Computer-Aided Strengthening of Steel and Reinforced Concrete Telecommunication Poles

ABSTRACT: The absence of explicit guidelines for the rehabilitation of existing pole structures was the motivation to investigate the effectiveness of steel jacketing for the retrofitting of self-supporting steel and reinforced concrete telecommunication poles. The present study describes a numerical simulation of preand post-retrofitted conditions of the pole structures subjected to seismic hazards. By this way, effects of superstructure flexibility, variable damping on dynamic response, significance of flexural period on base shear amplification and overall effectiveness of retrofitting against base excitation are assessed on two reinforced concrete and two steel poles through the application of modal analyses, and by utilizing a modal superposition technique and response spectrum approach based on a set of strong motion accelerograms recorded during the 1994 Northridge earthquake. Analysis of results shows that steel jacketing has more remediation on reinforced concrete poles than steel poles for decreasing their seismic vulnerability.