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Re: wind & vertical load studies

These surveys are required by AEP and other utilities. You need to survey each conductor and device on each pole, their heights, pole height, class and age, any pull angles, anchors and guys. This data is inputed into a program usually supplied by the utility or you give them the raw data and they do the analysis. You need to have a good relationship with the utility to be certain that you are giving them the exact data they require. Since they wanted the survey certified by a PE we have always contracted ours out and paid anywhere from $50 to $75 per pole.
I had a major battle with a large utility in Ohio as we were ready to do an overbuild project in a small community. Out of 780 poles the survey said that 525 would need changed out.The problem was that they calculated existing load using paramaters in the NESC that worked out to say the existing load was OK, but when they calculated the additional load placed by our 1/4" strand and 1/2" cable they also recalculated the existing load using parameters that worked out to say that the structure would be overloaded. I convinced them (with the help of a State representative and a couple of lobbyists) of the error of their ways. Worked out that if they calculated the existing load using the same parameters that they used when they did the refiguring with our load, the poles would have been currently overloaded. Ended up that 16 poles needed changed out. They didn't (and don't) like me too well down there.
But they long delay caused the investors to get cold feet and they withdrew so we lost anyway.
Incidently, 4 years later, AEP does things the way that I thought they should've been doing them.
If anybody needs a contractor for wind/load surveys Cable Constructors from Iron Mountain, MI did a real nice job for us.
This is CABL.com posting #131404. Tiny Link: cabl.co/mIlA
Posted in reply to: wind & vertical load studies by newsheriff
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