Design, Fabrication, and Construction of Static-Cast Concrete Poles Reinforced with GFRP

Abstract

Concrete poles used in transmission structures usually are made using the spun-cast method. Recent surveys found that some spun-cast concrete poles have had durability problems as a result of longitudinal cracking and concrete segregation, which have resulted in corrosion of the reinforcing/prestressing steel. An innovative static-cast concrete pole system was developed to eliminate the shortfalls of spun-cast concrete poles. These poles have a nonprismatic hexagonal hollow section, made of fiber-reinforced self-consolidated concrete (SCC), and are reinforced longitudinally using glass fiber–reinforced polymer (GFRP) bars. The static-cast operation and use of nonmetallic reinforcement make these poles corrosion free and significantly reduce their lifecycle cost. The objective of this paper is to present the design, production, testing, and implementation of the proposed static-cast concrete poles. Testing results indicate that the flexural capacity, shear capacity, and deflection of the proposed static-cast concrete poles can be predicted accurately using existing approaches. The experience of implementing this approach for two poles gives an indication of the constructability of the proposed system and its ease of handling using the same equipment and procedures adopted for conventional poles.