to reach the desired probabilities of transformers experiencing overvoltage stress and how the surge arrester and guy wires contribute to mitigating undesirable overvoltage stress.

In the Sky at Nighttime by L. Deal

Deal, Laura. In the Sky at Nighttime. Iqaluit, NU: Inhabit Media, 2019.
 This illustrated poem shows what a polar village looks like at night and what is in the night sky. In the Arctic, winter nights are long, and it is dark as people go about their daily lives, so many people are familiar with the night sky. Tamara Campeau’s illustrations, each of which fill two facing pages, are in deep blue and purple hues, with the sky prominent in them. The text is overprinted on the artwork. Campeau’s rendering of the village has accurate details. Some of the houses have heating oil tanks outside. Paths to the doors have snow heaped alongside them. Power lines, attached to wooden power poles with insulators and transformers, loop through the village. The yellow light from electric lighting shines out through the windows of the houses. At the beginning of the book Laura Deal describes observable things in the sky: stars, falling snow, northern lights, ravens. Towards the end she becomes more figurative, introducing a mother’s song and dreams swirling in the sky.
 The text is a six verse poem, each verse beginning with the phrase “In the sky at night time.” The structure of the poem is reminiscent of Stephen Eaton Hume’s 1992 picture book, Midnight on the Farm, which also uses six verses, each beginning with a repeating phrase, to describe a nighttime world, however the two landscapes are distinct.
 Because this is an illustrated poem in the form of a picture book, rather than a picture book with text, some of the words are more difficult than one would expect in books for young children. For example, the dreams are “magical and extraordinary.” As a result, this text, simple as it is, will need some explanation. In the Sky at Nighttime is highly recommended for public libraries and elementary school libraries.
 Highly recommended: 4 out of 4 starsReviewer: Sandy Campbell
 Sandy is a Health Sciences Librarian at the University of Alberta, who has written hundreds of book reviews across many disciplines. Sandy thinks that sharing books with children is one of the greatest gifts anyone can give.

Applicability of finger jointing to circular laminated veneer hollow sections for temporary soil nailing

This paper investigates the strength properties of circular laminated veneer lumber hollow sections made of beech wood and loaded in tension. These tubular, hollow wooden poles are intended for an innovative geotechnical approach, which utilizes the high tensile strength of beech wood and its limited durability as soil nails for temporary geotechnical slope stabilisation. Due to the standardized design approaches of soil nail walls that prevent a rigid soil body from sliding by using nails as reinforcement elements, primary tension loads will be aligned to the structural elements. Depending on the height of the soil nail wall, nails with a length up to 10 m may be necessary, demanding for high-performance longitudinal section joints due to the natural length limitations of the wood veneer. This paper discusses the applicability of finger jointing to tubular, laminated beech wood veneer poles and presents the results of large-scale tensile tests. Depending on the joint arrangement, the median tensile strength is reduced by 37–43% compared to the unjointed sections of a similar geometry. Thus, finger jointing has been found to be an efficient method of a longitudinal load-carrying connection in combination with a minimized cross section reduction at the joint. However, due to the low sample size of the tests, further improvements are necessary.

Monitoring of a Cross-Sectional Vibrational Mode in the Trunk of a Palm Tree

Palm trees, like all other tree species, are living entities that may be subject to the attack of several natural agents which affect the strength of the trunk. The most serious of these damaging agents are parasites and rot fungi, which proliferate in the substance of the stem, destroying its cells and fibers and weakening it. Consequently, this decay affects the physical characteristics of the modes of vibration in the tree trunk regarding resonance frequency, shape, and damping. Advanced stages of rot infection in a tree trunk may reach such an extreme level that substantial amounts of its solid mass are removed, ultimately leading to a hollow trunk rather than one of substance. In cases like these, the trunk presents less resistance to forced vibrations, and the active modes affecting the cross section of the trunk exhibit decreased resonance frequency values. This paper aims to present a method based on vibrations which might be employed for tracking a specific mode of radial vibrations known as the ovalling mode. To achieve this goal, the trunk of a palm tree was set into vibration via mechanical excitation in the radial direction and its response at some specific point on the trunk was examined. This method uses a single concentrated source of excitation and two vibration sensors, which are diametrically positioned and fastened to the surface of the tree trunk. The ovalling mode might be extracted from the frequency response by adding the signals recorded by the two sensors, which are in phase for a test specimen with a perfectly circular, cylindrical shape made of homogeneous, isotropic material. This study provides a preliminary investigation into the feasibility and reliability of this nondestructive method when applied for the identification of rot hosting by the trunks of standing trees, wooden poles, and logs, as well as the level of severity of rot attack.

