Evaluation of Structural Strength Characteristics of Light Pole Transformer Bases

Details

• Creators:
  Vallabhan, C. V. Girija ; Burkett, William R.
• Corporate Creators:
  Texas Tech University. Department of Engineering Technology, and Civil Engineering
• Corporate Contributors:
  Texas Department of Transportation. Division of Transportation Planning
• Subject/TRT Terms:
  Base Plate Breakaway Supports Breakaway Transformer Base Elasticity (Mechanics) Element Analysis Full Scale Tests Hardness Light Pole Prototype Tests Strength Of Materials Structural Analysis Structural Supports T-base Tensile Strength Transformers Ultimate Moment Capacity Wind Loading

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• Publication/ Report Number:
  TX-97/0-1416-IR
• Resource Type:
  Tech Report
• Geographical Coverage:
  United States
• Edition:
  Final Report: September 1995 - August 1997
• Corporate Publisher:
  Texas Tech University. Department of Engineering Technology, and Civil Engineering
• Abstract:
  Brittle cast aluminum transformer bases used as breakaway supports for luminaire poles to protect occupants during vehicular collisions, must also resist moments caused by lateral wind loads. To study its moment capacity, a three-dimensional finite element model using CSA/NASTRAN was developed for analyzing both TBl-17 and TB3-17 t-base models. To validate the finite element results, full scale tests were conducted. The behavior of the t-base/light pole system is a complex interaction which is affected by properties of the t--base, base plate thickness, diameter of the pole and the diameters of the bolt circles at the top and bottom of the t-base. Critical loading orientations of the t-base were investigated and determined. The material properties of the cast aluminum, such as modulus of elasticity, ultimate tensile strength, Rockwell hardness number were investigated, by testing specimens cut from the t-bases. Also, an attempt was made to correlate the material properties with the ultimate moment capacity of the t-base. For the use of field engineers, a simple interpolation computer program was developed, to determine the ultimate moment capacity of transformer base/steel base plate system by inputting the actual base plate thickness, bolt circle diameters, t-base used and the steel pole diameter.
• Format:
  PDF
• Funding:
  0-1416
• Collection(s):
  US Transportation Collection
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:dfa83df538c3261171579a147e66ce2fb6754f855a55d731f0ffa4d86a5d915b04953c1e864ec24f230b89cf23c004bb27656cc9d23bf1c1696a0471945c1d65
• Download URL:
  https://rosap.ntl.bts.gov/view/dot/86196/dot_86196_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 1.89 MB ]