Monoxylon and other wooden structures in the Morava River region from the sites of Moravičany Lakes in the Mohelnice cadastre

The article presents a brief summary of newly discovered wooden structures in the well-known polycultural site Mohelnice – štěrkovna (also “U cukrovaru” or Za cukrovarem) in the Mohelnice cadastre and its vicinity. Earlier discoveries at this site include Neolithic timbered wells and a sensational find of an oak monoxylon from the La Tène period of the 4th/3rd century BC (dendro 281 or 301 BC). It was found trapped in its home port on the banks of the meandering river Morava and dating has revealed the same age as the absolutely dated simple wooden pole construction. It is the northernmost found monoxylon known in the Czech Republic and also presents the oldest evidence for such use of ships on Czech rivers. The manufacture and use of such ships has been known since the Mesolithic period continuing until modern times. The subsequent exploration of the shores of the Moravičany Lakes banks revealed a number of smaller wooden structures below the water surface, either made up of pointed stakes themselves, or a combination of smaller stakes and branches built into a tapered corridor resembling a structure used for fishing. The latest discovery is a massive oak-fir structure manufactured from stakes, longitudinal and transverse planks and stones, interpretable as a timber trackway, or a bridge. It has been dendrochronologically dated to 1547–1560 and archival sources indicate the structure was repaired in 1645. The structure spans the former meander between Třeština and Mohelnice near one of the mills. The existence of this route is documented on 18th-century maps. Significant discoveries from various times of mainly wooden buildings underscore at least the European significance of the Mohelnice site. It may yield many valuable finds in the future.

Optimization of Condition-Based Maintenance of Wood Utility Pole Network Subjected to Hurricane Hazard and Climate Change

Electric power distribution systems that link the bulk power grid (generation and transmission systems) to customers are the leading cause of power outages due to their vulnerability to extreme wind events, especially hurricanes. The strength of the wood poles that typically support the distribution lines also deteriorate over time. The vulnerability of the poles is expected to increase due to the potential impact of climate change on both hurricane hazard and wood decay rate. As such, an effective maintenance planning method is required for the vast number of poles supporting distribution lines. This paper presents a framework to optimize the maintenance of a network of wood utility poles. Corrective replacement due to failure caused by hurricanes and preventive replacement due to excessive decay are considered. The objective is to find the optimal inspection interval for the preventive replacement to minimize the long-term maintenance cost. To solve the optimization problem, the decay of the poles is modeled as a stationary gamma process. The impact of climate change on the rate of pole failure and replacement is also investigated. Two locations are considered as case studies: Miami, Florida, and New York City, New York. The period from 2010 to 2099 is considered for the study. The results of the case study show that the optimal inspection/replacement cycle determined using the developed framework results in lower total maintenance costs compared to current typical utility practice. Based on the inspection and replacement costs used in the study, the results show that adopting a periodic preventive maintenance policy decreases the failure rate of the poles but increases the total maintenance cost. However, only the cost of replacing the poles is considered here. Other considerations, such as indirect costs due to power outages and the impact of pole failure on system reliability, can render the adoption of a preventive replacement policy cost-effective. The results also show that climate change can increase the total maintenance cost. Based on current typical utility maintenance practice, climate change can increase the total maintenance cost by up to 8% in Miami and 6% in NYC, depending on the emission scenario considered.